I can remember one of my earliest boating trips as a youth. The fog came on thick and I had to pick my way home through shallows. I managed OK, using a compass and the flasher-type Ray Jefferson depth sounder (that should date the event for some of you), but as soon as I saw that green 17 can materialize out of the mist, my stress level dropped tremendously.

Today, despite owning a boat equipped with every modern bit of navigation electronics, times two, I still appreciate the sight and sound of a navaid.

The question being posed by the United States Coast Guard is whether I still need that navaid, or Aid To Navigation (ATON) as buoys and markers are officially known, or can marine electronics substitute for them? If I am running toward a waypoint, does it need to be a physical object on the ocean’s surface?

The Coast Guard has proposed to remove hundreds of navigation aids from District 1, which is the Northeast Atlantic Coast from New York to Maine.

District 1 just happens to be the most rock-bound of all the Coast Guard Districts.

A private firm, Great Harbor Digital, created an interactive map of the ATONs being considered for removal. We have not verified each one, but have spot-checked this map and it appears accurate.

In the Local Notices To Mariners of April 15   (LNM District 1; Week 16) the Coast Guard listed the locations of buoys that would be discontinued.

The buoys targeted for removal mark harbor entrances, ledges, and other routes and hazards. Some are lighted, while others have gongs, bells or whistles, according to detailed descriptions in the notice.

According to the Coast Guard, most, if not all of these ATONs would be removed to modernize a constellation of navigation aids “whose designs mostly predate global navigation satellite systems, electronic navigation charts, and electronic charting systems.”

The intention, the Coast Guard says, is to “support the navigational needs of the 21st century prudent mariner … Deliver effective, economical service — manage vessel transit risk to acceptable levels at acceptable cost.”

This will “support and complement modern mariners, today’s much larger ships, ECS [Electronic Charting Systems] availability and requirements, and powerful smartphone navigation subscription apps affordably accessible to virtually all waterway users.”

I am of two minds on this topic. On the one hand, I feel nostalgia, resistance to change, and possess good memories of navaids helping me find my way on the water.

Read Next: Marine Electronics That Make Boating Safer

Against this, I have my own experience running boats all over North America, and beyond, and can say that GPS is almost always working. It doesn’t always work, but, then, it’s not uncommon for buoys to be missing, off-station, or have their lights out.

I do not recall the last time I experienced a complete failure of all the electronics, built-in, and the portable backups.

My mind also dwells on the reasoning for this, which is to cut costs. Commercial shipping, with its electronic charting ( ECDIS) and backups upon backups, will probably miss physical ATONS less than recreational boaters. What do the rest of US taxpayers think about paying for buoys for boaters?

What do you think?

The Coast Guard is accepting public comment until June 13.

The post Coast Guard May Remove Buoys appeared first on Boating Mag.

They had guts, those great mariners from the Age of Discovery. Though some are viewed today with a degree of controversy, the likes of Columbus, Vespucci, ­Cortés and Magellan still hold reputations as bastions of courage and exploration.

How they did it—setting out on uncharted waters aboard creaking wooden sailing vessels, minds abuzz with apprehension of what might lie ahead, suppressing the lingering fear that they might never see land again—will always fascinate me. 

Few of us today will ever experience anything approaching that level of long-term anxiety afloat, thanks in large measure to today’s sophisticated marine electronics. They can tell you where you are, where you’re going, when you’ll get there, what’s lies underwater, what might get in your way, and where and when storms might strike. ­Today’s marine electronics can also recognize and route you around obstacles, and even drive the boat for you. 

Most importantly, when used properly by experienced captains, electronics can make you safer. Of course, electronics do not ­negate the need for prudent ­seamanship. You still must stay alert and be aware of your surroundings, remain at the wheel, and maintain a lookout and safe speed. But electronics can complement your seamanship skills, particularly in ­challenging conditions. 

One important caveat: Don’t wait until things take a turn for the worse to learn your electronics. Using your devices and interpreting displays should become second nature. This calls for practice and regular refresher sessions when conditions are pleasant to help ensure that you’re ready to effectively use and have confidence in the technology when the real need arises, as described in these five challenging situations in which marine electronics allowed me to pilot the boat with greater safely.

Moonless Passage

Recommended Electronics: Radar With MARPA, Chart Plotter, AIS, Night-Vision or Thermal-Imaging Camera

You can often prepare yourself for a long nighttime cruise in advance, as I did recently while running 35 miles offshore in the predawn hours for a day of mahi fishing off the coast of Southern California.

Before leaving the dock, I took the time to make sure that the electronics I had planned to use—radar, chart plotter, AIS and night-vision camera—were functioning properly. You might use instead a thermal-imaging camera from a company such as FLIR, but in this case, I relied on my SiOnyx ­Nightwave system, which shows the water and objects ahead in a full-color, stable and daylike image on my multifunction display.

Why, you might ask, would I want night vision when I have radar, or vice versa? For me, it boils down to detecting high-profile hazards with radar, while also seeing low-­lying objects that radar can’t detect such as lobster-pot buoys or flotsam such as wood pallets and timbers. 

My Mini Automatic Radar ­Plotting Aid allows me to automatically track targets on my radar to ­determine their threat level, course, closest point of approach, and time of closest approach.  

Some radar systems, such as those from Furuno, Garmin and Simrad, make tracking targets even easier with Doppler technology, which senses the relative motion of returns. Furuno’s Target Analyzer system, for example, automatically changes the color of targets to help you identify when they are hazardous. Green echoes are targets that stay stationary or are moving away from you, while red echoes are hazardous targets that are moving toward your vessel. Echoes ­dynamically change colors as ­targets approach or get farther away from your vessel.

An Automatic Identification System offers some redundancy, showing vessels equipped with AIS and confirming their location and identity on both the chart plotter and radar. However, many boats do not broadcast AIS signals, and so I use it only to augment but not ­replace radar. 

My chart plotter provides me with the course and distance to my destination, as well as my current position, offering a sense of place, which I might otherwise lose on a moonless night. 

One important tip for using your electronics at night: Dim the screens or use night mode to help preserve your night vision. Bright displays destroy my primary night-time navigational tool: my vision.

Poof! It’s Foggy!

Recommended ­Electronics: Radar With MARPA, Chart Plotter, AIS, Autopilot, VHF with PA Function and Loudspeaker

I tend to avoid boating in fog, but at least once a season, I get caught as pea soup sweeps quickly across coastal waters. When it happens after dark, it tests my navigational skills like no other condition. Without the right electronics, it can leave boaters wondering whether to try to make safe harbor or stay put. Either choice can turn into catastrophe.  

The problem I have with thick fog is its disorienting nature. Without the ability to see my surroundings, I can’t stay on a prescribed course. Try it sometime. Even with a good compass, you will drift off course more quickly than you can imagine, then meander endlessly as you seek to correct, and then overcorrect. That’s why I added autopilot to my list of recommended electronics. It keeps me on course while I use essentially the same electronics in much the same way I use them for nighttime navigation.  

Another additional piece of electronics is a VHF radio with (and this is important) a PA function wired to a loudspeaker. As part of the PA feature, some VHFs, such as the Standard Horizon Matrix, have a foghorn function, and it can set for underway or at anchor. While underway, it emits a loud, prolonged blast at 2-minute intervals. In anchor mode, the foghorn signal repeats every minute. 

This not only alerts other boats in the vicinity to my presence, but the PA system also has a listen-back feature that helps me hear the sound of other boats approaching my position, so I can prepare to take evasive action if necessary to avoid a collision.

Shallow Threats

Recommended Electronics: Chart Plotter With Auto-Routing, Electronic Chart App, Echo Sounder

The ocean floor is dynamic, especially in shallow nearshore waters where powerful storms, waves and currents shove about ­bottom mud and sand, unexpectedly piling up shoals. These can catch even local veteran boaters by surprise, especially after a big storm. It happened to me a few years ago when the north side of the main channel at the mouth of the Los Angeles River silted up after a winter storm. Fortunately, my boat did not fetch up, but I did drag the lower unit through the mud for about 50 yards. These days, I stay up to speed on silting with the Navionics Boating app on my mobile phone.

In addition to US government National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration charts, the Navionics app includes a layer of crowdsourced updates from others boaters. When this layer is switched on, it provides ­updates from other boaters on subjects such as new shoal areas that might not yet have made it into the official chart update, as well as points of interest and navigation aids. The app also integrates information shared by the ActiveCaptain Community, including ­navigational hazards. 

In addition, I have discovered that a chart plotter with auto-routing, as featured on the new Simrad NSS 4 series, can quickly guide me around dangerous shoals and reefs, as well as other hazards. I just plug in my destination as a waypoint, and the ­system redraws the safest way to get there via a series of waypoints.

Sometimes you just have to slow down and feel your way, ­especially when navigating backwaters and rivers. That’s when an echo sounder is helpful. I watch the depth carefully to make sure I am in the deepest part of the channel. If the bottom starts to come up, either I change course or ­reverse out and try another path.

First-Time Visit

Recommended Electronics: Radar, Chart Plotter With Satellite Overlay and Tide Chart, VHF Radio

Occasionally I will venture to new waters north or south of my home port of Long Beach, California, and I sometimes find entering and negotiating a new inlet and port—particularly a large one—­somewhat challenging.

I have discovered that radar and a chart plotter—used side by side or as a radar chart overlay—gives me a good idea of how to safely enter the inlet, particularly at night. ­During the day, when I can see clearly, I sometimes use the 3D feature in course-up mode. Rather than viewing the chart from overhead, this lays out the inlet channel like a highway and can prove intuitive to read, providing greater ­navigational safety.

Another helpful feature on the chart plotter is the satellite mode that overlays satellite imagery and can show helpful landmarks when exploring new ports. You can zoom in for more detail or zoom out to gain greater context with any of these views.

Standing off and hailing the port master or harbor patrol on the VHF radio is a good idea if you’re unsure about the safety of an inlet. Such was the case on one spring day as I considered entering California’s Oceanside Harbor, which tends to shoal at its mouth. During low tide, big Pacific swells rise up and crest at this inlet. More than one vessel has met its demise here. 

I called the harbor patrol on VHF Channel 16, and we switched to talk on Channel 22a. The harbor patrol advised me to hold off until the tide rose, so I checked the tide chart on my chart plotter, which indicated high tide later in the ­afternoon. I waited until then and found a much safer passage into the harbor. 

Read Next: Marine Electronics for Nighttime Safety

Escaping the Storm

Recommended Electronics: Chart Plotter With SiriusXM Marine, Radar, VHF Radio

A day of fishing off Key West, Florida, started bright, clear and hot. But by early afternoon, a line of anvil-shaped clouds and an ­occasional muted boom of thunder in the distance gave me pause for concern.

Fortunately for us, we had the ­SiriusXM Marine Offshore overlay feature on our chart plotter. With it, we could see on the display a line of major thunderstorms taking shape and tracking quickly in our direction. The SiriusXM Marine Offshore also showed a growing number of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, accompanied by high winds and waves.

A severe-weather warning from the Coast Guard on the VHF radio confirmed the reports, as did our radar, which picked up the returns of heavy rain in the distance. The fishing had been good, but thanks to our marine electronics, we knew for safety’s sake that the time had come to head back to port.

As we raced ahead of the ­tempest, I thought of the great mariners from the Age of Discovery and wondered if they could have imagined the tools that ­everyday boaters like me now have to stay safe. I doubt it. But then, I have little idea what new electronic devices the next season might bring and how they might help me stay even safer.

The post Marine Electronics That Make Boating Safer appeared first on Boating Mag.

While Coast Guard air crews often grab headlines, sometimes flying hundreds of miles offshore into unimaginable conditions to save mariners in peril, boaters in trouble closer to the coast are more likely to have a Coast Guard vessel come alongside. That’s true even in extremely gnarly conditions. Crews aboard the 47-foot Motor Lifeboat, the Coast Guard’s primary nearshore fast-response rescue platform, will head into 50-knot winds through 30-foot seas and traverse inlets with 20-foot breaking surf.

These venerable boats first went into service in the late 1990s, replacing the 44 MLB. As they exceed their anticipated service life, the Coast Guard has turned to Birdon, a global maritime and defense contractor, to complete a fleetwide $191 million Service Life Extension Program. Boating went behind the scenes to see firsthand how these revitalized vessels give their Coast Guard crews improved tools for saving lives.

Rescue Machines

“When you’re inbound with a boat in tow, against an ebb current, in 24-foot seas, it shows that these boats are highly capable of their mission,” says Chief Petty Officer Matthew Whitlow, who has served aboard a 47 Motor Lifeboat since 2014. That includes four years in the notorious Columbia River entrance as an instructor at National Motor Lifeboat School at Cape Disappointment, Washington. “I’ve never doubted that this boat would take care of us.”

What gives him that confidence? The 47 MLB is designed to capsize on its side or pitchpole end-over-end, even rolling all the way through 360 degrees, then return upright within 12 seconds and continue on its mission. I’ve quipped, in particularly rough seas, about being in Mother Ocean’s washing machine, but these men and women are ready, able and fully equipped for spin cycle.

Once on-scene, Coast Guard crews deploy dewatering pumps, damage control kits and firefighting capabilities. Often, just towing a disabled boat stabilizes or remedies perilous situations. The 47 MLB can stay offshore for many hours, follow stricken vessels back to port, and carry as many as 34 survivors and crew—all far surpassing rescue-­helicopter ­limits.

Project Scope

At Birdon’s Portland, Connecticut, facility, six indoor service bays accommodate technicians installing new diesels, upgrading electronics, reconfiguring the open bridge and engine room, and welding in entire sections of aluminum. In other buildings, additional boats are disassembled and media-blasted inside and out to bare aluminum. Since the project began in 2019, the company has completed 27 boats. Two facilities, in Connecticut and also Bellingham, Washington, will refit about 20 boats in 2025, and Birdon is on track and within budget toward a final fleet of 107 refit 47 MLBs by 2029. (Another 10 boats in the Coast Guard’s current 117-boat fleet may be scrapped or refit in the end.)

What those metrics don’t reflect, though, is Birdon’s focus on the mission of these boats—protecting Coast Guard crews while rescuing boaters already in serious peril. That starts with ensuring rollover survivability even when two new Cummins diesel engines offer 880 pounds less ballast than the Detroit Diesels they replace. Steel ballast low in the engine room and forward compartment compensates for that change, and completed boats are weighed, both upright and inclined through 14 degrees in a hydraulic cradle, to verify their stability. Each of the 4,000 parts replaced, as well as the few dozen retained items, are all inspected at least three times: before, during and after installation. Sea trials by both Birdon and the Coast Guard replicate operating parameters right down to crew weight simulated with water tanks belted into the seats.

Engines and Performance

While Cummins’ 530 hp QSC 8.3-liter diesels are 20 percent lighter and make 20 percent more horsepower than the original 435 hp Detroit Diesel 6V92 engines, the added weight of sound-mitigating and climate-stabilizing insulation, a reconfigured bridge, and the ballast needed for this boat’s unique seaworthiness net only about 2 knots faster speed overall. Fuel burned at the end of a typical day is about the same with the new engines as with the old motors.

Those Detroit Diesels are older than many of the Coast Guard ­engineers working on them, and it shows. “When we go out and the boat isn’t making full power [with Detroit Diesels], we have to check fuel pressure, look for air restrictions, check the valve clearances, maybe replace fuel injectors, or remove and clean the aftercooler,” says Chief Petty Officer Lantz Fortner, who has been an engineer aboard 47 MLBs since 2014. “The Cummins engines have a lot less unscheduled downtime and a lot less troubleshooting.”

While the new Cummins are ­off-the-shelf, the controls aren’t. Cummins partnered with Glendinning Products, a leader in marine engine controls for five decades, to ensure that shift and throttle controls are waterproof to International ­Electrotechnical Commission Standard IP67 (submerged 1 meter for 30 minutes). The incorporated ­Rollover ­Controller returns engines to ­neutral and idle if the boat rolls past 110 degrees. Programming ensures that the diesels won’t stall when shifting between hard ahead and hard astern in dangerous surf.

Other Improvements

With more than 100 boats pounding through rough water for ­longer than a quarter-century, metal fatigue is an issue. Aluminum sections identified as trouble spots are replaced fleetwide, and individual boats are inspected and flagged for additional repairs. Operation was streamlined based on 25 years of experience too. “The basics of the boat were sound, but they’ve updated little things that make our day-to-day operation easier,” Whitlow says. “Something as simple as our tow reel—now it’s easier to use and requires less maintenance.”

“The LED lighting in the ­cabin is much brighter. It’s safer for people moving around,” Fortner adds. “In the engine room, you can see hazards more clearly.” New, bright LED floodlights now illuminate all around the boat, versus holding a searchlight on a specific spot. Other changes decrease maintenance time. When high-impact-plastic fender ­collars crack on older boats, ­aluminum studs are cut off and new fenders welded in place. Birdon, instead, reengineered detachable brackets. “The fact that we don’t have to weld those studs onto the hull is a huge advantage,” Fortner says, because it required disconnecting electronic engine controls and isolating battery chargers to preclude damage from electrical ­current used while arc-welding on aluminum hulls.

Crew Comfort

“The human performance people got involved, so we’re less susceptible to chronic fatigue,” Fortner says, which can be significant while spending long hours in rough seas. The reconfigured open bridge, for example, improves both operation and comfort. Previously, two Stidd chairs and two folding jump seats accommodated the boat’s typical crew. Now three Shoxs impact-absorbing seats across the front keep most eyes looking ahead and to the sides, while the port aft Shoxs seat swivels for someone scanning astern or watching a tow. Sound and ­vibration are also mitigated with new, quieter diesels, along with ­sound-dampening insulation and specialized deck systems.

There have been tweaks made during the project too. Initially, the starboard flying bridge control station had the steering jog-lever on the right and throttles on the left, while other helm stations positioned throttles on the right and jog-lever on the left. Those starboard station controls are now switched—a small detail that becomes critical when taking quick action in 20-foot breaking surf. 

Read Next: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of US Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers

Electronics

While most of each boat’s radio equipment carries over through the refit, Birdon is installing the Coast Guard’s new Scalable Integrated Navigation System from Raymarine as well. The entire fleet, including some 47 MLBs not yet incorporated into Birdon’s refit schedule, will upgrade their electronics by 2026 for either primary navigation aboard small boats or redundancy on ships.

On older 47 MLBs, navigation and radar equipment might be noticeably different when crews switch between boats. Now operation, training, troubleshooting and spare parts will all become standard across the entire fleet. Future upgrades, such as adding FLIR cameras, which are not currently installed on 47 MLBs, can network with existing equipment.

Increased integration is particularly helpful. “Now we see AIS contacts right on the radar and plotter screen. It gives a better snapshot of what’s around,” ­Whitlow says. AIS alerts are more configurable too, providing “an extra layer of safety.” 

Raymarine also added encrypted AIS messaging into the entire Coast Guard system. Radar and AIS targets are easily shared from one boat and dropped right onto another boat’s chart-plotter screen, or broadcast fleetwide. Search Action Plans or EPIRB coordinates relayed from shore can be uploaded directly onto navigation displays rather than manually entered aboard each boat, and shoreside command can monitor individual vessels in real time. Data sharing between Coast Guard and law-enforcement vessels utilizing Raymarine ­equipment facilitates interagency cooperation as well.

Why do Coast Guard men and women head offshore in small boats in weather that keeps others tied to the dock? “My pay is the reward I feel for serving the ­community, and the pride after a rescue, in knowing those people and your crew are safe,” Fortner says. “It’s just people ­helping people.” 

The newly renovated 47 MLB is an excellent tool to that end. “I trust the boat to do what it is supposed to do,” he adds. “The lights stay burning, the shafts keep ­turning, and the boat stays upright to get us home safely.”

Specs (from USCG 47 MLB Operator’s Manual)

Previous Power

• Twin Detroit Diesel electronically controlled 6V92TA 435 bhp at 2,100 rpm
• Transmission: Reintjes WVS 234 UP, 2:1 reduction
• Props: 4-blade, 28″ diameter x 36″ pitch

New Power

• Cummins QSC8.3 530 bhp at 2,800 rpm
• Transmission: ZF 2:1 reduction
• Props: ­ 4-blade, 27″ diameter x 27.75″ pitch

The post Refitting Coast Guard Motor Lifeboats to Continue Saving Lives appeared first on Boating Mag.

William Marshall ventured 20 miles offshore on November 15, 2024, and never expected to have catastrophic engine failure at sea. Worse yet, threatening storms forming ahead of weather reports loomed over them. He activated his EPIRB—a larger cousin to the PLB—and 45 minutes later, Sea Tow showed up, followed by a Coast Guard rescue boat. Loss of life was averted, and Marshall and his crew lived to fish another day.

This is just one of many rescue stories enabled by emergency ­locator beacons. Here is what you need to know about rescue PLBs and SOS messengers.

Personal locator beacons are designed to speed rescue by SAR teams via government-run Cospas-Sarsat satellites, which are programmed to notify appropriate response authorities—such as the US Coast Guard, or terrestrial rescuers for skiers and ­hikers—of an emergency. PLBs are the most compact and are ­being adopted with increasing frequency by recreational ­boaters. 

Another type of beacon device is an SOS messenger, which is designed to use private ­communication satellites such as Globalstar to ­communicate with private rescue-­coordination bureaus to reach rescue authorities at sea or in the ­wilderness. An added benefit to these is that they allow ­limited ­two-way ­communication, but unlike a PLB, they require a ­satellite-service fee.

Important Distinctions

PLBs

• PLBs, until recently, could not talk back. Now, some offer limited satellite communications for an added fee.
• Only PLBs talk to Cospas-­Sarsat constellations and are the gold standard for rescue.
• PLBs also transmit a 121.5 mHz homing signal to give ­final line-of-sight directions.
• Some PLBs also transmit an automatic information ­system message via VHF digital selective calling VHF radio, ­allowing nearby Good Samaritans to spring into action.  
• No rescue signal fees are ­required for use.
• PLBs must be registered at beaconregistration​.noaa.gov to effect a rescue.

SOS Messengers

• These devices communicate via private satellite constellations to private rescue bureaus connected to local rescue ­authorities.
• They send SOS calls via ­private satellite constellations with frequent position ­updates.
• Unlike PLBs, they are ­designed to accommodate two-way communication via smart-device connections or predetermined messages ­entered into a web portal.
• Unlike PLBs, they require satellite service fees paid for specific periods—monthly or annually—and flexible fees based on units with two-way data transmission.
• SOS messengers must be ­registered with the manufacturer as part of subscription  to generate an SOS response. Here are four examples in the  SOS messenger/PLB genre.

ACR ResQLink AIS

acrartex.com; $569.95 for USA registration

ACR is one of two top names in PLBs, and this compact unit is simple and proven effective to use. This one adds AIS MOB transmitting on the digital select calling frequency to allow nearby Good Samaritans to hear the distress call and respond. Once it acquires a GPS position, it will simultaneously send an SOS signal to Cospas-Sarsat satellites, and that is transmitted to local or regional rescue officials, such as the US Coast Guard, optimally located for rescue. Before using the device, free registration with NOAA is required, and information about the vessel, the owner, emergency contacts and more help rescue teams coordinate with family or friends to effect rescue. 

GPS and Galileo GNSS constellations

• Waterproof: 16.4 feet (5 -meters) at 1 hour, 33 feet (10 meters) at 10 minutes
• Floats: No, but comes with floating carry case 
• Dimensions: 7.87” (L) x 1.41” (W) x 0.86” (D)
• Weight: 6.7 oz. (190 g)
• Battery Life: 5 years
• Operating Life: 28 hours
• Subscriptions: None

Spot Gen4 Satellite GPS Messenger

findmespot.com; $149.99

Spot brought the first private–enterprise SOS satellite messenger to boaters about 20 years ago. Advancements over the years culminated into the Gen4. Focus Point International, an international rescue coordinator, monitors satellite transmissions 24/7/365 and contacts the appropriate emergency responders to help coordinate rescue. In addition, they offer Overwatch Rescue services ($39.99 per year), which arrange and pay for rescue expenses such as airlift medivac. Preprogrammed messages can be sent to up to 10 preprogrammed contacts. Check-in and OK messages arrive with GPS coordinates. A help button summons assistance in a non-life-threatening -situation. RAP, a roadside assistance program, can summon tow trucks. Batteries on hand determine operating time, allowing for extended messaging use.

GPS and Galileo GNSS

• Waterproof: IPX8
• Floats: No 
• Dimensions: 1.04” x 2.66” x 3.48”
• Weight: 13.4 oz.
• Battery Life: 4 AAA batteries (included)
• Operating Life: Dependent on battery type
• Subscriptions: From $11 per month to $143.40 per year
• Overwatch Rescue: $39.99 a year, pays for emergency evac and other expenses related to rescue

Read Next: Best Emergency Beacons, PLBs & EPIRBs

Garmin In Reach Messenger+

garmin.com; $499

This unit not only sends an SOS to Garmin Response 24/7/365 rescue-coordination center, but it allows feedback to the victim on rescue status as well. The device also allows text, voice messaging, and photo transmissions from unit to unit or unit to contact info using a Bluetooth link to a smart device. Additionally, it has an LCD readout notifying of texts and message status. It can text family and friends your updated position at periods that you designate and allow them to track you on a mapping system. It can also generate turn-by-turn directions when smart devices are out of Wi-Fi or cellular range. The rechargeable battery can last up to 120 hours with frequent (2 minutes) messaging or 600 hours with 10-minute message intervals.

GPS and Galileo GNSS

• Waterproof: IPX8 to 1 meter/30 minutes
• Floats: No, but comes with a flotation pouch
• Dimensions: 3.1” (L) x 2.5” (W) x 0.9” (D)
• Weight: 4.1 oz. (116 g)
• Battery Life: 1 year between charges
• Operating Life Up to 600 hours, depending on messaging
• Warranty: 5 years
• Subscriptions: From $14.99 per month

Ocean Signal PLB1

oceansignal.com; $349.95

This is the most compact PLB available, weighing in at 4 -ounces and smaller than a deck of waterproof playing cards. It’s a good play to hedge your bets at a lower price due to the streamlined feature set. However, it meets every NOAA specification for a PLB. It communicates with Cospas-Sarsat with a 406 MHz satellite transmitter and provides a 121.5 MHz homing signal for final-position acquisition. A 1 candela LED strobe provides visual contact in the dark without diminishing its 24-hour operating time. It clips to a life jacket or tucks into a pocket for easy carriage and ready deployment.

GPS and Galileo GNSS

1 candela strobe

• Waterproof: To 15 meters
• Floats: No, but comes with a flotation pouch 
• Dimensions: 3” (L) x 2.1” (W) x 1.3” (D)
• Weight: 4.09 oz. (116 g)
• Battery Life: 7 years
• Operating Life: 24 hours
• Warranty: 5 years with free registration
• Subscriptions: None

The post Four Emergency Locator Beacons for Boaters appeared first on Boating Mag.

The title of my article makes a bold statement. I’m basing it on the US Coast Guard requirements for establishing what’s called a Surf Station. Surf Stations are required at locations where surf runs 8 feet or higher for more than 10 percent—that’s 36 days—of the year.

That’s a real 8 feet measured by wave gauges and with lidar, not the 4-foot waves that some social-media sailors might call 8-footers. While the size of waves alone is not always the sole criteria for rough or dangerous seas, I think that prevalent 8-foot breaking waves qualifies.

The signature boat at a Surf Station is the 47 Motor Lifeboat (MLB), which can right itself from a capsize or pitchpole. You can read more about the 47 MLB on page 80 of this issue. Briefly, this boat is rated to operate in 30-foot seas or 20-foot surf in 50-knot winds.

Perhaps more important, Surf Station personnel, or Surfmen, are rated to operate the 47-foot MLB in its most extreme operating conditions after undergoing training at the National Motor Lifeboat School near the mouth of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment, Washington.  Surfmen is the highest qualification in the Coast Guard for small-boat operations. There are currently about 200 Surfmen in the Coast Guard, and only about 500 have ever earned the designation.

Read Next: Running Breaking Inlets

Most Surf Stations are on the Pacific Coast. But a number of Surf Stations also exist on the Atlantic Coast. What follows lists the most dangerous inlets in the US, clockwise, from northeast to northwest. If you will be navigating these or any coastal inlet, time your transit for incoming water and/or times when wind is not opposing the current, and get local knowledge.

U.S.C.G. Surf Stations

With breaking surf over 8 feet in height, occurring for at least 36 days per year, these locations are served by special boats and people:

• Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey
• Oregon Inlet, North Carolina
• Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina
• Morro Bay, California
• Golden Gate, California
• Bodega Bay, California
• Noyo River, California
• Humboldt Bay, California
• Chetco River, Oregon
• Coos Bay, Oregon
• Umpqua River, Oregon
• Siuslaw River, Oregon
• Yaquina Bay, Oregon
• Depoe Bay, Oregon
• Tillamook Bay, Oregon
• Cape Disappointment, Washington
• Grays Harbor, Washington
• Quillayute River, Washington

The post Most Dangerous Inlets in the United States for Boaters appeared first on Boating Mag.

Military fighter pilots can suffer from a condition called information overload, which can be brought about by overwhelming amounts of technology in the cockpit that distract from the primary mission of flying the aircraft. 

This phenomenon has led to placing a second aviator known as a RIO—radar intercept officer—on board to relieve the pilot from monitoring, managing, and operating technologies such as radar, weapons systems, and navigation. If you watched the movie Top Gun (the first and best one, I think), you will recall that Goose, seated behind Maverick in the F-14 Tomcat, served as the RIO. 

Information overload also can occur for helmsmen piloting today’s boats. As marine electronics provide increasing amounts of information, there’s a tendency to become preoccupied with electronic displays rather than keeping eyes on the surrounding waters and driving the boat.

This is particularly true in challenging conditions such as in the dark of night or dense fog, when technologies such as radar, AIS, electronic chart plotting and night-vision cameras are relied on heavily for safe navigation.

These are times when I want next to me at the helm the boating equivalent of a RIO—a co-captain whose responsibility is to manage and monitor critical navigational electronics while I man the wheel and maintain a lookout.

In order to trust a ­crewmember in this role, they need to be someone who possesses the skillset to operate and interpret marine electronics—and remain focused. For me, this includes a handful of fishing buddies, most of whom have honed these skills aboard their own boats. 

On one occasion, I had the pleasure of working with a co-captain who had manned far more sophisticated electronics aboard a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. I really trusted him, and I learned a thing or two as we encountered heavy fog on a 35-mile spring return trip from Santa Catalina Island.

Vocal communication ­between you and your co-captain plays a vital role. The co-captain needs to speak up, for example, at the first indication of a radar return. Like in a scene from the movie Greyhound, they should provide a relative bearing and distance (such as 12 o’clock, 1 mile) and regular updates. They might also offer suggested course corrections as a target grows closer. Hand signals indicating direction can complement verbal communications.

Read Next: Seamanship Lessons From a Yacht Captain

A co-captain can help boost safety even when conditions are nice. I remember another return trip from Catalina in flat-calm seas with excellent visibility and no other boat in sight. I was focusing my eyes on the waters ahead, cruising at about 24 knots, and feeling relaxed when my co-captain grabbed my ­shoulder and shouted, “Jim, watch out!” Another boat was closing fast from about 150 feet off our ­starboard quarter with apparent intentions to cross our bow at a dangerously close distance.

I stabbed the throttle to quickly accelerate and force the ­reckless boater astern of us. I should note that this occurred during COVID, at a time when a lot of new ­boaters were on the water with little or no knowledge of what constitutes prudent seamanship, ­including giving another boat a wide berth on an otherwise vacant ocean. Thank goodness for my ­co-captain, who kept his eyes up, his head on a swivel, and ­alerted me to the threat.

The post The Importance of Having a Co-Captain appeared first on Boating Mag.

Early on in my boat-testing career, I learned the hard way about what can happen when boating in unfamiliar waters. The boat company set up our test out of a beautiful Southwest Florida resort adjacent to Pine Island Sound. As I boarded the shiny new 30-foot cruiser and set to throw the lines, I asked the company rep where we should go to run the boat.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “I’m from Wisconsin.”

A dockhand happened to ­overhear and said that whatever we do, don’t veer outside the marked channels. So we idled out and then started ­collecting performance data between the safety of the red and green channel markers. All went well ­until we started running at speed in a stretch of water where the channel markers seemed at least a half-mile apart. I decided to try a hard-over turn at speed—­standard testing procedure—and wandered outside the designated channel by about 20 feet. Sure enough, we both heard and felt the whump of the bow ­slamming into soft sand, then the boat stopped moving. What was supposed to be a two-hour boat test turned into a six-hour one as we waited for the tide to rise.

Lesson learned.

When boating in unfamiliar waters, there are steps you can take to ensure that you don’t wind up high and dry—or worse.

Seek Out Local ­Knowledge

Unlike that boat test decades ago, a GPS and chart plotter now come standard on all but the simplest of boats. Make sure to update chart-plotter software to include whatever new waters you might be visiting, and also purchase a paper chart as a backup. But before you launch, ask around at the local docks and seek out people who regularly boat in the area. They will be able to share information about shifting sandbars, recent unmarked hazards, and quirky navigation tricks that might not be obvious. For instance, the spot where I ran aground gave away no telltale signs of being shallow, such as a color change, current seam or standing birds. To the naked eye, the water in the area looked exactly the same. We should have listened to the dockhand.

Another great resource is the Coast Guard’s Local Notices to Mariners, which can be found under the “LNMs” tab on its ­Navigation Center site (navcen​.uscg.gov). From there you can ­select a region and find out if a buoy or nav beacon is down, if a sandbar has shifted at an inlet, etc.

Read The Water

It’s not ­always the case, but often your ­surrounding environment will provide clues as to what’s happening around you. Breaking waves in an inlet typically indicate a depth change and should be avoided. A drastic color change in the water can also reveal a spot where deeper water transitions to shallow. More-­concentrated wind dimples can be a ­telltale sign of a depth change or a submerged hazard. Trust your ­senses; if something looks slightly off, it probably is.

Read Next: How to Avoid Underwater Boating Hazards

Stay the Course

You might think you’re safe just by monitoring your electronics and ­following the course laid out for you onscreen. But be sure to account for how wind and current affect your boat as you navigate. A crosswind or current can push you astray, even when you think you’re tracking true. And as we found out that fateful day, in some areas, straying even a few feet outside the channel can be the difference between safely reaching port and being hopelessly stranded.

The post Safely Navigating Unfamiliar Waters appeared first on Boating Mag.

It was a beautiful August afternoon in Maryland, and my fiancée, her granddaughter, and I decided to take my 28-foot cabin cruiser down the South River and out into the Chesapeake Bay to the picturesque Thomas Point lighthouse, 5 miles from the marina. Once there, we decided to visit Annapolis, about 7 miles farther across open water dotted with crab traps. We went down Ego Alley and meandered through nearby Back Creek before heading home. I had noticed the voltmeter reading low and slowly dropping, but I pushed on.

The seas had picked up to about 2 feet on our bow, making for a rough ride. Suddenly, the boat jerked and veered hard to starboard. I looked around and saw the anchor line leading behind our boat, pulling a crab-pot float (more on this later). The anchor had jumped off its hook and deployed. We stopped the boat, and I hauled in the anchor, which had its shank bent 45 degrees.

I went to restart the boat and nothing. Both banks of batteries were apparently dead. I thought about checking the engine compartment, but the boat was rocking a lot.

We donned life jackets, and I called TowBoatUS. I deployed the anchor again, but we kept drifting because it would not dig in. We were lying sideways to the 2-foot seas, and the cooler and refrigerator down below upchucked their contents. The granddaughter also upchucked her contents all over the cockpit.

Ninety minutes later, Capt. Greg with TowBoatUS showed up and towed us safely back to our marina.

We made it in before dark. Upon raising the boat on its lift, I noticed that there was a metal crab pot firmly wrapped around the prop. So, we would not have been able to make it home, even if I had found and fixed the loose battery connections that had prevented the motor from restarting.

Read Next: The Importance of Wearing a Life Jacket

What we did right: donning life jackets, keeping calm, deploying the anchor to slow our drift, and having three working cellphones and a handheld VHF. Had I gone into the engine compartment to troubleshoot, I could have been injured with the severe rocking.

What we did wrong: not fully checking everything before leaving the boat slip, not stopping in Back Creek to check the voltage drop, and not staying clear of the crab-pot area. I have since installed locknuts on the battery connections to keep them secure and tight.

Jim Anderson
Davidsonville, Maryland

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After months of extensive preparations, my friend Coy and I headed for the Bahamas from Brunswick, Georgia, on Makana, his 32-footer.

Prior to leaving for the Bahamas, we learned that the -autopilot on Makana was not functioning, so Coy had a marine-electronics technician come to repair it and conduct a test trip. It was now running great. Having cruised extensively, we knew the value of an autopilot for fuel and time savings and for reducing stress on the skipper.

We set off, heading under the Sidney Lanier Bridge before allowing the autopilot to take control. Within seconds, Makana veered sharp to starboard and started swerving erratically. I immediately disengaged the autopilot and took control of the steering.

Read Next: Compounding Mistakes Make for a Dangerous Situation

Coy was not happy and was talking about returning to the dock. The autopilot had functioned flawlessly just a few days prior. Why was it suddenly acting like this?

I had experienced a similar event before on a boat that had its fluxgate compass and controls in one unit. It worked great in stand-by, but if I hit the engage button, it would turn us hard starboard. I figured out that the external fixator on my wrist (used to repair a fracture I had sustained) was causing the problem, so I thought maybe we had a fluxgate-compass problem with Makana.

After a thorough search in the aft cabin, I located the fluxgate compass situated at the bottom of the aft hanging locker, next to a No. 10 tin can (110 ounces) of peanuts. We quickly relocated the peanuts, and the autopilot operated flawlessly for the remainder of the voyage. Sometimes the solution to a boat problem can be quite simple, and this, thankfully, was one of those cases.

Charles Wilsdorf
Brunswick, Georgia

[The key safety takeaway here is that Mr. Wilsdorf remained at the helm, despite using an autopilot. Had he left the helm, the boat may have struck something or a sudden turn may have thrown someone overboard. Always keep a helm watch when using autopilot. —Ed.]

Wanted: Your Stories
Share your boating mistakes and mishaps so that your fellow boaters might learn from your experience. Send us your first-person accounts, including what went wrong, what you’d do differently, your name and your city, to editor@boatingmag.com and use “ILAB” in the subject line. If your story is selected for publication, we’ll send you a $100 West Marine Gift Card!”

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A floating traffic jam quickly developed as we joined a line of other boats, not unlike a solemn funeral procession, through a narrow channel behind a half-submerged vessel under tow and en route to a nearby boatyard, escorted by an entourage of local harbor patrol and Coast Guard vessels. 

Some of us feathered our throttles to keep idle speeds in check and remain well astern of the stricken vessel, the 100-foot ­hawser serving as the tow line, and the heavily burdened TowBoatUS as its captain skillfully negotiated the circuitous channel. 

All of the boaters cooperated in offering the tow boat and its ­tethered load a wide berth—­except, that is, for one impatient boater who ignored common sense and tried to pass on the north side of the channel between a shoal and the taut hawser. 

A piercing blast of a siren and a public scolding over the loudspeaker from one of the harbor patrol officers put a halt to this ill-advised shortcut, and the chagrined captain sheepishly backed away and rejoined the procession amid the disapproving scowls of other boaters.

Giving vessels in tow a very wide berth ranks as a key tenet of prudent seamanship. By the way, a vessel in tow also refers to one that is being pushed and hauled along the side (on the hip), as well as one being pulled. Whichever the case, the two vessels are often referred to collectively as a “tug and tow” or simply as a “tow.” In these scenarios, a vessel in tow lacks power, and sometimes steering, and the towing vessel is extremely limited in its ability to maneuver or adjust speed.  

A tow is always designated as the stand-on vessel. In any encounter, you are the give-way vessel. That means granting a tow the widest berth possible, giving it room to maneuver, especially when it’s one vessel ­pulling another, which is ­arguably the most dangerous to boaters. Navigate well astern of the tow and avoid crossing the bow at close range or, heaven forbid, cutting between a towing vessel and the one behind it. This has happened, and the results are almost always tragic. 

During daylight hours, recognizing a tow usually proves easy, although with a hawser ­stretching 200 meters or more between a tug and tow, inexperienced boaters might not associate one vessel with the other until it’s too late. 

That is why a vessel engaged in towing with a line exceeding 200 meters will fly a black diamond day shape. The towed vessel or object will show a black diamond as well. A vessel towing with a line that is less than 200 meters does not need to display a day shape.

Read Next: How to Safely Tow Other Boats

After dark, recognizing one vessel pulling another grows more difficult. In this case, the towing vessel is required to exhibit two masthead lights (three lights if the tow is over 200 ­meters) in line, as well as a yellow light situated over the stern light. The towed vessel must exhibit side and stern lights. Make sure you remember this when boating at night.

Fog presents the greatest challenge in distinguishing a tow, ­particularly one vessel pulling another, but a radar with good target separation will help you see the two in relatively close ­association, a sure tipoff of a tug and tow. 

An AIS overlay on the radar or a chart plotter will identify and confirm a tow. Press on the AIS on-screen icon to call up a page that describes the vessels engaged in towing, their size, speed, course, closest point of approach, and more. This will give you information you need to give the tow a wide berth.

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