Loose containers at sea - SCARY

More people are injured every year by fish jumping into boats(Kamikase fish?) than from hitting cargo containers. I would think deadheads cause more hull damage as well.

 

It is not the brand Manie,
it is just not possible to get a clear crisp picture of small targets and a sufficient solution with a small radom and a cheap display and blackbox.
Those toys are ok at night or in heavy fog, to see where is the coastline, or a big target, thats it.
Fishermen worldwide use the better stuff to have a better catch, they watch out for birds by Radar! Where the birds, there´s the fish. That is´nt possible with the average 5000$ toy!

Fanie,

I´m not scared to death, but the possibility to run into a floating container is real. Many circumnavigators report they ran into sleeping whales. But almost half of them are not sure if it really was a whale!?

Of course when you sit at anchorage like Frosty, or do just weekend trips, like 99% of the sailing community, it is much unlikely you will ever see or hit a container (whales neither).

But on passages I would like to be prepared, by a strong boat and by a first class Radar. (that has only one Name btw. Furuno)

Regards
Richard

 

1 and 1.5 Kw radars that I have bought at boat shows because I dont want go home without buying anything have been a total waste of money.

A had a Furuno 1720 years ago and that was quite good . I could see the Sampans ( water taxis) travelling around Aberdeen harbour.

The small raydome models Ratheon Apelco was absalute crap and was the one that I had more fun with the box it came in.

The third which I really didnt want but was talked into it by a slimy salesman in a suit that talked posh was a small Furuno. I was assured that "radars have come a long way since then sir" So because I could claim back VAT at the airport (more lies) I bought it.

That was the final nail in the coffin, cheap radars are absalute crap.

And before you ask yes I did know how to set it up, I spent hours trying to tune the last peep out of it.

I mean it kinda worked, I could recognize the harbour wall for instance that was 200yds away.

I dont need a radar any more more as I dont sail at night at 20kts and yes I spend most of my time at the dock (thanks Apex) but that does not mean I hav'nt had my sea time with these worries.

I don't get my information from Practical boat owner, but from real single handed looking into the eyes of death kinda sailing, and to be honest Ive had enough of it.

 

Frosty, I read what I said in earlier post and it made perfect sence.
In Alaska, where there are, by far, more airplanes per capita than anywhere else, there are bound to be some flying around when they shouldn't. Sometimes these guys make a passage and the fog closes in on them, then they fly close to the water to keep oriented and become a threat to mariners.
They make a good RADAR return but imagine seeing something on your screen for the first time a couple of miles away, plot it, look again and collision is imminent (or so you think). This has happened to me numerous times as I am sometimes in a congested area between multiple over-water air routes. Get a little jumpy from this, then have a bird do the same thing and I defy you to not pucker for, at least, an instant.
As far as odds, I saw one of these when I was a kid off Washington State and perhaps a dozen in Alaska since 1980. Lost cargo is a fact of life in winter Alaska - most of these trailers are taken home and used as storage sheds by someone but some slip by and end up in the world's oceans waiting to sink a sailboater, rare but real danger - always keep a watch and run slower in reduced visability.
















Need I go on? (sorry, there's one from my personal **** collection - it was listed under "shipwrecks". Don't look if you are offended by such things)

Hoyt, I once hit a 60cm probably 15m deadhead and it felt and sounded horrible but with no apparent signs of damage (I guessed the length by the fact that after I hit it, it took a full ten seconds to start rising up behind me and rose a full four meters out of the water - only to slip back below the waves for the next guy). I don't think production boats would survive this. A container full of water is a nearly immovable object. I will assume FRP hull failure if I ever hit one at speed. I tried to tow one with my little boat 27 miles. Afraid it would lose an air bubble and sink, I gently towed it negative two miles and gave up.



A few more... That one being salvaged is just how they look in Cook Inlet (silty) water.

 

I can see those shoes are going to kick the crap out of your boat if you speed through them They fell out of their boxes that's for sure.

The only thing I see that I don't want to encounter while sailing beside the ships is that yellow tipper truck left in the center picture.

I just wiped my whole **** collection, had mine under 'Natural Disasters' though. Pity, we could have swapped some

I looked at a container at a customers a couple of days ago. That is one big and heavy piece of iron. For it to float it will have to have floatation material inside. So what I'm saying is that even if all the containers are dunked now, very few of them may (remotely) stay afloat.

Imo you have a better chance of getting hit by lightning. Besides in SA it is law that anything at sea must have a floatation certificate, so I think you can rule containers out.


That damages aboard ships can occur is possible, I can understand that. Show me a picture of a floating container, or, who has encountered a floater ?

 

Much of Alaska's produce comes by container. Refrigerated containers float.

 

Durban to Richardsbay
100 nm
against a 4 kn current
very busy shipping lanes
rather lousy sea
its definately an overnighter

i know i am stark raving mad, at best a lunatic
BUT i am not that stoooopid
never will i do it without radar and ais

 

You do´nt need AIS Manie! That is a nice addition, but not a real "must have". Save that money for a better Radar!
IF AIS, then a active one, to be seen by the commercial fleet at least. But thats $$$ again.

Frosty
I was sure you did manage the proper setup, no doubt. And the ability to adjust the apparatus is also not rocket science.
But it just takes a few years (YEARS) of daily routine to read a radar picture and tune it the right way.

Regards
Richard

 

just to get some kind of pricing structure going here

this system complete in Raymarine

http://www.simrad-yachting.com/Products/Suggested-Systems/Sailboats-0-35-ft/

will cost me approx. US$ 10 000 in South Africa (ZAR 70 000 from Texwise)

i have put enquiries to the Simrad agent and will see what they come up with

if you guys guess what do you think Furuno (and all the others) would cost

 

Have no clue Manie about SA prices, but lookup Furunousa to find the prices there.
The Simrad broadband (my recommendation for you) is below 5000$ in EU. And it is apart from having the best resolution of every non commercial equipment, a energy saver!

Regards
Richard

 

apex 1,

May i know the criteriae you retained to recommend this Simrad Broadband model to Manie?
Thanks.

 

Simrad "broadband" radar (actually FMCW - frequency modulated continuous wave) is a rather different technology from conventional pulse radar.
Theoretically, it should have much better target definition and noise rejection qualities at close ranges. Also theoretically, it should perform much poorer than pulse radar at long ranges. (The thing's total transmit power is less than that of a handheld cellphone.)
I haven't seen one in action yet, but from what I've heard, they're quite impressive out to a few miles, being able to pick out 6" dia. spar buoys at 50 feet, identifying individual dinghies within a racing fleet a mile away, things like that. The people who have bought them and written about them, so far, don't seem as impressed by the performance beyond four miles or so. Still, if I had the need and the money for a radar, this technology is what I'd want to fit....

 

Both is true in reality too.

Of course that cannot replace a proper pulse Radar for long range detection. But on a small boat one has a real good alternative. I doubt a 2119 with a 6,5´ antenna fits on Manies boat.

sure, thats no secret.
First the high resolution, high noise suppression, then the very low power consumption. Below 25.000$ you will not find a better Radar picture at low range. That makes it my first choice for small boats. (and even on my 30m boat I like to have one, as a third unit though)
Perfect watchkeeper on small sailboats btw! Nearly now power consumption, and running all night on alarm mode. That sounds sensible.

Regards
Richard

 

Thanks marshmat for the explanation and recommendation.

Motoring @ 12 kt, 4 nm gives you twenty minutes warning before contact with a static object.

Way better than nothing!

 

Richard,

Simrad "broadband" radar:
How long have they been on the market, meaning how dependable are they?