Ben Ellison at Panbo has this item, and I’m going to pass it along here at Navagear. As Ben says, “Even if your AIS transponder didn’t get messed up by this mistake, the pdf may be worth reading so you better understand a little used feature of the System.”

Oops:  "Between July 27 and August 19, 2010, while conducting development testing of its Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS), the Coast Guard inadvertently tele-commanded most AIS users transiting the Eastern United States between lower Connecticut and North Carolina to switch to AIS frequencies other than the AIS default frequencies (161.975 MHz – Channel 87B – 2087 and 162.025 MHz – Channel 88B – 2088)…"

"As a result, those users within uniquely defined channel management regions (as shown in the picture) will neither see nor be seen by vessels operating on the default AIS channels when within these regions. Similarly, vessels operating on default frequencies will not see or be seen by those vessels that were inadvertently switched to other frequencies."  You can download the USCG Alert 0710.pdf here.

Ben at Panbo has this item about yet another innovative product from Digital Yacht. This outfit continues to impress me with its thoughtful product offerings.

The picture tells a lot: Digital Yacht’s new AIS200N2K is the first AIS receiver I know of with NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000, and USB outputs. But get this: it can also multiplex 0183 input and gateway it to N2K, "so that traditional data such as depth, position, speed and wind, which is available in NMEA 0183 format, can be converted to N2K within the unit."  All for $519!  The press release doesn’t say what’s coming out of the USB port, but I suspect it’s an 0183 mix of AIS target data and 0183 inputs.  Maybe someone from Digital Yacht or its US and EU retail arm Cactus Marine can elaborate in comments, because I may lose my Internet connection any moment now…

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Tom Tripp’s OceanLines has this story:

Motion sickness, to quote Dr. Patricia S. Cowings, of NASA’s Ames Research Center, “won’t kill you — you just wish it would.” She and a colleague have discovered that a regimen of biofeedback training is more effective than even the powerful anti-nausea drugs given to NASA astronauts — some 50 percent of whom suffer from airsickness during spaceflight. An MSNBC blog piece by Chris Tachibana cites the publication of this new research by Cowings and Dr. William B. Toscano in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

Motion sickness has been a serious concern for NASA for a long time. The debilitating affliction can compromise the potential accomplishments of a spaceflight that is on a strict timeline with no allowance for downtime or sudden crew shortages. But I guess it should all make us feel better that half of all the people with The Right Stuff still get “seasick.”

The biofeedback technique discovered by Cowings and Toscano involves learning to control heart rate and sweating, principally using breathing techniques combined with high-tech biofeedback. It’s more than just relaxation, the techniques actually lower heart rates and diminish sweating, which have the effect of stopping nausea.

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Panbo’s Ben Ellison has this item about some clever canvas hardware. I like what I see!

Did "strapless bimini" get your attention?  Well, it does involve some sexy hardware, and the finished strapless product, as seen on this local sloop, has a certain elegant attraction.  The trick is that those 1" strut tubes seen under the port and starboard edges of the canvas each contains an internal hinge that lets the whole deal fold aft, but they also have a 10" section of 1 1/8" tube that slides and locks over the hinge, rendering them rock stiff.  (But maybe enough with the double entendres?)  I have not tried this hardware myself, yet, but have been watching the manufacturer, Gemini Marine Products, perfecting it for years…

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OK, so the boat name isn’t new. But the lettering is. Here’s my daughter pealing away the paper. Prism Vinyl produced the graphics, and the design is by Marni Erwin.

Funny this press release should come out today; I’ve been working on a new stereo installation aboard Two Lucky Fish, where I’m planning to install another Prospec product, the Milennia MR50. Now they tease me with this product! On with the press release…

Innovators in black box technology, Prospec Electronics introduces a new two-piece system that offers unmatched versatility and the latest features for multiple outdoor applications. Compatible with MP3 and WMA audio files, the state-of-the-art Milennia MILRBB-10 is equipped with USB and Aux-in connections to plug in iPods, MP3 players, cell phones and a variety of other portable media devices. With a separate, waterproof faceplate, it can be installed in any protected area.

Now boaters, golf cart users and pool and spa owners can enjoy their favorite digital music without having to worry about water or weather damage. Designed for the harsh outdoor environment, the dependable MIL RBB-10 has a corrosion-proof, molded poly chassis. Simple to mount, the compact unit measures just 8-1/4" W x 6-5/16" H x 2-3/16" D, including brackets.

A four-channel x 45 watt stereo, the advanced MIL RBB-10 also functions as an AM/FM receiver with both US and European tuning. Sirius Satellite Radio ready, the versatile black box offers full iPod control with a MIL-iPlug.

The MIL RBB-10 is available with a MIL-MC8 or MIL-MC9 faceplate. Completely submersible, the durable faceplates meet or exceed IPX-65 standards. With backlit, silicone rubber membranes, they display Sirius artist, song, channel name and category info. Adjusting bass, treble, fader and balance is easy using the select button. The MIL-MC8 measures 8-3/8" W x 2-3/4"H, while the MIL-MC9 is 6-3/4" W x 4"H.

Including a MIL-MC8 or MIL-MC9 faceplate, the Milennia MIL RBB-108 and MIL RBB-109 from Prospec Electronics have a suggested retail price of $279.95. The black box, faceplate and other accessories are also sold separately.

[It’s another MadMariner feature from a few weeks back. —Tim]

The 2010 Seattle Boat Show wrapped up on Saturday, February 6, and everyone in the recreational boating industry is wondering: how was it? Did consumers show up? Did they spend any money? What does it mean for the industry as a whole? The entire boating world is holding its breath, waiting for somebody to answer these crucial questions.

OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but the Seattle Boat Show is the largest boat show on the west coast, and manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, and retailers really do want to know about it.

Never fear, Navagear is here. I attended the boat show every day it was open, from the preview event to the very last day. I met new people, I caught up with old friends, I learned about lots of new products, and I brought home a new Feathercraft BayLee dinghy for my boat.

[KIERA RUDDEN-FLANAGAN photo. This year's total attendance (at both the Qwest Field Events Center and the Lake Union "Boats Afloat" location) was 59,607, compared to 54,835 a year ago, an increase of almost 9 percent.]

While it was a successful boat show for me, what about the exhibitors?

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[WOOPS! I meant to post this to my OTHER blog, PugetSoundMaritime. Oh well, I figure these little mistakes are really an opportunity to let Navagear readers know about PugetSoundMaritime.com. —Tim]

Bob Simmons has the article at Crosscut:

NOAA says it’s headed south, get used to it. Some of those who run the ships are anything but happy about it.

NOAA’s decision move from Seattle to Newport Oregon was a "quality of life" choice, Capt. Michele Bullock told the press last summer. She’s the amiable commander of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Operations Center where the big research ships have been located for 50 years, but not much longer if NOAA has its way.

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Yes, it’s 100% off topic, but I wanted to share with my readers that a model bridge I built for a friend’s garden railroad happens to be featured on the cover of the current issue of Garden Railways magazine, described in the caption as “Tim’s Bridge”.

This bridge, a simple “King post” truss, was built from cedar as a proof-of-concept for techniques I intended to employ in a larger structure for my own little railroad. No glue holds it together; it’s strictly brass and carbon steel mechanical fasteners, which have rusted and discolored nicely over the years. It has remained outdoors constantly for…three years? Maybe longer.

Unfortunately, I never got around to completing the larger bridge!

Deborah Bach over at Three Sheets Northwest has this helpful article:

Still wondering what to get your favorite boater for Christmas in a year when your budget’s about as tight as a rusty turnbuckle?

Fear not, fretful shopper. There are plenty of last-minute gift options for boaters that won’t sink you financially. And if you’re like many Americans, thrifty is in this holiday season.

U.S. households are expected to spend an average of $390 on Christmas gifts this holiday season, down from $418 last year, according to The Conference Board, a business research group. Northwest households plan to spend $343, the second lowest amount among regions nationwide, the group found.

In keeping with that new frugality, Three Sheets Northwest asked four local marine retailers for suggestions on gifts for boaters priced at $50 or less. They came up with practical options, with something to suit virtually any boater on your list. Their suggestions follow. (Wherever possible, we’ve included hyperlinks so you can view the item online).

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