Life Jackets

[Guest]

Carry a knife.

That is good advice.

 

I have a genuine Swiss Army Mariner hanging on my waist all the time. Boy oh boy do those things keep one hell of a good sharp edge.

[drbob 0]

The report on investigation into Low Speed Chase incident say the dudes had hard time manually inflating PFDs in tumbling surf conditions and auto was better.

 

If I recall correctly also they said if tethers had been worn they wouldnt have ended up in the piss.

 

However, I think the Wingnuts report said the victims were trapped because of their tethers.

 

I guess this is a bit like the 'best camera' debate - the one you have when the sh*t goes down.

 

Reckon one of those spinlock hook knifes thingies might be the go also.

[Guest]

sent to the naughty file

[Guest]

sent to the naughty file

[Guest]

sent to the naughty file

[Guest]

sent to the naughty file

[Scotty3934 5]

Well now that the sh*t has been cleared from the thread...

Eventually brought the Spinlock Deck Vest yesterday. The tether cutter tucked into a pocket on the lifejacket is a bonus as is the indicator strips on the firing head to let you know the jacket is good to go or needs re arming. Also was stoked with the special fosters was offering. The webbing tether attachment point is also a great feature, (no more metal ring bashing around the boat while wearing the jacket). To be honest it pretty much came down to a coin toss between the Spinlock and the Kru

[Guest]

Sent to the naughty file

 

KM. person

 

 

 

KM, What piece on equipement is used for the AIS overlay if it is not the radar or chartplotter.

[Guest]

sent to the naughty file

[Guest]

The webbing tether attachment point is also a great feature, (no more metal ring bashing around the boat while wearing the jacket). To be honest it pretty much came down to a coin toss between the Spinlock and the Kru

Ha, I was on the phone chatting about that very thing as I read this post, the lack of metal buckles is a magnificent thing I really like. The dude I was chatting to was in SaS with a Spinlock in one hand and a KRU in the other. I wonder which way he'll fall?

 

3 weeks ago I spent 2 weeks crossing the Coral Sea staring at a Philips 22" computer flat screen, a LCD I think, which had the AIS info on it, also most Clint Eaastwood movies and some nice porn. The boat didn't have a radar.

[Guest]

The report on investigation into Low Speed Chase incident say the dudes had hard time manually inflating PFDs in tumbling surf conditions and auto was better.

 

If I recall correctly also they said if tethers had been worn they wouldnt have ended up in the piss.

 

However, I think the Wingnuts report said the victims were trapped because of their tethers.

 

I guess this is a bit like the 'best camera' debate - the one you have when the sh*t goes down.

 

Reckon one of those spinlock hook knifes thingies might be the go also.

 

 

What would you use a spinlock hook knife 16 drbob in relation to tethers and lifejackets.

[Guest]

The webbing tether attachment point is also a great feature, (no more metal ring bashing around the boat while wearing the jacket). To be honest it pretty much came down to a coin toss between the Spinlock and the Kru

Ha, I was on the phone chatting about that very thing as I read this post, the lack of metal buckles is a magnificent thing I really like. The dude I was chatting to was in SaS with a Spinlock in one hand and a KRU in the other. I wonder which way he'll fall?

 

3 weeks ago I spent 2 weeks crossing the Coral Sea staring at a Philips 22" computer flat screen, a LCD I think, which had the AIS info on it, also most Clint Eaastwood movies and some nice porn. The boat didn't have a radar.

It can interface with any screen you hook with AIS that is AIS friendly even cell phones.

 

 

Webbing will it hold the force generated when hit face on by a wave on the fore deck? and won't deteriate with uv rays in time and the stitching?

 

 

A good jacket the attaching point is not on the front but on the rear side on the jacket and the thickness of the jacket prevents ring bashing.

[drbob 0]

So I went to SaS and had a chat to Jonno.

 

Tried on the Kru and some Baltics and the Spinlock.

 

Went with a Kru sport pro manual because of the comfort, weight and, on consideration, auto whether by fizzy or hydrostatic didn't do it for me.

 

Good to talk with a guy who knows what he's on about.

 

Ps. Lots of customers talking about Chinese last night. Assuming not the Asian invasion, so did you have a bit of shifty wind last night?

[Guest]

Sent to the naughty file

 

KM. person

 

 

 

KM, What piece on equipement is used for the AIS overlay if it is not the radar or chartplotter.

 

 

Still have not KM

Ahh.... dude I did and what's more your quoted my reply in one of your posts. Stay with the programme there fella.

 

Look upwards a few posts to where you asked "Webbing will it hold the force generated when hit face on by a wave on the fore deck? and won't deteriate with uv rays in time and the stitching?" I'd have to say Yes to the 1st part as they are tested and approved to a standard. Part 2 would depend on how you look after it I suppose. Personally I like to look after my safety gear, as everyone should.

[Guest]

The webbing tether attachment point is also a great feature, (no more metal ring bashing around the boat while wearing the jacket). To be honest it pretty much came down to a coin toss between the Spinlock and the Kru

Ha, I was on the phone chatting about that very thing as I read this post, the lack of metal buckles is a magnificent thing I really like. The dude I was chatting to was in SaS with a Spinlock in one hand and a KRU in the other. I wonder which way he'll fall?

 

3 weeks ago I spent 2 weeks crossing the Coral Sea staring at a Philips 22" computer flat screen, a LCD I think, which had the AIS info on it, also most Clint Eaastwood movies and some nice porn. The boat didn't have a radar.

But which AIS programme was it. So you could be saying it could also appear via radar equipment and chart plotters the AIS lifejacket signal - that is. If so then you would know the signal can go over hills and pennisulars to vessels on the other side even though blocked by visual sight.

[Guest]

sent to naughty file

[rigger 47]

But which AIS programme was it. So you could be saying it could also appear via radar equipment and chart plotters the AIS lifejacket signal - that is. If so then you would know the signal can go over hills and pennisulars to vessels on the other side even though blocked by visual sight.

 

OC do you have a link to the performance specs of that AIS unit you mentioned earlier?

 

Just some info following:

 

A ship approaching boarding ground off harbour - hill in between small vessel with Class B AIS unit in the harbour - small vessel AIS data not received by the ship unit - this happens all the time with weak signals. But generally once line of sight is gained the data gets through - though I have gone pass several AIS telebeacons at various times at less than 200m and the data was not received until we were well past. They were older units.

 

Not alls signal get blocked - perhaps not that many, but I have seen enough to know that often enough signals do not get through.

 

It can take many minutes for all the data to be received.

 

 

FYI I have been working on vessels and installations that have AIS since AIS first came out so have seen vast improvements in performance of the newer versus older units - sadly many vessels are running the old units that do not perform so well - and will continue using them until sent for scrap.

Some of the older units alert function for messages received is pathetic - to point of not being noticed by the OOW until doing the weekly / monthly tests.

 

AIS is another tool that people who are using need to know how they work and the limitations / possible errors. Sadly like radar and GPS a lot of people do not know the basics.

[wheels 543]

I am also interested i seeing this device. I have never heard of any small AIS transmitting device to wear on a PFD before. A personal EPIRB would be the go for me if I wanted something on the PFD.

I also wonder how reliable the Mustang HIT PFD would be. If it activates at only 4" of water, that is not a lot and surely when on the Bow, a good bit of water up around the waste would set it off. For this reason, we have both the dissolving disc and standard manual that we interchange between us depending on what we are doing.

[rigger 47]

Wheels from having a long chat with the guy that serviced my jacket and from personel experience the Hydrostatic unit will not fire until immersed completely - shock dousing do not seem to affect them.

 

Jono - any info from the expert that might help people understand?

[Guest]

note the BIG quote in quote in qupte that was here has been de;leted for space and readiblity

But which AIS programme was it. So you could be saying it could also appear via radar equipment and chart plotters the AIS lifejacket signal - that is. If so then you would know the signal can go over hills and pennisulars to vessels on the other side even though blocked by visual sight.

This is a serious post, slightly lightened as too serious is boring but I will proffer a scenario for you which will show you why I said what I did. Hopefully it'll pass the busy Orges scan and you will see what I mean as I do genuinely think AIS isn't all you suggest it could be. If you or any one sees flaws or technical things please speak up as I certainly don't profess to know everything about it and I'm only combining my experiences with gear like that over the years with logic.

 

OK it'll go large probably but I think after the goings on that's a little OK.

 

No idea what programme, it wasn't a mission critical required knowledge but it was a rather sexy set-up I must say. Split the screen into as many little bits as you liked so you could simultaneously see Clint making some punks day while LongJohn Silver made some busty severing wenches day and all at the same time so knot a dickey bird on the AIS screen.

 

OC lets get back to my original contention about AIS on life jackets and how it could easily give a false sense of security.

 

Part one - Your post above. It does heavily suggest AIS signals can go around corners, which they can to a small degree, no argument there even though relying on a signal to do that is rather silly as often they just won't. You are arguing, in that 'discussing' sort of a manner , AIS signals will climb over then drop peninsulars and hills, which would also easily suggest it'll go around headlands, over the horizon and more, on a thread about life jackets and life jacket AIS devices. You and I both now a VHF signal will generally knot go around feck all to any large degree and if you are behind a hill someone on the other side just won't hear you.

 

Part two - Lets now look at these AIS lifejacket devices. There are a couple on the market but bugger all as they are very new. All good so far as everything is new when it's new. AIS is VHF so working on anything other than line of site is exceeding it's specifications as noted above. These devices run at 2 to 4W, less than a handheld VHF on the low power setting. These devices will be working on the sea surface and often under it...then on it.. then under it again. No problem there as that is what they do.

 

Now lets combine those two things, something you nor JP has even close to suggested nor hinted at in this thread and the bone of my Grrrrrrrrr......

 

So we have a very low power device that relies on line of site working on/under the sea surface. All good so far.

 

Now lets run thru a scenario or 2. We have a boat, lets call it 'SV Sea Spirit', it's a nice boat, a real one with mast and sails. It has a couple on board we'll call for arguments sake Phil and Sandy, nice couple, no kids sadly, they drive matching XJS Jag's in Oyster white. Lets say they left Akl, no make it warmer say left Fiji heading for Noumea. The weather is a tad crappy and lumpy but that's common so on they sail BANG Whoosshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... they smack something and down the boat goes, into the water the pair of them go. Luckily they had lifejackets on so they pulled the string and Pop they opened. Luckily they didn't have to rely on the auto jackets they had as those had gone off prematurely in all that rain last night.

 

It's OK Phil says to Sandy, we have good jackets on and a AIS device, we'll be sweet as. A day passes and they are still floating around but a tad thirsty and craving a Jelly Tip Icecream. Phil checks his AIS, yes the light is flashing so it's still going. Day 2 comes and ya hoo ship right on the horizon. Phil says to Sandra 'We are saved the AIS will lead the way'. The ship doesn't change course and disappears. Later that day another ship is sighted on the horizon, bugger same result. Sandra is getting despondent and Phil just can't work out WTF is going on. Day 3 and 2 more ships plus one yacht, none change course. Days 4, 5,6 and 7 all happen pretty much the same. Day 8 the pair get eaten by a massive White Pointer up in the Islands taking a summer break from Stewart Island. But that's OK as Phil hadn't noticed the AIS batteries had died days ago and back on the Islands the SAR had called off the search as they had just nothing left to go on.

 

So why didn't Phil and Sandra get rescued, they saw lots of boats and had AIS so just WTF went on?

 

Simple. The AIS units are low power line of site. The range would probably be 5nm assuming a good flat water day, less in waves, feck all in big waves when he unit has been going for 2 days and the batteries are failing.

 

The Coroners inquest found that while Phil and Sandra were nicely kitted up they failed to realise the AIS units had sh*t range, far less than simple eye sight so while great thing they are pretty useless unless the boat is within a mile of you in ruff weather and knot that much more in good weather .... and assuming it has AIS fitted and it's being watched at the time obviously. The Coroners final repaot said 'Had good gear but failed to realise it's limitations. They would have been better off with a personal EPIRP, a flashlight, a simple mirror or even just a old school flare.

 

Do you see where I'm coming from OC? They aren't bad and I'm sure they will get better but as a safety devise they have large limitations, very large and as I suggested earlier will be pretty useless until you are on top of a floater, which in many cases you will have eyeballed earlier anyway. Suss the other thread on AIS units using big ariels up high and high power transmit, notice how many users said they saw the other boats before the AIS did?

 

Now 4 years later and Billy Bob New Boat owner stumbles into this thread. After some WTF are these lads on about he comes to the conclusion 'Hey, a AIS isn't a bad idea as OC suggests but then as KM rightly points out it dose have some large limitations so I'm glad they both had the bitch fight and all that came out'. Billy Bob New Boat owner went on to cruz the Pacific widely and lived to the rip old age of 96 when he was found dead on the sandy beach of a deserted tropical island, whose only other inhabitant was a hot 30yo Island Princess.... who to this day deigns any knowledge of how Billy Bob New Boat owners explosive heart attack happened and why he was found with no pants on. Billy Bobs grandkids still have his AIS device and manual lifejacket................. both in mint condition and never used.