Shipping Lanes

[Dave S]

I was on the hook in the fog on friday last week fishing for halibut. We were outside the shipping lanes, but probably only few hundred meters outside. At one point during our time out there, the fog was pretty thick and could only see about 100 feet. We kept hearing the fog blasts of an obviously large ship headed our way. We then started to hear some water sloshing off the hull of the ship. I was pretty concerned so I had knife in hand, life jackets on, and alertly watching. I decided to get on the radio on 68 and put out the question as to whether or not ships ever travel outside the shipping lanes. A guy responded and eased our concerns. Thanks to the guy if you're on here. I owe ya a beer.

Anyways, what are the rules involving shipping traffic, horn blasts, etc? Would their radar pick us up? (16' fiberglass Arima with soft top, no radar) Should there be a certain station that we monitor while on anchor in the fog?

I may get some lashings for not knowing all this, but I'll take it. I want to know and also think others who read this can benefit from the educated and experienced responses I hope to receive.

Thanks in advance,
Dave

 

[firelight]

Dave what did the guy say?

 

[Dave S]

He told us that if we are outside the shipping lanes, we should be good.

 

[seadna]

I was on the hook in the fog on friday last week fishing for halibut. We were outside the shipping lanes, but probably only few hundred meters outside. At one point during our time out there, the fog was pretty thick and could only see about 100 feet. We kept hearing the fog blasts of an obviously large ship headed our way. We then started to hear some water sloshing off the hull of the ship. I was pretty concerned so I had knife in hand, life jackets on, and alertly watching. I decided to get on the radio on 68 and put out the question as to whether or not ships ever travel outside the shipping lanes. A guy responded and eased our concerns. Thanks to the guy if you're on here. I owe ya a beer.

Anyways, what are the rules involving shipping traffic, horn blasts, etc? Would their radar pick us up? (16' fiberglass Arima with soft top, no radar) Should there be a certain station that we monitor while on anchor in the fog?

I may get some lashings for not knowing all this, but I'll take it. I want to know and also think others who read this can benefit from the educated and experienced responses I hope to receive.

Thanks in advance,
Dave

Dave,

If you're out in the fog without radar of your own and you're not too far from the shipping lanes you're taking a risk. That said, there's a few things you can do that will help you out tremendously. While the large vessel may have seen you on their radar, with a 16' boat that's mostly fiberglass, I wouldn't count on it. You can greatly increase your radar signature by buying a radar reflector and installing it on your boat. Hang it as high as you can. It needn't be outside of the boat, it will still reflect radar from inside the boat. Also, all vessels over 100 tons are required to transmit an AIS (automated identification system) signal. You can pick that up with an appropriate radio/receiver and display it on your GPS. I bought a Standard Horizon VHF equipped as an AIS receiver and hooked it into my Lowrance GPS. The radio was around $350 and I already had the GPS. With this setup, I can see where the AIS transmitting boats are on my GPS. For the boats that are transmitting, this is better than radar as it not only tells me where they are at but which direction they are heading and the speed. If you're in a location with good cell service (like Swiftsure) and you have a smart phone or iPad, an alternative to buying an AIS receiver/radio is to use an app or website to look at the AIS data in real time. This web site - http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/ - displays the AIS data in real time. You can zoom into the end of the strait of JDF right now and see what vessels are out there. There are iPhone and Android amps that do the same thing. The apps have the advantage that they display your current position also using the GPS in the phone/iPad.

 

[Dave S]

Dave,

If you're out in the fog without radar of your own and you're not too far from the shipping lanes you're taking a risk. That said, there's a few things you can do that will help you out tremendously. While the large vessel may have seen you on their radar, with a 16' boat that's mostly fiberglass, I wouldn't count on it. You can greatly increase your radar signature by buying a radar reflector and installing it on your boat. Hang it as high as you can. It needn't be outside of the boat, it will still reflect radar from inside the boat. Also, all vessels over 100 tons are required to transmit an AIS (automated identification system) signal. You can pick that up with an appropriate radio/receiver and display it on your GPS. I bought a Standard Horizon VHF equipped as an AIS receiver and hooked it into my Lowrance GPS. The radio was around $350 and I already had the GPS. With this setup, I can see where the AIS transmitting boats are on my GPS. For the boats that are transmitting, this is better than radar as it not only tells me where they are at but which direction they are heading and the speed. If you're in a location with good cell service (like Swiftsure) and you have a smart phone or iPad, an alternative to buying an AIS receiver/radio is to use an app or website to look at the AIS data in real time. This web site - http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/ - displays the AIS data in real time. You can zoom into the end of the strait of JDF right now and see what vessels are out there. There are iPhone and Android amps that do the same thing. The apps have the advantage that they display your current position also using the GPS in the phone/iPad.

Thanks for the reply. I have a Lowrance VHF with Full DSC Class D/SC-101 and a few weeks ago I bought a GPS combo to enable the DSC. I am just waiting on special wiring plug to make the connection. I also applied for my MMSI number 2 weeks ago. Will this set up show me the AIS data? Radio is Lowrance LVR-250.

I will install a radar reflector and will search out an app for my iphone.

Is there a channel I should monitor for Victoria waters traffic? Does anyone ever contact their local Vessel Traffic Service to report their cordinates and confirm they are being picked up by radar?

 

[Foxsea]

...
Anyways, what are the rules involving shipping traffic, horn blasts, etc? Would their radar pick us up? (16' fiberglass Arima with soft top, no radar) Should there be a certain station that we monitor while on anchor in the fog?

...Thanks in advance,
Dave

Seadna has given some great advice.
I would only add that a power vessel not making way in the fog should be signaling two prolonged blasts every two minutes with a one second interval between them. http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/reduced_visibility.htm
Monitor channel 16

 

[firelight]

Dave the dsc will only broadcast your co-ordinates when you pull the red cover and press the button, if its properly connected. This is as your jumping out of the boat so not really useful except for that one time you need it.

AIS plots the boats that are broadcasting a signal onto your chartplotter, when properly connected, the real big boats. So its pretty useful to know that, but really you are taking a risk.

Me too, we are some of the hazards that are out there for others. My boat is just not big enough for radar.

also with the dsc and mmsi numbers you can poll people that you know and it shows there position on your plotter, I haven't figured that out yet.

 

[Labman2]

DSC is very much diferent then AIS.
DSC transmits a location signature in event of an emergency.
AIS is as seadna has described.
Yup, posted at the same time. LOL

 

[Dave S]

Has anyone ever called these peeps to inquire about vessel traffic or report their location? http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/e0003906

 

[Andrew P]

This web site - http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/ - displays the AIS data in real time. You can zoom into the end of the strait of JDF right now and see what vessels are out there. There are iPhone and Android amps that do the same thing. The apps have the advantage that they display your current position also using the GPS in the phone/iPad.

That app is great! I just downloaded. This would have certainly eased the nerves and would have showed us we weren't about to get mowed down. Sure was nice when the fog lifted!

Thanks for the tips!

 

[blink2u4i]

the marine traffic app ,for the Iphone or Ipad,is a great app,it cost 3.99$,but shows real marine traffic,with the ability to see a pic and course info on any vessel you touch on,as well as the AIS ,it also has realtime wind course and speed info, use it lots!

 

[Dave S]

Does anyone ever monitor these channels for vessel traffic information?

VESSEL TRAFFIC SERVICE (Pleasure vessels less than 30 meters in length monitor only for vessel traffic.)
5A	SEATTLE-Strait of Juan de Fuca west of Victoria.
11	VICTORIA-Strait of Juan de Fuca east of Victoria; Haro Strait; Boundary Passage; Gulf Islands; Strait of Georgia. PRINCE RUPERT-Queen Charlotte Sound, Hecate Strait.
12	VANCOUVER-Vancouver and Howe Sound.
71	COMOX-Northern Strait of Georgia, Discovery Passage, Queen Charlotte Strait, Prince Rupert -Dixon Entrance, Prince Rupert Harbour, and southern Queen Charlotte Sound.
74	VICTORIA-Fraser River. TOFINO-West of Vancouver Island.

 

[Andrew P]

the marine traffic app ,for the Iphone or Ipad,is a great app,it cost 3.99$,but shows real marine traffic,with the ability to see a pic and course info on any vessel you touch on,as well as the AIS ,it also has realtime wind course and speed info, use it lots!

It is really great looking. Just checking it out. Sure handy to know if Maestro is coming at you! I think is well worth the money.

 

[pescador]

yes. I listen to 5A Seattle Traffic whenever I'm in Juan de Fuca.

 

[Dave S]

yes. I listen to 5A Seattle Traffic whenever I'm in Juan de Fuca.

Do you listen to 5A when you are on Canada's side near Victoria? Is it better than 11?

 

[casper5280]

Does anyone ever monitor these channels for vessel traffic information?

VESSEL TRAFFIC SERVICE (Pleasure vessels less than 30 meters in length monitor only for vessel traffic.)
5A	SEATTLE-Strait of Juan de Fuca west of Victoria.
11	VICTORIA-Strait of Juan de Fuca east of Victoria; Haro Strait; Boundary Passage; Gulf Islands; Strait of Georgia. PRINCE RUPERT-Queen Charlotte Sound, Hecate Strait.
12	VANCOUVER-Vancouver and Howe Sound.
71	COMOX-Northern Strait of Georgia, Discovery Passage, Queen Charlotte Strait, Prince Rupert -Dixon Entrance, Prince Rupert Harbour, and southern Queen Charlotte Sound.
74	VICTORIA-Fraser River. TOFINO-West of Vancouver Island.

Yes I do monitor those channels when I'm in the area that they relate to. I also have an AIS VHF wired to my Plotter and Radar. When I fish in the fog they are all running. Not all boats have AIS, so don't rely on AIS and not all boats are picked up on Radar. So don't assume that just because a boat has Radar that it will see you, especially as the boat gets closer and the Radar is mounted high as on a cargo ship there is a dead zone close in and you will not be picked up. And just because you are not in the shipping doesn't mean that there is not some big a$$ yacht bearing down on you and the skipper is downstairs mixing cocktails with the boat on auto pilot. Good on you getting your DSC and MMSI #'s set-up. I don't know how many people I know that don't have it hooked up. That little red button might save your life one day.

 

[pescador]

I actually listen to both of them 5 and 11. I assume your VHF can scan multi channels. I'm probably listening to 6 or more at a time.

 

[Rockfish]

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/


Here it is. Track AIS broadcasting vessels world wide including our back yard for free online. All kinds of special features from predicted course for next 30 minutes, course tracking, to vessel info and photo’s and a lot more. You can play with it for hours.

 

[MRACER]

Tests show radar reflectors are little or no benefit on a small craft. Shipping navigation officers in a shipping lane are not about to attempt avoidance of small "clutter" on their screen. AIS is the ticket, and it is up to you to avoid traffic in shipping lanes. Both your small vessel license and your radio license manuals have the appropriate info. Hopefully most skippers are so equipped.

 

[seadna]

Tests show radar reflectors are little or no benefit on a small craft. Shipping navigation officers in a shipping lane are not about to attempt avoidance of small "clutter" on their screen. AIS is the ticket, and it is up to you to avoid traffic in shipping lanes. Both your small vessel license and your radio license manuals have the appropriate info. Hopefully most skippers are so equipped.

What tests?