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View Full Version : The never-ending strobe discussion



AlanH
02-12-2009, 06:14 PM
I'm a big believer in strobes on the boat at night. That's just me, OK? Not everybody likes them, but I sure do. OK, SHTP rules say you gotta have one at the masthead, but how about a backup?

I'm glad I had a backup since my masthead strobe quit the first night. In fact I had three backups, but that's another story.

You can get strobes off of ebay that are about the size of a hockey puck, for about $10. I mounted one of these to a cheap "L-bracket" from the hardware store and then duct-taped the bracket to a piece of white PVC pipe that was about 2 feet long. This contraption was slung from the backstay (had a cleat on there) or stuck into the spare spinnaker pole ring on the mast track.

The wires go to a 6 volt lantern battery. Yes, the strobes are supposed to work on 12 volts, but considering how the strobe and capacitor inside it work, 6 volts was just fine. It just doesn't blink quite as often on 6 volts as it does on 12, but the flashes are just as bright. The thing is, that lantern battery will drive that strobe for a flippin MONTH, I think. Anyway, I used duct tape to make a little sling for the battery, and slung battery and strobe from the backstay....worked great. I also sometimes put the battery in a plastic bag and just left it on deck while the strobe was up on the mast in the spinnaker pole fitting.

Upshot is....carry a couple of those strobes and a couple of those lantern batteries, and you can light up the boat at night and be visible (if not strictly legal since you wouldn't have proper running lights) for days upon days in case of total boat electronic system meltdown. You might be able to set up two of those batteries in parallel and drive your nifty LED nav lights, for a night or two, too...

I personally won't use a strobe inside the Farallones, but that's just me. A flashing strobe has no defined meaning outside the line between Pt. Bonita and Mile Rock. Inside the Bay is a different story.

BobJ
02-12-2009, 06:58 PM
Since I'm here already . . .

I'm really not a fan of strobes. I met the requirement by lashing a FireFly to a pigstick (using a thin Spectra masthead halyard) and have never hoisted it. But Mark (Alchera) gave me a scenario that made a lot of sense:

Alchera: "Can you see me?"

ShipAtNight: "No."

(Alchera turns on masthead strobe.)

Alchera: "Now can you see me?"

ShipAtNight: "Oh, there you are."


So I'm rethinking this one. I still don't think I'd just leave it on.

AlanH
02-12-2009, 09:43 PM
It's funny, part of my memories of all my offshore races have been long nights punctuated by that flash-flash-flash. I wouldn't know what to think if I didn't see that!

One thing for sure, make sure you get your backup strobe (if you have one) reasonably high up on the boat. You really don't want it at lifelines level or you'll have no night vision at all. Basically, the higher, the better, both from a night vision and "being seen" standpoint.

What sold me on strobes....I've written this story so many times....was my 1995 LongPac. I was a couple of hours away from the turnaround. I was getting up and looking around every 20 - 25 minutes, and there...

oh, maybe..Ooohhh.. is it? Is that a green nav light? Uummm...Oh, yeah OK, yes it is, I guess...wait...No, it is, it is. I have company out here!

About an hour later a boat came by with a Masthead strobe... WHAM _WHAM..you couldn't miss him no matter what.

I was sold.

But that's just me.

brianb
02-18-2009, 10:50 PM
The newer VHF's transmit position data on key down. For offshore single handing I was considering tweaking my VHF so that it transmits say every 5 minutes at 5 watts on channel 13. The notion being that ships at sea would hear the short burst and, assuming they have the gear, be able to see the location of the vessel. Or at least be annoyed enough to look around for a vessel that is breaking their squelch.

Probably turn this on well beyond land so to not disturb those vessels in a dense shipping area.

COmments ?

Brian

BobJ
02-19-2009, 12:07 AM
Where does the position information appear to them - on their VHF's digital display?

Also, I think in the ocean I'd rather have it transmit on Ch. 16. Are ships required to monitor Ch. 13 offshore, like they do inside the ColRegs line?

This reminds me that I never routed the extra GPS output wire to my VHF. It has DCS capability but I never hooked it up.

Alchera
02-19-2009, 02:03 PM
The newer VHF's transmit position data on key down. For offshore single handing I was considering tweaking my VHF so that it transmits say every 5 minutes at 5 watts on channel 13. The notion being that ships at sea would hear the short burst and, assuming they have the gear, be able to see the location of the vessel. Or at least be annoyed enough to look around for a vessel that is breaking their squelch.

Probably turn this on well beyond land so to not disturb those vessels in a dense shipping area.

COmments ?

Brian

There's probably an FCC regulation against automatically broadcasting like that. If there isn't, there should be. Can you imagine vessels trying to communicate on Ch13 and having to put up with your signal walking on the top of them every 5 minutes?

Plus, I really doubt that anyone is going to investigate your channel noise to figure out that it's your boat at a certain position.

- Mark/Alchera

brianb
02-19-2009, 09:21 PM
I agree, could be against the rules and I am trying to check that out. Certainly not something to do in a crowded area. Radar transponders are also illegal in U.S. waters (unless that changed very recently) but a really good idea for a single hander asleep.

As I recall ships are required to monitor 13 and 16. Regulation: 13 156.650 156.650 Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge). Ships >20m length maintain a listening watch on this channel in US waters.



There's probably an FCC regulation against automatically broadcasting like that. If there isn't, there should be. Can you imagine vessels trying to communicate on Ch13 and having to put up with your signal walking on the top of them every 5 minutes?

Plus, I really doubt that anyone is going to investigate your channel noise to figure out that it's your boat at a certain position.

- Mark/Alchera

Alchera
02-20-2009, 09:46 AM
Radar transponders are also illegal in U.S. waters (unless that changed very recently) but a really good idea for a single hander asleep.


I don't think radar transponders are illegal - the 'Sea-me' active radar transponder has been around for awhile and as far as I know there is no prohibition against using them in the US.

But given the choice, I would just go ahead and buy a class B AIS receiver/transmitter as the best solution to be seen by large ships now that they are available in the US. That way not only do they know you're out there, but also your heading, speed, boat name, and whether there's a danger of collision. As many of us have discovered, large ships don't always run their radar and even when they do, conditions may prevent them from seeing you. However, they are required to run their AIS all the time.

Mark/Alchera

brianb
04-05-2009, 08:30 PM
I agree, could be against the rules and I am trying to check that out. Certainly not something to do in a crowded area. Radar transponders are also illegal in U.S. waters (unless that changed very recently) but a really good idea for a single hander asleep.

As I recall ships are required to monitor 13 and 16. Regulation: 13 156.650 156.650 Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge). Ships >20m length maintain a listening watch on this channel in US waters.



Ships requirements:

80.1123 Watch requirements for ship stations.

(a) While at sea, all ships must maintain a continuous watch:

(1) On VHF DSC channel 70, if the ship is fitted with a VHF radio
installation in accordance with § 80.1085(a)(2);

(2) On the distress and safety DSC frequency 2187.5 kHz, if the ship is
fitted with an MF radio installation in accordance with
§ § 80.1089(a)(2) or 80.1091(a)(3);

(3) On the distress and safety DSC frequencies 2187.5 kHz and 8414.5
kHz also on at least one of the distress and safety DSC frequencies
4207.5 kHz, 6312 kHz, 12577 kHz, or 16804.5 kHz appropriate to the time
of day and the geographical position of the ship, if the ship is fitted
with an MF/HF radio installation in accordance with
§ § 80.1091(a)(2)(ii) or 80.1093(a) of this part (this watch may be
kept by means of a scanning receiver limited to six distress and safety
DSC frequencies); and

(4) For satellite shore-to-ship distress alert, if the ship is fitted
with an INMARSAT ship earth station in accordance with § 80.1091(a)(1).

(b) While at sea, all ships must maintain radio watches for broadcasts
of maritime safety information on the appropriate frequency or
frequencies on which such information is broadcast for the area in
which the ship is navigating.

(c) Every ship while at sea must maintain, when practicable, a
continuous listening watch on VHF Channel 16. This watch must be kept
at the position from which the ship is normally navigated or at a
position which is continuously manned.

(d) On receipt of a distress alert transmitted by use of digital
selective calling techniques, ship stations must set watch on the
radiotelephone distress and safety traffic frequency associated with
the distress and safety calling frequency on which the distress alert
was received.

(e) Ship stations with narrow-band direct printing equipment must set
watch on the narrow-band direct-printing frequency associated with the
distress alert signal if it indicates that narrow-band direct-printing
is to be used for subsequent distress communications. If practicable,
they should additionally set watch on the radiotelephone frequency