We’ve been talking a bit about AIS lately, the automatic identification and position information that commercial vessels broadcast now. And we’re pretty enthusiastic about AIS receivers getting put to use improving the situational awareness and safety of pleasure boaters. More and more navigation software packages and chartplotters are supporting AIS, and it’s on the way to becoming a regular part of a boat’s arsenal of electronics. So, we here at Navagear are looking forward to getting our hands on an AIS receiver to try out with the Raymarine C80 on Tim’s C-Dory, and with Rosepoint Navigation’s Coastal Explorer on my laptop. Consequently, the SeaCAS receiver caught my eye at Strictly Sail.

The SeaCAS is an appealingly compact and simple device. The white plastic case is diminutive—roughly the dimensions of a small paperback. There are actually three models available, the 100 which is the basic dual band AIS receiver, the 150 which includes a GPS in the same case, and the 300 which bundles a combined VHF and GPS antenna to connect to the base unit.

My favorite feature of the SeaCAS line is the USB port for connecting directly to a computer. If you want to use your favorite navigation software as a chartplotter, this is great. In fact, the SeaCAS can be powered solely from your computer’s USB port, though wiring into a 12 volt supply is also possible. An NMEA out (talker) is provided, and I was hopeful that there would be an NMEA in (listener) as well, so the unit could act as an NMEA to USB interface, but no such luck! It’s also worth noting that the SeaCAS should have a VHF antenna separate your vessel’s VHF.

The upshot is that we’d love to have one of these. However, with prices ranging from $800 for the non-GPS model, to over $1,200 for the package with the combined VHF/GPS antenna, it’s not exactly an impulse buy. I suspect as prices for AIS receivers fall below $500, and AIS support in the major GPS/chartplotters/fishfinders becomes widespread, we’ll see a lot more uptake among pleasure boaters.