Several months ago, I posted a link to a Panbo entry about an interesting device that uses the AIS protocol to send a short-range search-and-rescue homing signal.

It’s the Jotron AIS-SART, and I still think it’s a clever idea. But I was just reminded that for many recreational (and even professional) mariners, selecting appropriate safety, rescue, and communication gear can be a little bit overwhelming. Bewildering, even.

Here’s what made me think of this. Today, a new comment appeared on the Navagear item about this AIS-SART product:

“will the ais function where the iphone cannot receive a signal as in nome alaska”

First off, the simple answer is "Yes, it will function where the iPhone cannot." But the question itself appears to demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of the device. The AIS-SART is so totally unlike an iPhone that I’ve got to wonder if the reader really understands how this technology works. The question itself is not appropriate. A question such as “Will a claw hammer function in Nome, Alaska, where the iPhone cannot receive a signal?” is only slightly more inappropriate. “Um…yes. But why do you ask? What are you trying to accomplish?”

Now I’m not trying to “diss” the reader who left the comment. Not at all. The fact is that this technology IS confusing! And the unfortunate truth is that you need to wrap your head around the various technologies and the different products before you can make good purchasing decisions.

There are only a few places (such as The Offshore Store in Seattle) where you can get genuinely valuable advice to help you make these decisions. But those shops have a hard time competing against the online discounters, where you cannot, in general, get advice and assistance you’d want to stake your crew’s lives on!

That leaves online discussion forums and blogs like Navagear and Panbo as primary resources for shoppers. And you STILL need to invest a lot of time and mental energy to feel confident about your decisions. It’s a real obstacle.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a clever suggestion about all this. Those of us who spend our time keeping up with the technology have a pretty good idea what the options are and which might make sense aboard various boats in different cruising grounds. I’m not claiming to be The Expert on this; but I’ve got enough information to make some reasonable suggestions. The trouble is that I don’t have enough time to do this for each boater that might ask.

And let’s face it: Sometimes we forgot that our readers aren’t all propeller-headed geeks, too!

I wish I knew how this knowledge gap could be most effectively bridged. There are more safety gear options available than ever before, and one size does NOT fit all. How do we get appropriate products installed on individual boats?

Have at it in the comments, folks!

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard is reviewing a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation Wednesday that the service develop policies on the use of cellular phones on Coast Guard vessels as well as issue a safety advisory to the marine industry on the possible dangers of crewmember use of electronic communications devices such as cell phones, smart phones and personal data assistants.

The Coast Guard issued guidance July 16, 2010 to its personnel prohibiting the use of these devices by operators of Coast Guard boats and also restricted their use by other crewmembers.

"While cell phones and texting devices have become ubiquitous in everyday life, the internal Coast Guard policy issued in July prohibits their use on Coast Guard boats without the permission of the coxswain, said Lt. Cmdr. Chris O’Neil, a Coast Guard spokesman. "The policy also strictly prohibits the use of these devices by the coxswain, or the operator, of a Coast Guard boat."

Cell phones and texting devices may be useful communication tools if boats lose a marine radio signal or as alternate means of communication to a marine radio.

The Coast Guard takes the NTSB recommendations seriously and will provide a response to the letter upon a thorough review.

The NTSB recommendation comes amid investigations into two collisions involving Coast Guard boats but does not draw any conclusions that the use of electronic devices was a cause of those accidents.

NTSB and Coast Guard investigations into those two accidents are ongoing.

Navagear has been mostly silent on the piracy issue. For one thing, piracy just isn’t something most recreational boaters will ever encounter in their entire lives, newsworthy headline-making exceptions notwithstanding.

Second, Navagear has nothing worthwhile to say about it; if there’s one thing the world does NOT need, it’s more uninformed opinion by well-meaning folks who don’t know what they’re talking about!

But that doesn’t mean I’m not interested, so when Bob over at Boat Bits posted this item, I figured I would take a few minutes to see what these “best management practices” recommended:

The Maritime Security Centre, Horn of Africa has published a pamphlet "Best Management Practice 3: Piracy off the Coast of Somalia and Arabian Sea Area"…
Not exactly warm and fuzzy stuff but it just might come in handy if you plan to be in the area in the foreseeable future.

You can download it here.

And you know what? This is a fascinating document! Here are a couple of highlights I found noteworthy. Please note: These are presented arbitrarily and out of context.

Define the ship’s AIS policy: The Master has the discretion to switch off the AIS if he believes that its use increases the ship’s vulnerability. To provide Naval forces with tracking information within the Gulf of Aden it is recommended that AIS transmission is left on, but is restricted to ship’s identity, position, course, speed, navigational status and safety-related information. Outside of the Gulf of Aden, in other parts of the High Risk Area, the decision on AIS policy is again left to the Master’s discretion, but current Naval advice is to turn it off completely.

If the AIS is switched off it should be activated at the time of an attack.

Where navigationally safe to do so, Masters are encouraged to practice manoeuvring their ships to establish which series of helm orders produce the most difficult sea conditions for pirate skiffs trying to attack, without causing a significant reduction in the ship’s speed.

Pirates generally board vessels with little in the way of equipment other than personal weaponry. It is important to try to deny pirates the use of ship’s tools or equipment that may be used to gain entry into the superstructure of the vessel. Tools and equipment that may be of use to the pirates should be stored in a secure location.

Razor wire (also known as barbed tape) creates an effective barrier when carefully deployed. The barbs on the wire are designed to have a piercing and gripping action. Care should be taken when selecting appropriate razor wire as the quality (wire gauge and frequency of barbs) and type will vary considerably. Lower quality razor wire is likely to be less effective. Three main types of razor wire are commonly available – Unclipped (straight strand), Spiral (like a telephone cord) and Concertina (linked spirals). Concertina razor wire is recommended as the linked spirals make it the most effective barrier. Razor wire should be constructed of high tensile wire, which is difficult to cut with hand tools.

It is recommended that warning signs of the electrified fence or barrier are displayed – inward facing in English/language of the crew, outward facing in Somali.

Sandra has this item at the SmartPlug blog. Somehow, I feel confident she won’t mind me republishing it in its entirety here at Navagear!

Let me “add value” a bit by saying that I’ve been using my SmartPlug for a few months now, and I LOVE IT! Because of the fires it’s prevented? Um…not really. I never had a fire with the old plug, so who’s to say? No, my satisfaction with the SmartPlug design is based on pure everyday ergonomics. I’ve written about this before, so suffice to say I have not been disappointed.

On with Sandra’s post:

The SmartPlug Dual Configuration 30 Amp Cordsets [C30503 & C30253] are arriving soon (July 2010) and are packed full of new features to protect your boat and provide you with that extra piece of mind!  Anticipated to hit the shelves in July 2010, the SmartPlug cordset offers a new solution to the problems of marine shore power.  It’s safer, easier to use and much more reliable than any marine cordset available today.  We’ve put a lot of time and thought into how best to improve upon the existing problematic standard and make a product that you can feel good about purchasing.  Here are some of the key features:

• No Adapters Needed
  • The SmartPlug Dual Configuration cordset was designed to protect the boatside end of the shore power connection first, while allowing for integration with older twist-type connections on the marina end.   Simply install a SmartPlug 30 Amp Inlet on your boat and plug the SmartPlug end of the cordset into it.  The dockside end of the cord connects directly to the older twist-type marina connections.

SmartPlug 30A Dual Configuration cordset with SmartPlug Inlet

• It’s Weatherproof
  • Water intrusion leads to corrosion, and corrosion leads to electrical arcing and overheating.  SmartPlug’s fully molded cordset – along with its weatherproof face seal on the boatside end – eliminates moisture intrusion.

Weatherproof face seal

• Tinned Copper Wire
  • SmartPlug Cordsets are the first to use tinned copper wire (10/3) for the ultimate in corrosion resistance and durability.  Tinned wire is considered the premium choice for the marine environment as it lasts up to 10 times longer than non-tinned wire.  In fact, marine industry experts recommend the use of tinned wiring throughout the boat for these same reasons.

SmartPlug cord with tinned copper wire

• Sleeved Design
  • One of the primary causes of failure in the old twist-type design is that the electrical pins bear any weight or tension on the cord.  This is of greatest concern on the boatside end of the shore power cable where most of the movement occurs.  The SmartPlug’s sleeve design means that the body of the connector bears that tension, rather than the electrical pins, keeping those points of electrical contact secure.

Sleeved Design

• Multi-Point Locking System
  • Locking side levers on the connector – along with the SmartPlug Inlet’s locking cap – ensure a rock solid connection on the boatside end.

Multi-Point Locking System

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL— With two levels of integrated signal technology—a powerful 406 MHZ signal and 121.5 MHz homing capacity plus the option to upgrade to GPS positioning with a cable interface— the new SATELLITE₃ 406™ introduced by Cobham Life Support-ACR Products offers a cost-effective, hard working EPIRB for users in both the commercial and recreational marine industries.

The SATELLITE₃ 406™ has received FCC, IC and MED approvals and is now available in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Using the same reliable Search and Rescue satellite technology that has saved more than 27,000 lives worldwide since 1982, the SATELLITE₃ 406™ is a small and rugged lifesaver with over 53 years of ACR ingenuity and engineering built-in as standard features.

The ACR SATELLITE series has well served commercial mariners and recreational boaters for more than 17 years. The newest generation in this workhorse series of EPIRBs, the SATELLITE₃ 406™ utilizes a proprietary electronics package for faster, more stable 406 MHz emergency transmissions to low-earth orbiting LEOSAR satellites. In an emergency, the user’s registered, digitally coded distress message is broadcast via a powerful 6-watt, 406 MHz signal (SAR notification typically within one hour). An integrated 121.5 MHz homing signal then guides local Search and Rescue efforts.

As an option, SATELLITE₃ 406™ users can pinpoint their location within 100 meters and reduce SAR notification to fifteen minutes by purchasing a GPS interface cable, which can connect the SATELLITE₃ 406™ directly to the vessel’s GPS receiver to continuously update and store precise GPS data. As another option, SATELLITE₃ 406™ users can send non-emergency “I’m OK” messages through the beacon’s self-test protocol when they are subscribers to the new 406Link program offered to all owners of EPIRBs and PLBs.

Available in two categories, the SATELLITE₃ 406™ Cat. I EPIRB comes with the Sea Shelter₃™ bracket, which is fully enclosed and made of high density, UV-stabilized polyethylene for years of extreme abuse. The Cat. II EPIRB comes with a standard QuickDraw™ low profile bracket and is easy to install on a bulkhead.

The SATELLITE₃ 406™ is loaded with high efficiency electronics that offer reliable performance, responsiveness and accuracy. It carries Class II non-Hazmat batteries, which will allow the beacon to transmit for a minimum of 48 hours at -20ºC (-4ºF). The EPIRB weighs 1.3 lbs (586 g) measures 7.0 x 4.2 x 3.6” (17.7 x 10.7 x 9.1 cm)

An EPIRB is a satellite-signalling device of last resort, for use when all other means of self-rescue have been exhausted and where the situation is deemed to be grave and imminent, and the loss of life, limb, eyesight or valuable property will occur without assistance. All beacons must be registered online at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov following purchase. There are no monthly service fees for 406 MHz beacons.

MSRP for the Category I SATELLITE₃ 406™ is $950 and $890 for the Category II. MSRP for the optional GPS interface cable is $125.

The Fire Science Schools blog has this article, well worth a read for cruising boaters:

In the event of a fire, there are various household items and natural resources that can put out flames and keep them from spreading. Depending on the type and size of the fire, some extinguishers may work better than others. For the slow burning campfires and grill fires, natural outdoor extinguishers can be used. Whereas, quick burning, indoor fires need to be extinguished right away with a reliable extinguisher. For highly combustible and quick spreading fires, always exit the house or building and call your local fire department. Here are just a few of the many household fire extinguishers you can use in an emergency fire:

1. Fire Extinguisher
2. Water
3. Baking Soda
4. Pan Lids
5. Salt
6. Soil
7. Sand
8. Beer
9. Urine
10. Blankets, Rugs, Towels

Read the whole article, including fascinating facts about using, for example, beer and urine to extinguish fires…

Regular readers may recall my feature on Realtime float plan updating with Twitter. My Facebook friends are certainly aware of it; they’ve grown accustomed to my cryptic status updates, which generally follow this form: “Two Lucky Fish underway Friday Harbor to Anacortes. 2 POB.”

This summer, I’m hoping to spend a good deal more time “off-grid”, in terms of cellular coverage. This presents a problem.

To back up a bit, I’ve been really happy using Twitter as a kind of "real-time float plan" manager. It lets my friends and family know where I am, how many POB (persons on board), where I intend to go, and what sort of conditions I’m encountering. There are two problems:

1. I haven’t found a location-aware Twitter client for Windows that will work with plain old NMEA (serial port) GPS data coming into my laptop from my Shine Micro Class B AIS unit. The upshot: I can’t feed my location data directly into Twitter, which is just kinda stupid.
2. if I’m out of cell coverage, I can’t tweet at all. And on my 22-foot C-Dory, I’m not about to install expensive pay-by-the-character satellite communication gear.

So my current thinking is that the new SPOT 2 (with two "I’m OK" messages, one configured to "Two Lucky Fish is underway" and the other set to "Two Lucky Fish is secure") would solve both problems:

1. Even when I’ve got cellular coverage, the SPOT-generated tweet offers the location-aware functionality I want, hopefully with a TinyURL Google map link or something included in my Tweet/Facebook update. Then I can augment the SPOT-generated "Vessel underway" tweet with unique text such as "Enroute Deception Pass, ETA 1430, 2 POB.”
2. And when I’ve got no cellular coverage, my online presence degrades somewhat gracefully (Thanks to Steve Roberts for suggesting the phrase “graceful degradation”), retaining the "vessel underway" and "vessel secure" location-tagged tweets. I can always provide folks with more details once I’ve got Wifi or cell coverage ashore.

That’s the plan, and it seems like it’s all within reach, this season.

More later, as I figure out the details…

Sometimes I hear long-range cruisers suggest that a flare gun could be a suitable pirate-defense weapon. While I’m in no position to offer a judgment on the merits of such a strategy, how about a flare gun Arnold Schwarzenegger would be proud of?

gCaptain has the details:

No reader of this blog needs to be told that the risk from Piracy is real and growing.  […] The response to this threat has been documented here on gCaptain repeatedly and, pending developments, the consensus concerning the appropriate response appears to be one that is restrained.  Enter the “Less Lethal” suppliers.  These companies provide munitions for crowd control as well as the weapons that project them.

A relatively recent entrant to this arena is Bates & Dittus LLC, a company based in Connecticut, USA.  B&D manufactures a line of launchers that have found acceptance both with police and SWAT teams as well as companies that provide High Seas Security.  
One of their clients, who only hire former SOF and experienced law enforcement officers, use such devices as part of a layered approach to high seas security.

The flexibility of these weapons is something that is attractive to users as well as the fact that they do not require licenses (at least in the US).  As such they can be purchased over the counter and included in ships stores as simple flare launchers.  The thinking is that firing “disruptive” rounds, such as flares, flash-bangs and smoke, can create a threatening environment that would deter the potential depredations of the pirates, and with no loss of life.

Read more

Hmmmm. Well, I don’t think I’ll be packing one of these aboard Two Lucky Fish anytime soon! But then, I have the luxury of cruising in pirate-free waters.

Captain Richard Rodriguez over at BitterEnd seems to be featuring gear and gadgets recently. He periodically posts quick reviews of products he uses under the heading “Things That Work.”

Today, he directs our attention to the AquaSpec PFD strobe lights; specifically, the tiny AQ98. I’ve got an older ACR Firefly2 strobe attached to my PFD, but it’s kind of bulky, and it requires manual activation. It looks like the AquaSpec AQ98 might be a good upgrade. Here’s what the manufacturer says:

The smallest lifejacket light in the world, the Aquaspec AQ98 is a compact, tamper proof unit that combines both battery and light source in one. Its unique size and shape, combined with ease of attachment, has made the AQ98 the ideal light for fitment within an inflatable lifejacket.

“Fitment within an inflatable lifejacket,” eh? That’s what I need! Not that I have anything against ACR, by the way. Far from it. The other PFD strobe I’m considering is the ACR Hemilight 2.

Anyway, here’s what Captain Richard says about the AQ98:

The last five seasons this little light has been attached to my PFD. This season, it was time for a new one as battery life has expired. The old one still worked, for what it’s worth.  I was able to find one for $35 vs $80 on most websites.

$35, eh? Not bad for a strobe with automatic or manual operation, minimum 8 hours burn time, and a 5-year shelf life.

I’m always learning something new from Captain Richard Rodriguez of the BitterEnd blog.

For instance, did you know that “DC” stands for “damage control”? Oh, you did? Well, I didn’t!

In any case, I’m intrigued by a product he mentioned today, the TruPlug. Let’s see what the TruPlug folks say about it:

TruPlug is a tapered circular cone shaped plug made of foam that is a solid, spongy cellular material which is coated with a flexible sealer adding strength and color.

TruPlug is used as a temporary or emergency plug in boating applications where water would enter a circular, oval, or irregular hole caused by emergency maintenance or hull breach due to impact. TruPlug is compressed by hand and inserted into the hole stopping or reducing the inward flow of water as the foam returns to its original shape.

TruPlug can also be cut with a razor knife and forced into elongated openings using a putty knife or
similar tool.

TruPlug can be inserted into the ends of broken pipes by twist compressing before inserting and will need to be held in place.

Sounds pretty useful! They’ve even got a video showing how it’s supposed to work.