Lake Saint Clair Peeps

Doc O Rock said:
I'll come across the canal and help you program your VHF.
Jim Van Eaton E358
"TIME WELL WASTED"
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Thanks for the link and the offer to help program the VHF. My installer is going to come to the boat and show/train me on all my new stuff. I had a Garmin 740 w/radar on my 310 so I told him to let me mess with the 7612 this weekend and come up with questions first. So far I'm happy with everything. Didn't make it out of the marina yesterday but I plan on going somewhere today.
 
I recommend having an MMSI before he comes so he can show you DSC functions. It would be best to have a neighbor’s MMSI so you can practice making a “call” and seeing their position on your plotter. I know a few that are likely to be listening if you can’t find anyone.

Your 740 wasn’t capable of MARPA, right? I’d put that on the training list.

Fusion integration (which will also prove whether he hooked it up or not).

Active Captain via WiFi. IMO, even if you don’t want to use all functions of the app, it’s by far the easiest and least-techy way to update software on your 7612.
 
Doc O Rock said:
https://www.boatus.com/mmsi/
Here's the link for MMSI. Very easy, and could save a life.
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VERY TRUE. We as a boating community need to step-up our game and encourage every boat to equip and enable DSC/MMSI with GPS.

For a backyard example of how real this problem is, search "hysterical woman Lake St. Clair". She was alone on the boat drifting away from struggling swimmers in the water. In her call for help, she first says "St Clair Shores", then "McCray Marina", then even says "boat launch". Had that boat been properly equipped, she could've pressed the red button and not only would the USCG known what boat she was on and where it was, but so would all other DSC vessels within range.

They were at Poor Man's. Someone could've helped the swimmers possibly seconds after the distress call was sent. No Sheriff, no USCG, no helicopter.

The boat owner is a friend of mine, and I'm pleased to say he is now a serious proponent of DSC/MMSI/GPS.

I was a witness to a similar event in Lake Erie. CO had overtaken the skipper and a passenger of a 30' SeaRay. The remaining conscious passenger called for help and described her location as my location. I stopped, grabbed my binoculars and tuned the radar. The boat she described was nowhere in sight. By the time we (the CG and other boaters) figured out that she was 5 miles from where she thought she was and directed help toward her, my hands were shaking so badly that I could barely put my boat back in gear.
 
You need:

- A DSC-capable radio. Such radios will have a DSC button or menu option, as well as the red "Distress" or "Emergency" button under a flip-up door.

- To connect the VHF to a source of GPS data via your NMEA0183 or NMEA2000 networks. (unless it has built-in GPS, but even then there are benefits to networking the devices)

- An MMSI number. A 9-digit number you'll get after registering vessel details. You can do it free if you have a BoatUS membership.

If you've seen Never Say Never, you may have noticed that it's not unusual for him have a dozen or so attractive ladies aboard... I don't actually know who made the call that day, but I wanted to give her a hug about 20 seconds into the call. I hear ya about chills!
 
We’ll be on the boat all weekend and the beer will still be cold but holy shit boys when is this pattern going to stop

My anchor will hit the bottom of the lake, rain or shine
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Doc O Rock said:
https://www.boatus.com/mmsi/
Here's the link for MMSI. Very easy, and could save a life.
Click to expand...
Thanks everyone for all the info on MMSI, very useful. Since we're in international waters and could be communicating with the Canadian Coast Guard (I hear Sarnia chatter all the time) or visiting a Canadian port, should we apply for the MMSI directly from the FCC? Here are the BoatUS restrictions on issuing the MMSI:
BoatUS has been authorized by both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Coast Guard to assign MMSI numbers only to vessels that meet the following criteria:
  • Used for recreation only
  • Not required by law to carry a radio
  • Do not communicate with or visit foreign ports (i.e. Canada, Bahamas, Mexico & the Caribbean)
If you do not meet these criteria, you are legally required to obtain a Ship Station License from the FCC. They will issue an MMSI number with a Ship Station License.

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I debated that. I don't frequent Canadian ports anymore now that I'm down in Erie, but I didn't want to preclude it either. I took a small survey of my LSC friends and without exception, they obtained an MMSI without Ship Station License. Maybe a broader survey would be worthwhile?
 
We were out at Strawberry and noticed hundreds of boats heading into the Moot. We followed....

We've been on Erie for the last 9 seasons and never seen this type of traffic, except for the Nooner. The entire Little Moot was a parking Lot. Back then you couldn't even get in there.

Was this some type of Raft-Off, or is it like that every weekend?
 
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