Techno Boats

I remember many offshore fishing trips during the late '80's, in which we would leave from Freeport or Galveston with a compass heading, usually about 110 degrees, fish several rigs throughout the day, then reverse our heading, to go home, by adding or subtracting 180 degrees.  On the return trip we would look for landmarks to guide us safely back to our launch.  Most trips where 30 to 45 miles offshore; thus; out of sight of land, but we were never concerned for returning safely.  I believe I could probably do that now, but I seem to have become reliant on today's technology.


Today when offshore and headed to a destination, I simply select a waypoint and follow the rhumb line.  In fact, the autopilot will even guide the boat keeping it on the rhumb line; thus, steering to the destination.  Furthermore, tracks can be selected and when the autopilot is enabled the boat will steer to any destination, including changing course. And check this out....

I've actually driven Pura Vida from below deck with no visibility, utilizing my smart phone. I am able to view radar and electronic charts transmitted from my Multi-function Display (MFD) to my phone. This is done with a Raymarine app called RayRemote. The app, while connected via Wifi, mirrors the Raymarine MFD and with the autopilot enabled, actually allows me to steer.  To me, this is quite remarkable.  However, something more important to me is the Automatic Identification System (AIS).

Cluster of boats indicated on AIS

The AIS, Class A, required of most commercial vessels, gives and receives valuable information about vessels.  Many pleasure vessels have adopted the system and find it to be a valuable safety item.  Radar shows a blob when detecting a solid structure.  When traveling, radar is great for sighting rigs, land masses or other vessels.  However, the AIS does more.  It gives information about the vessels in range, such as name, size, type, speed, heading and even describes the cargo, and more.

When delivering Le Bateau A' Voile last month and while on watch at night, I spent much of my watch standing in the companionway.  I did this for two reasons; one, I was more protected under the dodger and two, I had better vision without the instrumentation lights in my eyes.  Approximately every five minutes I would walk back to the cockpit to view the MFD, where the AIS displayed, to make sure we were on course and to look for vessels.  Once I noticed a vessel approaching from approximately 25 degrees off the starboard side.  In zooming in and selecting the icon to give details of the vessel, I realized it was a pleasure vessel on a collision course, moving at 16.6 knots, approximately 2.5 nautical miles away.  However, I could not see its navigation lights.  I continued to track the vessel with the AIS, and adjusted our heading, steering the autopilot 6 degrees to starboard.  I could not see the vessel until he was approximately 1/2 nautical miles away.  The vessel crossed about 100 yards ahead.  Without the long distance warning of the AIS, I might have never seen the boat, given we were under sail and his speed.

On another trip, one dark, early morning while motoring out of Bayou Terrabone in Houma, La. into the ICW, I looked down to view my AIS and noticed a vessel was just entering that intersection.  I saw no lights and would have otherwise proceeded directly into the course of a barge not 20 feet ahead.  That was my first experience with an AIS and decided I would never do without.

I've utilized AIS for many local cruises and have noted that other vessels respect that you call them by name; which would otherwise be unavailable until close enough to read the vessels name. Technology has definitely invaded the pleasure boat market. Yes, it's still sailing... in Techno Boats.