AIS - a must for the future?

[sahona]

I see in the RYA mag, they have installed a virtual buoy in Belfast Lough. It marks a sand pinnacle which it seems, is difficult to buoy in the normal way. It is simply an AIS transmission pretending to be in the position in question, sent from a nearby land station.
Great idea in this case, as the only affected vessels are the big commercials who all must have ais.
BUT - what if the bean-counters decide to do away with all the costly high-maintenance hardware and make ALL buoys virtual -as I'm quite sure they would love to do...
Imagine a world where you could put in a waypoint of a buoy without the fear of crashing into it - that's a plus.
Now imagine threading your way up a narrow channel unaware that your batteries are about to give up the ghost.. that's more of a bum-clencher.
Googling gives this http://www.vespermarine.com/virtual-bea ... acon.html/ and this http://gcaptain.com/uscg-ais-aton-navigation/ amongst other things, so it seems the real argument for fitting AIS is already here. Forget whether you are in a dense shipping area or not, it's the plots that don't move you could be interested in.

[claymore]

William,
As ever, your erudite comments put so succinctly in such a thought provoking style leave me questioning my capacity for rational and strategic thought.

[sahona]

Want to know how I feel about the refrendim?

[Nick]

Want to know how I feel about the refrendim?

No

[claymore]

Want to know how I feel about the refrendim?

Yes

[Nick]

Want to know how I feel about the refrendim?

Mebbes

[claymore]

Serpently