Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Marine VHF Radios; Why You Need A Free MMSI Number


Life jackets? Got 'em! Marine charts?  All on board! Ice? Check! Okay, maybe that last one shouldn’t have been on the list of ‘must have before leaving the dock’,but sadly, many boaters we come across would place that at #1 on their list.


Safety First

 
Safety while out on the water should be of paramount concern for all boaters so why not take advantage of the tools that are available right at our fingertips? The correct use of your VHF radio can help keep you in contact with surrounding boaters, stay aware of weather updates, and even receive safety updates from the Coast Guard. Apart from those benefits, did you also know that there is a built in device that can potentially save your life?

VHF radio
Fixed mount VHF Radio


Pretty much every VHF marine radio built in the past number of years comes equipped with Digital Selective Calling (DSC) capability. Some of the features that one can employ include direct calling an individual station (ie; a specific boat), locating their exact position or even transmitting your own. Best part is that this can all be done with a simple push of a button. But before one can do any of that, the radio will require an individual Maritime Marine Service Identity (MMSI) number. Connecting the radio to a GPS can add an even greater level of safety, but more on that further down.


Understanding MMSI


To be most effective, your radio should be unique in the sea of radio traffic that is out there today and that’s where an MMSI number comes into play. Think of it as a phone number for your radio. This number is physically entered into the radio, making it uniquely identifiable from every other one. Keep in mind that if one has more than one VHF radio aboard, each of those individual radios should use the same MMSI number. The reasoning for this is that the number is associated with a specific vessel, not to the radio itself.
Information that is included in a new registration would include the vessel name, owner’s name & contact info along with gross tonnage/ length of the boat. In an emergency situation, this information can be used to identify a given vessel and contact the registered owner or their family. If one is involved in a perilous event such as fire, man overboard or taking on water, being able to send that information with one button would free up those on board to focus on the emergency at hand. This can be done without having to speak directly with outsiders. That is possible by activating the ‘panic button’ on every DSC equipped radio. NOTE: Never push that button outside of an emergency, as it will immediately broadcast an emergency signal to all those in radio range. There is no test function for that feature, so do not let anyone play with it!


Obtaining Your Number


Getting your own MMSI number is a free and easy procedure. In Canada, applications for  recreational boaters, with a non-licensed VHF radio, are available through the Industry Canada web site. American boaters who remain in U.S. waters can obtain their numbers through a number of outlets, including Boat US, Sea Tow and the U.S. Power Squadron.


Advanced Features


Interconnecting a Global Positioning System (GPS) interface allows one even more capabilities, as well as adding another layer of safety. Today, many manufacturers offer VHF radio models that have a built in GPS. If yours doesn’t have this feature, you can connect your own GPS unit (chartplotter, for example) to the radio. Just check the specs on each respective piece of equipment to see which wires plumb together.
Some hand held units, such as our Standard Horizon model, are MMSI capable. The newest *Standard Horizon HX890 model can be found on Amazon.

hand held VHF
Hand-held, MMSI  capable VHF radio

With both units working together, users can send their position to other similarly equipped vessels, and even ask for a ‘position request’ from a buddy out on the water. More importantly, if one were to ever find themselves having to broadcast a mayday call, the exact position of the vessel would not only be sent to relevant authorities, but to other boats in radio range would automatically get that same position info which would pop right up on their GPS plotter! Imagine the beneficial impact upon a rescue operation; resources could be immediately dispatched to the scene, as well as rebroadcast via the Coast Guard, all without the confusion that may result in a panicky situation.

GPS chartplotter with MMSI info
Charplotter displaying MMSI location information.

Things To Remember


There are a few things to keep in mind when setting up your radio(s). Most manufacturers only allow the end user one or two attempts when entering the 9 digit MMSI code. If you mess up, the radio will have to be returned to the manufacturer to have the codes wiped clear before attempting to enter it again. Same is true if you sell your boat/radio. When selling, it would be a good idea to have your MMSI number removed from any equipment before the new owner takes possession. Remember, the number is specific to YOUR vessel and should not be passed on to new owners. Of course, you could just transfer the radio from your old boat to the new one. . .
For American boaters who plan on transiting beyond U.S. waters (Canada/Mexico/Bahamas, etc.), MMSI numbers must be registered directly with the United States Federal Communication Commission (FCC). As well, a Ship’s Station License may be required for navigators other than pleasure boaters.
Keep in mind that, even if connected to a GPS (which gets its signal via a satellite network), all communications are handled through the radio frequencies of the VHF. Some folks get confused on this point and assume that a ‘position send’ and ‘position request’ are transmitted through space. All attempted communications must happen within radio range.


Here’s a video I produced a few years ago to help show a little bit more regarding MMSI;


 


Bottom Line Benefits


With life saving potential over and above all the gee-whiz factors, I cannot imagine why any boater would not pursue setting up their own MMSI registration. In my mind, this has got to be one of the best pieces of safety equipment one could have on their boat. Best of all, it’s completely free.

* Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

:-)

Saturday, November 5, 2022

End of Season Haulout, Remembering Friends

  The end of our boating season always seems to come too quickly and this year was no different, made poignant with the loss of old friends.

 As most of you know, it was a bit of a whirlwind for us when we searched for, purchased and ultimately brought our new-to-us Sea Ray 370 Sundancer back at the beginning of this year. Given all the literal running around - sometimes between two countries - plus all the upgrades I worked on throughout May and June and it's no wonder time flew by so quickly.

 All that aside, it was an adventure and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to do it, but it's still hard to put the boat away for the winter. But as the old saying goes "There's always next year". Hopefully so.

 Irrespective of my ever growing list of small(ish) projects I am looking at for the Spring, we're going to make sure to spend as much time aboard in 2023. Having very recently lost a couple of good friends from our earlier boating days, it once again brings home how incredibly precious our days on the water are. Going forward, I'll do my best to dedicate new memories to our old friends who sadly will only be with us in spirit.

 Don't worry, I'll be sure to hoist a drink in their honour. Making the most of our time. . .

 As for myself, it was been a long three months of pondering my next moves on various social media platforms. This past summer brought an incredible number of folks who were eager to approach us during our extended cruise as they "Just wanted say Hi". There's no problem with that and I've always appreciated the positive feedback and well wishes, but this year it became was somewhat overwhelming at times, with sometimes three, four, five or more (!!) folks approaching us at a marina or at a lock on any given day. Again, I always appreciate hearing how much the videos and boating tips are enjoyed, and I am grateful that so many continue to be inspired by my ramblings.

 Keeping in mind that if you see us out on the water, we are there on OUR days off. Despite the perception that some have that we are on the boat 24/7, non stop, I actually do have a job and work full time, making OUR time aboard and relaxing very precious. Hopefully in the future we can look forward to just a simple smile and wave when out on OUR cruising days. . .?

 With that in mind, I've decided to stay off of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the foreseeable future with my efforts mostly concentrated to YouTube. This Blog will be more of filling in the blanks kind of affair, so to speak. Each time I review the video clips I captured, I get to thinking that I wish I had included more boring details ;-) With lots on my mind when it comes to boating, this Blog should help me to share more fun, projects as well as other insights from our boating life. 

 That all said, let's get to the latest - and long awaited - video, taken during our end-of-season haul out;


:-)




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Friday, October 21, 2022

Boat Safety Grab Handles - Easy Install

 One of the features we were looking for when up-sizing to our 1998 Sea Ray 370 Sundancer was the higher radar arch so that I could stand up comfortably at the helm. This model ticked that box nicely and I'm very happy with how it feels, but that extra height presented an issue that we hadn't considered - safely climbing onto the side decks when underway.

 As this first photo shows, there were a couple of factory installed grab rails on both port and starboard sides of the boat. The one mounted to the side glass adds security when walking alongside, and the larger one on the radar arch is very handy. However, as we travel through many locks each season - we did that 100 times in the 2022 boating season - we felt that climbing in and out of the boat when it is moving would be made much more comfortable by adding another grab rail to the inside of the radar arch. 

Factory installed grab rail on radar arch.

 A somewhat of an easy fix, as we ordered a pair of 16" stainless steel grab rails (*paid link) off of Amazon. They came with studs already installed, as well as nuts for fastening.

New 16" grab rail.

 First step to install was to mark where I wanted them mounted. The two important considerations here were having it placed where it would be most comfortable to reach, as well as access to the inside of the arch so that I could put the nuts on the studs.

Using tape to mark the mounting holes.

  Once I had that figured out, it was time to once gain drill holes in my boat ;-) Note the speaker has been removed to access the hollow part of the radar arch.

Just start drilling!
 

 When drilling into the boat's gelcoat, it's always a good idea to countersink the hole to avoid surface cracks. This is especially true when installing wood screws into the fibreglass.

Countersink the holes in the gelcoat.
 

  Tada! Looks good. The most difficult part of this job was reaching the underside through the radar arch. Ours is only about 2-3" wide on the inside and working in a contorted way was a bit of a struggle.

Looking good!

  Testing out the systems ;-) As this project was done prior to our summer cruise, we had lots of time to test it while underway and I'm happy to say that it worked out perfectly.

Safety first. . .

 An extra benefit of this location was that we could coil up the aft dock line while it wasn't in use. Perfect! 

Dock line storage.

 As this kit came as a pair, I had intended to install the second grab rail on the starboard side of the radar arch. However, the hollow part of the arch on that side is considerably tighter, with virtually no access to where the uppermost stud/nut would be located, so I didn't install that one yet. 

 My current workaround idea might be to epoxy that top one in place, only using the lower stud with the provided nut. I'm thinking that the lower one would take most of the stress anyway, so the epoxy on the top stud should work fine . . .? I'll let you know how that works out when the time comes.

* Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Monday, October 17, 2022

Emergency Engine Hatch Opening - Sea Ray Sundancer

  A number of years ago, a friend/fellow boater had to do some quick repairs in his boat's engine room that required him to be down there with the engine hatch closed. His First Mate stayed above decks, waiting for him to call her to have the hatch opened again. While waiting, she asked herself what would have happened if the electrically operated hatch lift failed while hubby was down there?

 Fortunately for them, there was no issue when it came time to operate the lift, with a simple push of a button at the helm once again magically lifting the hatch. All good.

 Of course, that conversation led to the realization that a back-up plan would be prudent. In case the electrical system failed, or if there wasn't enough power in the batteries to allow the system to function, some sort of manual operation would have to suffice. Happily, most (if not all) boat manufacturers have figured out a workaround for just such a scenario.

 When we originally got our 1998 Sea Ray 330 Sundancer, I investigated to see how I - or potentially one of my rescuers - would perform this function in case of a loss of power.

 On that model, there was a screw out inspection plate (*paid link) on the engine hatch that simply unscrewed if needed. That allows one to both look into the engine room, and more importantly, reach below to access a manual release.


Open-able plate to access the engine room.

 Here's a closer look at the plate, removed for access.


 So, how does one open the hatch? Pictured below is a look at the ram that operates the power lift. The green arrow is pointing at a removable clevis pin (*paid link). By reaching through the removable plate, that pin can be easily pulled out of the ram. Once that has been removed, the entire hatch can be lifted up (on its hinges).

Removable Clevis Pin 

 The only word of caution I'd mention is that the hatch on this boat was quite heavy, so an extra pair of hands might come in handy when lifting. Of course, be very careful if you have to perform this function, as dropping that thing on hands or feet would definitely result in injuries - and that's the last thing any of us wants when enjoying time on the boat...

 * Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.