💡 Idea 💡

hi Riley, i'm using MarineTraffic, it tracks all AIS signals. it's available on IOS from the App store. the charts require a suscription though.

RIley, Navionics is best digital charting app i know for on your mobile but also in your navigation computer on board by downloafing in card ssd. Navionics have now launched with AIS intergration, Garmin took ober this company and it is exellent!! Dear Customer, Navionics has lately developed new features in your Boating app  — like AIS — to increase your situational awareness and a helpful one-tap button to quickly mark your GPS location while on the water. AIS in the Boating app This new Boating app feature allows you to display vessels and navigational aids around you, overlaid on your charts in real-time, giving you better situational awareness especially during low visibility or in heavy traffic areas. No internet connection is needed. Automatically connect the Boating app to a compatible WI-FI AIS receiver or add it manually to the app to display Aids-to-Navigation (ATON) and Class A & B targets on the map. AIS feature is included in the Boating app one

I dunno, Riley. During the coastal cruising I have done in the Gulf, cell tower coverage is very spotty, so I don't think you could have a reliable solution in most locations. I would be very unwilling to trust any cellphone app-based solution. I trust but verify my integrated AIS solution with B&G and phone apps I use now. Do you have a better feel for how much of the time you have cell service on La Vaga and whether you would trust a system that depended on it?

What's wrong with marinetraffic.com...an iphone app?

Not sure about an app, but I bet you could get some attention with B&G about a low cost AIS tranceiver or an extended use of DSC functionality. It may require a new standard, but a device with limited data for recreational boats that only transmitted at low wattage, like 2.5watts (reduces functional distance, but also clutter for commercial AIS users) The investment benefit is on the hardware side. This would also integrate into existing NMEA protocols with moderate ease.

Marine Traffic app is currently available.

Navionics has lately developed new features in your Boating app — like AIS — to increase your situational awareness and a helpful one-tap button to quickly mark your GPS location while on the water. AIS in the Boating app This new Boating app feature allows you to display vessels and navigational aids around you, overlaid on your charts in real-time, giving you better situational awareness especially during low visibility or in heavy traffic areas. No internet connection is needed. Automatically connect the Boating app to a compatible WI-FI AIS receiver or add it manually to the app to display Aids-to-Navigation (ATON) and Class A & B targets on the map. AIS feature is included in the Boating app one-year subscription. Learn more

On the same day I see your great idea I receive an email from Navionics

Hi Riley

Marine traffic app, free for in accurate version. Small payment is almost life. Green is containerships, red oil tankers. Purple is for Yachts. I looked up La Vagabonde and we see you are not updating your system voyage details😀

Marine Traffic App

Whatever you do, make it completely waterproof...(as iPhones are not) if you lose your kayak and you’re floating around with a cell phone chances are it’s dead in the water, right? I guess you could stow it in a dry bag...if you trust that sorta thing on the daily...

I don't know much about it but i seems possible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEWg3Getk6o

Riley, see https://pocketmariner.com/mobile-navigation-ship-tracking-apps/, here is one of their iOS app, https://apps.apple.com/app/boat-beacon-ais-marine-navigation/id494877039, and the same app for Android, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.electricpocket.boatbeacon&feature=search_result/.

Please let me know when you come up with something simple! I would like to see something like 'square mobile pay' that attaches to cell phone but it's for AIS. Need simple..no going up mast or drilling hole in boat.

Hi everyone, I’m probably going to state the obvious here but following the anchor / moring bouy discussion in the last EP I’ll say it! Sending out a signal on where you are also requires a receiver to pick up that signal and take evasive action. If they aren’t looking it will still not solve the problem

@Riley great idea. Navionics has in fact already done this. https://www.navionics.com/usa/blog/post/ais-in-the-boating-app

Actually there are concepts on this already being explored, also by the open source community. I am doing some trial and error and testing on this, for example with signalk (open source) trying to bridge between nmea and IP and ‘cloud’. I Guess I can prototype this in a week. And actually have time available for such projects.

Mike Faul is going to look into this for us guys. He works in Silicon Valley. I’ll keep you posted but apparently it’s a good idea!!!

Website: https://www2.vespermarine.com/

We have a Vesper XB-8000 which is a black box AIS transponder. It puts all AIS targets on your chartplotter, is a boat wide wifi, a NMEA Gateway (2000 and 0183) and communicates with phones and tablets using an app called WatchMate. Works great.

Boat Beacon 4+ AIS Marine Navigation Pocket Mariner Ltd

Two use cases here: 1. You are in a kayak like Riely says in his example.. you have to assume that person is within cell phone range or they are on an island somewhere. So this use case your phone is usable and in turn has an internet signal. At which point the apps listed (OnCourse will simulate the AIS signal and be available for apps like MarineTraffic) but is not really broadcasting and AIS signal. Cells can't do that. 2, Which leads to use case 2 .. you are in the open ocean. No cell service. No way to avoid a "widget" for case #2. It can be a small cigarette box size thing and could even run on battery.. but would also need a VHF antenna... you have to assume anyone offshore would have an AIS properly anyway.. so maybe that is out... But for case #1 it is still relevant to have the AIS signal broadcasted since the supertanker captain isn't messing with apps on his phone.. (hopefully) So you would need the internet-connected phone to go to a regional land location and broadcast the coords of the kayak so it will show for the supertanker captain. This implies a physical presence in many sailing communities. I personally think that Boat US and SeaTow type companies could provide this service simply. Also anyone that would want to put a widget on their boat that is connected to the internet as a sort of relay. This is doable.. but would require a community and very cheap hardware.. I think I could make one but the costs might get over what a normal VHF would be...

You might need some sort of dongle with the app. Transmitting your data to others from a self contained unit ie a phone is where the problem is going to be. One thing I would note is the increasing integration of AIS into vhf’s if you could get a handheld with AIS yes it would cost money but probably less than $600 and also allows you to communicate.

Riley -spent 25 years as an engineer here in SIlicon Valley. Would love to work with you on this and if I can't do it, then I know the people that can. All of the AIS apps on the market today rely on connectivity to the internet to work. One or two connect to your AIS via WiFi/Bluetooth on your vessel but are only useful while you are on the boat. None are true AIS apps that operate independently. I'll drop you an email shortly.

it is for Lenny. dont think about Money there is only one Lenny.

I use MarineTraffic on my phone/iPad. There is also the free version ShipFinder. But, I can rarely locate La Vagabonde. Maybe that is because of the lightning strike.

Hi Riley. I use an app called OnCourse which essentially turns your smart phone into an AIS transmitter (of sorts). It provides you with an MMSI number to identify your vessel to others and is free. It seems to work well for my small roundabout whilst along the Coast, but I suspect would be useless where cellular coverage does not exist. Have a gander at the app. Cheers.

I'm with Riley on this one. All the current apps require either cellular or wifi signal which is not reliable at sea. The traffic also needs to be withing range of land based AIS towers.

If you Need a Person Radio device you can juse „ Eprib“ there you can make a Personnel Registration Not only a Boat one. To carry, mcmurdo smartfind S10. AIS Notfallsender.

Marine Traffic on your phone will be the thing for you, I Think👍🏻😉 As long a

Hello! I am finalizing an app made for the boating and sailing community. I would love to collaborate with you and hear your thoughts (wouldn’t mind sharing some of our profit for your thoughts to help with you app!). I could share the plethora of experience gained using an app building company.

Think boat beacon does this... It shows all the Ais Traffic but you can also add yourself via wifi... you'll show to other users on the app but not on AIS

I use the VesselFinder app. Works well.

And even if you were close enough in to have mobile signal, Marine Traffic (or similar) would only give you information from other vessels. You wouldn't, of course, be transmitting AIS data yourself.

Agree Marine Traffic is the app. SLV is already on it!

In fact Navionics just added AIS support for their Mobile app via WiFI NMEA bridge.

I mean instead of buying the 600$ unit we just use an app. Then some kid who is paddling a canoe won’t get run over by a cruise ship.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/mobile-apps

The App to find AIS Signals is Marine Traffic.

The marine traffic app does what you’re looking for I believe. It’s an AIS tracking app. It does cost $4.99 on the iOS platform. It would be nice if there was a free one out there but someone has to get paid for developing the software.

Very cool. U might need to do a video on the idea and what AIS is to help “sell” the idea to others.

Hello Riley, the AIS Signal is just for the Boat. Not for a Person. So if you can‘t Backpacke the Vagabonde it dosent work.

New version of Navionics has AIS added. You just need to add a wifi repeater on your instrument network if you don't already have one.

It would be great... but if you're offshore you probably won't have any mobile signal, so it wouldn't work? I find AIS particularly useful crossing the English Channel - and the shipping lanes are too far offshore for mobile signal.

There are AIS apps that can use a NMEA WiFI repeater. When you make it to Annapolis, look up the Yacht Devices booth. https://yachtdevicesus.com

I like where your brain is at but you would need the internet/data to make it work........not always available when you need it?

Riles do you mean have your phone become the transmitter or use your phone to track marine traffic?

Aye aye captain, I'm on it.

What is AIS??

yes, just download the marine traffic app, and it will show the track if you leave your transmitter on.