How often are chart plotters used in home waters?

[AntarcticPilot]

OK that's a common thing, that's why I should've qualified it.

I have an ABP shipping channel immediately outside my marina too (or, outside Cardiff Bay).

Normally I dual monitor the barrage and ABP VHF channels on locking out.

Is the AIS part of the plotter or a standalone engine like the GPS?

It's a separate engine but with no display except through the plotter.

The plotter in my sytem is central to the integration and display of navigation information. At least two systems (GPS and AIS) have no separate display, nor would I want a separate display, as it would take up too much space. Basic information (speed, depth, heading and wind) are displayed independently, but that's all. As I can't see a plotter that doesn't have the integration function being of much use, I actually would reverse the question and say "Why DON'T you switch the plotter on before leaving your berth?". I have occasionally not bothered - but only if only going out for an hour or so.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I don't think there has ever been a legal requirement for leisure sailors to monitor Ch 16. I thought there was also an intention to remove the requirement for commercial vessels to monitor Ch 16 (using DSC instead) but I am not sure if they got round to it.

It's a condition of your license that you keep a listening watch.

 

[bedouin]

It's a condition of your license that you keep a listening watch.

Can you quote the relevant regulation - I am pretty sure it isn't a condition of my licence!

 

[pvb]

It's a condition of your license that you keep a listening watch.

Where does it say that in the licence terms and conditions? To help you, the terms and conditions are here... http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/spectrum/ships-radio/ship-terms.pdf

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Where does it say that in the licence terms and conditions? To help you, the terms and conditions are here... http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/spectrum/ships-radio/ship-terms.pdf

It's not in the Ship License, it's in the operators license. The point was emphasized on my VHF course, not very long ago, and Watchkeeping requirements are a part of the syllabus for the SRC course. DSC, of course, automates the process. In terms of actual regulations, this is from an American site, but it quotes ITU regulations, which are incorporated in all national licensing regimes:

Radio Watchkeeping Regulations

In general, any vessel equipped with a VHF marine radiotelephone (whether voluntarily or required to) must maintain a watch on channel 16 (156.800 MHz) whenever the radiotelephone is not being used to communicate.

Source: FCC 47 CFR §§ 80.148, 80.310, NTIA Manual 8.2.29.6.c(2)(e), ITU RR 31.17, 33.18, AP13 §25.2

In addition, every power-driven vessel of 20 meters or over in length or of 100 tons and upwards carrying one or more passengers for hire, or a towing vessel of 26 feet or over in length, as well, as every dredge and floating plant operating near a channel or fairway, must also maintain a watch on channel 13 (156.650 MHz) --channel 67 (156.375 MHz) if operating on the lower Mississippi River-- ; while navigating on U.S. waters (which include the territorial sea, internal waters that are subject to tidal influence, and, those not subject to tidal influence but that are used or are determined to be capable of being used for substantial interstate or foreign commerce). Sequential monitoring techniques (scanners) alone cannot be used to meet this requirement; two radios (including portable radios, i.e. handhelds) or one radio with two receivers, are required. These vessels must also maintain a watch on the designated Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) frequency, in lieu of maintaining watch on channel 16, while transiting within a VTS area. See 33 CFR §§ 2.36, 26, and 161; 47 CFR §§ 80.148, 80.308-309; NTIA: NTIA Manual Chapter 8.2.29.7.

I think that if you weren't keeping a listening watch on Channel 16, or had a DSC set switched on, and it transpired that upu could have rendered assistyance but didn't because you weren't listening, then you could be in pretty bad trouble.

 

[FWB]

There is absolutely no requirement to have a radio on a small vessel. So there can be no requirement to turn it on if you have one. No one can tell me which switches to operate on my own vessel.

 

[NorthUp]

There is absolutely no requirement to have a radio on a small vessel. So there can be no requirement to turn it on if you have one. No one can tell me which switches to operate on my own vessel.

Nav lights in the dark?

(Apologies to the OP, I knew I would open a can of worms with a few words!)

 

[Leighb]

There is absolutely no requirement to have a radio on a small vessel. So there can be no requirement to turn it on if you have one. No one can tell me which switches to operate on my own vessel.

It is true there is no requirement to have one. However as already said, I believe that if you have one you are required to have it on and maintain a listening watch. In addition local Bye-laws may require you to listen on a local working channel, e.g. Ch71 for Harwich. We always have our VHF on 71 when entering/leaving Harwich, without it you can never be quite sure which way some of the ships are going. Is she bound up to Ipswich or maybe into the Stour?

I think the same applies to radar, no requirement to have it, but if you do, it MUST be used in poor visibility.

All IMHO naturally.

 

[pvb]

It's not in the Ship License, it's in the operators license.

I must be thick today, but I can't see anything which says I have to switch my VHF radio on.

 

[prv]

I actually would reverse the question and say "Why DON'T you switch the plotter on before leaving your berth?"

Because that would involve bringing it up from the cabin and mounting it in the cockpit

It's not exactly difficult, drop it into its mount and insert one plug, but if I'm sailing locally then I know where I am, where I'm going, and the few things I need to avoid. Why would I need a plotter? It would be like using a car satnav to show me the way to work in the morning!

Pete

 

[Dave99]

Quite often, especially at night!

 

[onesea]

I think the same applies to radar, no requirement to have it, but if you do, it MUST be used in poor visibility.

All IMHO naturally.

I would say you are sort of right. I think it is more a case of if its not on and something happens, questions will be asked why it was not on...

Pretty much the same as the VHF, if you have one and a boat is shouting Mayday near by....

Although have to say I am not very good at having it turned on and when its on not likely to be audible in cockpit..

As for chart plotters, do not have dedicated one have Navionics on my Phone and Garmin Oregon. When are they turned on? When my misses want to know how late home I am going to be.... When she is with me, to work out what time we will be in the next Bar...

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I must be thick today, but I can't see anything which says I have to switch my VHF radio on.

If you wish to take it further, I recommend wading through the ITU requirements, which are the basis of all radio licenses. The RYA course leading to the SRC includes Watchkeeping Requirements in the Syllabus; I have a strong recollection of being taught it, and a respectable (USCG - I couldn't find the equivalent for the UK) web-site gives chapter and verse of the international requirements.

In any case, how about this scenario?

You have a VHF.
You prefer not to be bothered by it, so it isn't on.
A nearby vessel sends out a MayDay, which you don't hear. It is something urgent, like a gas explosion or petrol fire.
You don't hear the Mayday, and carry on.
People lose their lives because the nearest assistance was too far away.
You could have reached them and probably saved lives if you'd had your VHF on.

How do you think the subsequent enquiry and (possibly) court case would go? How do you think you would feel?

 

[maby]

If you wish to take it further, I recommend wading through the ITU requirements, which are the basis of all radio licenses. The RYA course leading to the SRC includes Watchkeeping Requirements in the Syllabus; I have a strong recollection of being taught it, and a respectable (USCG - I couldn't find the equivalent for the UK) web-site gives chapter and verse of the international requirements.

In any case, how about this scenario?

You have a VHF.
You prefer not to be bothered by it, so it isn't on.
A nearby vessel sends out a MayDay, which you don't hear. It is something urgent, like a gas explosion or petrol fire.
You don't hear the Mayday, and carry on.
People lose their lives because the nearest assistance was too far away.
You could have reached them and probably saved lives if you'd had your VHF on.

How do you think the subsequent enquiry and (possibly) court case would go? How do you think you would feel?

Indeed! I don't have a copy of the paperwork to handy but,I have a strong recollection of being told on my SRC course that it is a legal requirement to have the radio on if you have one installed. It dates back to the Titanic when a boat just a few miles away failed to provide assistance because they were not maintaining a radio watch.

 

[bedouin]

Indeed! I don't have a copy of the paperwork to handy but,I have a strong recollection of being told on my SRC course that it is a legal requirement to have the radio on if you have one installed. It dates back to the Titanic when a boat just a few miles away failed to provide assistance because they were not maintaining a radio watch.

I found a reference to it on the Ofcom site. They say that a ship "should if practical keep a listening watch on channels 16 and 13".

Being a "should" that does not have the force of law but as AP suggests there could be difficult questions to answer it you weren't.

What is not clear from that reference is what ships it is aimed at - there are different requirements for SOLAS and non SOLAS vessels.

 

[pvb]

If you wish to take it further, I recommend wading through the ITU requirements, which are the basis of all radio licenses. The RYA course leading to the SRC includes Watchkeeping Requirements in the Syllabus; I have a strong recollection of being taught it, and a respectable (USCG - I couldn't find the equivalent for the UK) web-site gives chapter and verse of the international requirements.

I'm not going to "wade through" anything. I don't believe that there's anything which says I have to have my VHF radio switched on at all times.

In any case, how about this scenario?

You have a VHF.
You prefer not to be bothered by it, so it isn't on.
A nearby vessel sends out a MayDay, which you don't hear. It is something urgent, like a gas explosion or petrol fire.
You don't hear the Mayday, and carry on.
People lose their lives because the nearest assistance was too far away.
You could have reached them and probably saved lives if you'd had your VHF on.

How do you think the subsequent enquiry and (possibly) court case would go? How do you think you would feel?

We all venture out to sea knowing that there are some risks involved, and I think most of us are prepared to accept those risks. We know that, if problems occur, help may not be close at hand, if at all. In the scenario you suggest, I'm not sure how anyone would know which boats were in the vicinity, and which had their radios switched on (or switched on with the volume turned down), so your veiled threat of court action seems meaningless. If, with my radio switched off, I saw a boat on fire, I'd switch my radio on, make an appropriate call, and motor flat-out towards it without hesitation, and do everything possible to help. We all would.

 

[Rossynant]

Not a question of "how anyone would know which boats were in the vicinity, and which had their radios switched on" - a question is are you a seaman and should you care for safety of others - or are you not.
This used to be simple to answer, time past

Have made a "SRC license" lately, to be current. RYA course. No mention of "duty to monitor the frequency for safety reason", as I was taught before...

This is a shame. As those remarks above are.

 

[Elessar]

Just an idle thought.

If your boat has a chart plotter, how far would you sail from your home mooring before you felt the need to switch it on?

Assuming well charted waters with good buoyage, almanac coverage and reasonable weather.

Mine's always on. As a mobo, I don't have to worry about batteries. It feeds the lat/long info to the radio, I know I could devise another way of doing this but I don't need to so haven't.
I also like the tracks and milage log. I know it's miles over ground, but on average it's more accurate than the log which occasionally weeds up.
At night or if I'm teaching it has the cover on or it's switched to radar only. Otherwise it's there and on, right in front of me.

 

[Elessar]

But since we are explicitly warned not to use VHF for collision avoidance I don't really think we can include that within the meaning of Colregs

the rules are out of date. With AIS and DSC it is safe and commonplace to use VHF for collision avoidance.

 

[maby]

Not a question of "how anyone would know which boats were in the vicinity, and which had their radios switched on" - a question is are you a seaman and should you care for safety of others - or are you not.
This used to be simple to answer, time past

Have made a "SRC license" lately, to be current. RYA course. No mention of "duty to monitor the frequency for safety reason", as I was taught before...

This is a shame. As those remarks above are.

Fully agree with you and AP - it's a subject that comes up often and we always get the same group wanting to go their way and ignore safety measures. We all know that going to sea can be dangerous, but some seem to think that you need to look for danger to be a real sailor. But, then again, I cannot understand the attraction of jumping off high bridges with just an elastic band round my ancle - guess I'm just a wimp!