Automatic Identification System (AIS) on small boats

[s2kjock]

Myself and my father are currently in the (slow) process of refurbishing a 21 foot sailing boat, and as the existing electronics are ancient I am taking the opportunity to start from scratch.

We could fit a VHF with AIS, or fit a standalone AIS system, but I wondered how much use it would actually be on such a small boat?

The boat will be sailed in coastal waters in the North West of Scotland, so really not a lot of other sea traffic - hardly congested, and most of the local yachts and small fishing boats I doubt will have AIS themselves. Fishfarm supply vessels, local RN auxiliaries, large posh yachts on holiday from the Clyde and further afield I guess would have it.

Question for those who have used AIS on smaller boats is whether it is worth fitting?

It is more for curiosity and having another interesting gadget to look at rather than having any practical need for it that I thought I might want to install it.

If it is likely to show too much information (clutter?), not enough (few large boats in the area fitted with it, or not work very well on a small boat (small mast/mizzen mounting height) I may not bother.

[s2kjock]

telford_mike said:

If you have a suitable phone or tablet, download one of the free AIS apps and give it a try before you part with your hard-earned. Personally I wouldn't bother, but the way things are going it'll probably be mandatory for anything bigger than a Mirror dinghy in a year or two.

I've used these apps on land, but presumably a proper marine display provides different information though?

[s2kjock]

MOTORVATOR said:

Having seen a huge amount of small yachts and fishing boats on the Crouch fitting it, and in many cases leaving it live at berth, it has got to the point where my nav screens are full of useless clutter, false alarms etc and I have to turn it off to be able to use it for it's primary objective. Bear in mind that is with an 10" plotter, any smaller and the problem will be worse still.

For the same reasons I don't use the radar in close quarters unless Vis has gone altogether.

So for me a useful bit of kit when crossing the Thames Estuary or English Channel, otherwise a bit of a burden.

Sounds like it would only be useful in very limited circumstances ultimately then - closest I would come to Thames Estuary or English Channel is crossing the Minch which is no on the current cruising plan. Don't get so much fog up here either.

Interesting about the inaccuracy of mobile apps - I wouldn't plan to use it mobile anyway (poor coverage for a start).

The Standard Horizon combined AIS and VHF I have looked at, but think I'll give it a miss now - plenty other gadgets to look into ................

[s2kjock]

CarbonXKR said:

Jock, I would get one if you can afford it. I work as a VTS operator and the more ships that have AIS, the easier it makes our job of informing traffic in our area that ship A, B and C are in such and such a position and can be avoided or other. You will be more visible to other ships that monitor AIS rather than relying on radar detection alone. HTH.

I would probably just go for a receiver though - transponders are a good bit more than I want to spend, although I can see how important it could become.