1yachtua
With our CTRX transponders, we include Sea Clear Navigation software. But we don’t include charts. Eladio, has however kindly sent us a website, www.1yachtua.com, where you can find charts on all the globe (35 for Spain) for as little as $2.6.
Besides, thanks to Rafael, we have found another cool functionality for Sea Clear, which is to hear whatever music/sound you want to when your AIS equipment detects some CPA or TCPA (time to CPA) configured by you in tools—>properties—>instrumments—>AIS;
Firstly, you need to activate sound warning in tools—>properties—>other—> sound warning on.
To choose the music/sound you want to listen to when you get a CPA, you only need to open the SEACLEAR_2.ini file and where it says Sound AIS CPA=, which is blank by default, you should write the name of the file you want to use. Sea Clear looks in the Windows/Media folder by default, so it is there where you should place your music file.
IMPORTANT: PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT USING YOUR SEA CLEAR SOFTWARE WHILE YOU MODIFY SEACLEAR_2.INI FILE. CLOSE IT FIRST!!
This is specially useful for lonely boaters, and it is a cost effective way of having a sound alarm on board for collision avoidance!
Nadie indiferente
Panbo comments on the report we mentioned in our last post about the very questionnable reliability of radar transponders, and very specially wonders why Class B AIS transponders are not mentioned in the report.
Nobody seems to be left indifferent both in panbo’s comments and in La Taberna post where we found this information.
We’ve heard in several forums that radar transponders will be mandatory in year 2009 in Spain, and we believe that maybe this report should be taken into consideration by the relevant authorities.
AIS y el transpondedor de radar II
We talked the other day about the differences between radar transponders and AIS transponders, because we are often asked what are they when we explain the benefits of AIS. We found today a very interesting conversation in La Taberna del Puerto, the well-known association of boaters in Spain, about an accident that took place last year close from England, particularly a collision between a 7.5m long yacht and a ferry with destination Bilbao.
There is a detailed explanation, and a report from the British Authority about the probable malfunction of the radar transponders.
There are many reasons to explain why a Class B AIS transponder is far superior to a radar transponder. It is important to understand that, nevertheless, no electronics nowadays will be able to substitute a good captain on board.
BWR apuesta claramente por AIS clase B
The organization of the Barcelona World Race encourages participants to carry AIS Class B Transponders on board.
Since the beginning, Class A was mandatory for participants, but the organization, aware of the better fit of the new class B transponders for smaller vessels, has now amended the former rules.
Quoting the amendment:
ADDITIONAL SAFETY AND COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT
• Each boat shall fit a Class A or Class B AIS transceiver, The device
must be properly configured with all Boat Data. This transceiver
must be in use in the following locations, or as specified in the Sailing
Instructions:
- between the start line and the Straights of Gibraltar
- within 50 nm of each race gate 2,3,4,5,7
- within 100nm of Race Gate 6 (south of Cape Horn)
- between the Straights of Gibraltar and the finish line.
Its use is also recommended at other times where shipping may be
encountered.
Reason for amendment
Class B AIS units are now available, and the hardware is designed to be
suited to smaller boats - physically smaller, and significantly lower in power.
¿Son los barcos un activo infrautilizado?
Foreign readers are very welcome to comment on the situation of their marinas in their countries.
In Spain it is common that in a Marina, up to 50% of the boats are hardly ever used, according to this article.
Is the profile of the average user of Spanish boats different from the rest? What makes an average user spending so much money not only on the boat and TAXES, but also on the expensive manteinance and specially expensive price of the berths?
It seems as if the renting market for boats is very similar to the renting market of flats in Spain, where many market imperfections such as overregulation push people towards buying rather than renting.