AIS for Recreational Boaters

My Friends Tell Me that AIS is Only for Big Ships!

There's no huge freighter in my slip at my marina! My friends at the yacht club tell me that AIS is only for big commercial ships. What is AIS anyway, and why should I have it for my small recreational boat?

AIS stands for Automatic Identification System to most or Automated Identity System to a few. No matter what you call it, it's a great collision avoidance system. AIS sends data via two frequencies in the VHF marine band. It basically shows your vessel's location, your vessel's Mobile Maritime Service Identity (MMSI) number, speed, course, and other information to other AIS equipped vessels and base stations. You get your MMSI number for free when you register your new AIS unit right online, and there's no monthly registration fee.

AIS has been developed to help prevent collisions between commercial shipping since September 11, 2001. It also gives the authorities enhanced security abilities and other information about shipping movements. AIS has been a legal requirement for all ships over 300 gross tons, all commercial vessels over 65 feet in length, and all tug boats over 26 feet in length or over 600 horsepower.

Some AIS displays can show different types of symbol colors depicting the different types of vessels in the area. Recreational vessels have been assigned their own color. The triangular vessel symbols point in the direction the actual vessel is moving. You can plainly see how this type of display can inform you of possible collision courses by other vessels around you. The range of an individual AIS unit is a little over 15 nautical miles for an antenna mounted about 15 meters above the water.

Screen Shot from MarineTraffic.com

Now that you know what AIS is, here are some examples of the practical uses of AIS for recreational boaters. The first examples are basic. They will later be followed up with a couple of more advanced examples where the benefits for all boaters is quite indisputable. The final example the I present is an expert use of AIS. Even the U.S. Coast Guard agrees with one of the examples given. The first example involves port security, which was one of the original reasons why AIS was implemented.

AIS is used by Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard to track vessels for specific port security reasons. The importance of this statement is increased as the Marine Security Act (MARSEC) levels increase. The Coast Guard employs a three-tiered system of MARSEC. The levels are designed to easily communicate to the maritime industry and boating public the Coast Guard's responses to credible threats. If the Secretary of Homeland Security issues a specific security alert, then the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard will adjust the MARSEC level appropriately. The Coast Guard Captain of the Port also has the authority to raise the MARSEC level in his or her own jurisdiction. This can include the marine elements of the national transportation system, including ports, all vessels, facilities, marinas, and critical assets and infrastructure such as bridges and dams located on or adjacent to U.S. waters.

MARSEC Level 1 means the level for which minimum appropriate security measures shall be maintained at all times. At this level AIS will be required for all commercial vessels operating as the basic law requires, but this will not affect recreational vessels under 300 gross tons.

MARSEC Level 2 means the level for which appropriate additional protective security measures shall be maintained for a period of time as a result of heightened risk of a transportation security incident. The Coast Guard will increase security in specific areas at this level. AIS will be much more closely monitored and enforced, but still not affect small recreational boats.

MARSEC Level 3 means the level for which further specific protective security measures shall be maintained for a limited period of time when a transportation security incident is probable, imminent, or has occurred, although it may not be possible to identify the specific target. AIS may become mandatory for all vessels operating on or near U.S. waters regardless of type, and that's even if you will be allowed to cruise at all. That means that the Coast Guard has the authority to stop recreational boaters from operating without either being boarded and inspected, equipped with AIS, or both. It's up to their digression under MARSEC 3 conditions.

Let's say that you decided to go sailing for the day with some friends of yours. You arrive at a marina and tie up at the guest dock, pay a small dock fee, and have lunch at the marina restaurant. When you get back to your boat you see the harbor master is there with a security guard. The harbor master informs you that there was an attempt to blow up one of the bridge pilings in the area, and that Homeland Security says that we're now at MARSEC 3. He says that the Coast Guard is broadcasting on the marine band radio that all vessels are not allowed to get underway and that all vessels currently underway must immediately dock at the nearest practical facility. So, you stay over night on your boat. You're thinking that in the worst case, you might be late for work the next day. However, the next morning you hear a new Coast Guard broadcast saying that no vessels are allowed to operate unless equipped with AIS. Now, you're starting to get concerned as dock fees start piling up, important business meetings start being canceled, etc. You then get a bright idea to take a taxi to the nearest marine electronics store to buy an AIS. You finally arrive at the store only to find a hand written sign on the front door- “NO AIS, SOLD OUT!”. Three days later the Coast Guard decreases the security alert to MARSEC 2, and you are finally allowed to sail. Do you think that scenario couldn't happen to you?

You're taking another cruise again on your recreational sailboat. This time it's intentionally an overnight-er. You now have your new AIS installed, because you've promised yourself that you were never going to get “caught with your pants down” like that again. You call the harbor master's office of the marina that you want to visit this time. You tell the clerk on duty the name of your vessel, length, time of your docking, etc. The clerk says, “We can probably have you tie up on B Dock.”. Three hours later the harbor master gets a message from the clerk that your vessel is going to tie up at B Dock. The harbor master then asks the clerk for your vessel length, but the clerk didn't write it down and can't remember if it was 40 feet or 47 feet. There's a 46 foot open space on B Dock right now. If your sailboat is 40 feet in length, then it won't be a problem. You can dock there right now with three feet to spare on each end of your sailboat. If your sailboat is 47 feet in length, then you might assume that the 46 foot open space on B Dock was made for you and that it's wide enough. If you try to dock there, you might break off your bowsprit and damage the stern railing of one of the boats already docked there. That's not going to happen though, because the harbor master is an intelligent person no matter how remiss his clerk might be.

The harbor master attempts calling you on the VHF marine band radio, but can't get a hold of you for some reason. Fortunately, the harbor master's office is equipped with an AIS. He clicks on your vessel on the AIS screen. The information provided tells him that your vessel is actually 47 feet in length. It also tells him that you're a mere ten minutes out. He then immediately goes down to B Dock and moves both previously docked vessels to provide a new 55 foot space. That gives you four feet of clearance on each end of your sailboat. You soon dock without incident, pay your dock fee, and go out to dinner with your friends. You won't have to worry about your vessel touching bottom at low tide either. AIS gave the harbor master your draft information as well! AIS is certainly a great tool for others to find out important information about your vessel. Here's the last somewhat arguable example for everyone boating to own an AIS. Then we will delve into a couple of very important reasons for having AIS that even the Coast Guard recognizes.

Astronaut Randolph Bresnik installing AIS on the ISS on November 21, 2009

Your kids (who prefer to be referred to as young adults) are going on a church mission to a poor country for three weeks. The trip involves motor boating to a few offshore islands, so the church has reserved a small power boat for charter. You get the name of the charter company and look them up on the internet. It seems that even small businesses in poor countries have their own websites. You get some vessel information from the website and e-mail them for more data about the boat the church has reserved. You soon find out that the boat is not equipped with AIS, nor has it ever crossed the minds of the owners to have it so equipped. They don't even know what AIS is, but you do. You then re-register your personal vessel's AIS unit to the chartered boat in order to comply with the AIS regulations. You then have your kids plug in the AIS unit on the charter boat. You can now track your children boating in real-time from the comfort of your own home, from work, or from your mobile phone. You can do that from halfway around the world!

If you're a concerned parent, then I really don't have to go into great details why this might be important to you. Let's just say that if you track the charter boat to where it's not supposed to be, or if you just want to call your kids up on their mobile phone to remind them to wear their life jackets, then this free service can be indispensable for you. You might now be thinking that the idea of being able to track your children, other relatives, friends, co-workers, or clients while they are boating on recreational vessels might not be such a bad idea after all.

AIS is now satellite enhanced for world-wide real-time service.

From the above example you have probably already surmised that AIS can be tracked in real-time on the internet. You can further guess that AIS is an international system that employs a built-in Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system. If you don't already have GPS on your vessel, then you get a two for one payoff if you purchase and install an AIS unit. This gives you the ability to instantly know what your own vessel's position, course, and speed is. If you go to marinetraffic.com you can see for yourself that AIS is indeed a global system that can be monitored via the internet in real-time. It's also a great website to learn more about AIS including the difference between Class A and Class B units. Some boaters have been known to use the website in lieu of installing their own AIS unit. I don't recommend this, and neither does marinetraffic.com. The disclaimer found on their website is quoted as follows:

“Although marinetraffic.com is not intended to be used as a safety tool, there are many cases where making your position widely known could enhance your safety at sea. “

If you read between the lines of their disclaimer, it says to me that an internet marine map is not the same as an official nautical chart. Further more, it's always better to have your own AIS unit to tell other vessels and base stations what your vessel position is. Better still, you really should have your own electronic chart plotting system that's tied into an AIS unit and a compatible radar. In this way you can safely navigate your own vessel as well as plot other AIS equipped and non-AIS equipped vessels. If you can't afford a lot of expensive integrated marine electronics, then using AIS and a paper chart might be a good option for you. At any rate, paper charts should always be used while navigating and piloting. I have captained vessels equipped with vast amounts of sophisticated and expensive marine electronics, yet I always used paper charts along with navigation log book entries. Regardless of your budget, once you instal an AIS unit on board your vessel you will be able to view other AIS equipped vessels that are:

Not in visual range or may be blocked by visual obstructions.
Not in radar range or may be blocked by radar obstructions.
Not in a Vessel Traffic Reporting System.
and...
You will instantly know the vessel name, type, course, speed, and other vital information without vector plotting delays.

This means that you can call up a vessel that you have no way of seeing elsewhere, except on AIS, and make a passing arrangement with that same vessel. The Coast Guard also touts the ability of AIS to display vessels that do not appear on radar. The following screen shot is from their own website.

U.S. Coast Guard Recommending AIS for Boaters

What the Coast Guard doesn’t say is that you can call up a vessel seen on AIS and then ask them if there are any other vessels in the area approaching you that you should know about. Suppose that the AIS equipped vessel you called then tells you that there is a fast approaching speedboat. They made a passing arrangement with the speedboat earlier for themselves. They then tell you where it is and the name of the vessel. You then immediately call up the newly informed about vessel and make a passing arrangement with them too. You have now used AIS, your radio, and little bit of initiative, to avoid a possible collision with a vessel that is:

Not in visual range or may be blocked by visual obstructions.
Not in radar range or may be blocked by radar obstructions.
Not in a Vessel Traffic Reporting System.
and...
Not equipped with AIS nor visible on any AIS screen!

The Coast Guard often looks at how professional mariners use the information available to them to avoid collisions. They call that proper “bridge resource management”. The above scenario makes proper “bridge resource management” look like kindergarten “show and tell” in comparison. If you're a skipper that can make a passing arrangement with a vessel that you can't see, isn't on your radar, and isn't on AIS, then you have my admiration and respect for being a truly great recreational boater. Can you now honestly say that AIS isn't needed for recreational boaters? Can you argue that the additional cost of AIS isn't justified for your boat? What would the cost of just one collision be? It probably would cost you more money to explain how a collision occurred to a boating accident attorney than it would be to buy just one AIS unit. You can now see why I highly recommended AIS for all boaters on all waters regardless of the type or size of your vessel.

I have no monetary interest in any AIS companies or their dealers. I will not even recommend a specific brand or type of AIS to you. I do not get compensated for directing you to marinetraffic.com or any other websites. My only interest in strongly recommending that you go out and buy an AIS unit today is for your own safety and for the safety of others on the water. Don't wait until someone gets hurt, property gets damaged, or you are severely inconvenienced with regards to your time and money. Buy one now, and start using AIS. It's another valuable piece of navigation and collision avoidance equipment that you can easily learn to use on your boat.

By Capt. Marc Deglinnocenti, ret.

OldArmada@Gmail.com