Through the years AIS has proven to be one of the most significant improvements in navigation safety since the launching of radar, depth sounders and GPS. Required on board almost all commercial vessels and used by a significant number of smaller sea crafts since 2003, Automatic Identification Systems are now readily accessible for recreational boaters.

Garmin Rino 120 GPS Receiver    US $125.00

Magellan Roadmate 1212 Automotive GPS Receiver    US $51.00

Navigon 2000S GPS Receiver    US $21.71

Magellan Maestro 3225 Automotive GPS Receiver    US $13.01

SiRF Star III Bluetooth GPS Receiver BT 338    US $12.00

AIS is a coordinated navigation safety scheme developed primarily as a collision prevention apparatus enabling commercial vessels as well as other sea crafts to “see” each other electronically in all circumstances and enhance the navigator’s knowledge about the immediate surroundings. AIS data can be placed on top of radars and chart plotters, presenting a collective view and providing crucial safety information with the added capability of being able “see around corners,” in which radar may have restricted capacity.

The general concept in collision avoidance is being able to see and being seen. This is where AIS serves its ultimate purpose. For ships equipped with the system, AIS supplies vital data such as: vessel position, course, speed and navigational status (cruising, anchored), as well as the vessel’s name and type like sail, power, tug, ferry, et cetera. The system constantly communicates this data to all other AIS-capable crafts in range.

An AIS equipped vessel also picks up this information from other AIS-equipped posts, providing it to the skipper in more ways than one. The information can then be looked up on separate monitors that supply “text only” listings, or it can be automatically integrated with chart plotters, radar displays and computerized navigational software installed on a PC.

Even though AIS technology and the policies for its utilization are still developing, the system proves to be an important addition, not just on commercial vessels but also on various recreational boats. It’s virtually simple to install, and most importantly provides crucial navigation data. And, just like all other gadgets, you have to be familiar with it and use it judiciously to get the best performance out of it.

NORTHSTAR M121 NAVMAN 8120 COLOR GPS PLOTTER SOUNDER    US $1,507.60

STANDARD HORIZON CPV550 GPS CHARTPLOTTER W VHF    US $1,540.00

STANDARD HORIZON CP300 GPS CHARTPLOTTER W EXTERNAL ANTE    US $703.50

STANDARD HORIZON CPV350 CHARTPLOTTER W MARINE VHF LOU    US $792.99

STANDARD HORIZON CP180 CHARTPLOTTER WITH EXTERNAL ANTEN    US $409.99

DIGITAL YACHT SMARTERCHART SC500A 5 CHARTPLOTTER W AIS    US $661.99

NOAA DIGITAL CHARTS PLUS CHART PLOTTER SOFTWARE    US $12.99

FURUNO NAVNET 1734C VX2 RADAR NAVIONICS    US $2,964.99

NOAA DIGITAL NAVIGATION CHARTS CHARTPLOTTER Garmin    US $6.00

GARMIN GPSMAP521S COLOR COMBO    US $638.19