Clipper Daisy diverts to rendezvous with sailboat and medevac man

The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard: 25 November 2011 (PORTSMOUTH, Va.) -- Crewmembers aboard two merchant ships responded to the Coast Guard’s call for assistance to medevac a Canadian man reportedly experiencing signs of a heart attack aboard his sailboat 170 miles southwest of Bermuda, Thursday. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard 5th District Command Center, internationally known as Rescue Coordination Center Norfolk, coordinated the rescue using the Automated Mutual–Assistance Vessel Rescue System after receiving notification from Nicole Gaudreault, an amateur radio operator from Montreal. The wife of the man experiencing the symptoms initially called Gaudreault stating she was a nurse and believed her husband needed to be medevaced. She also said they were aboard the Argo V, a 36-foot sailboat and were en route to St. Martin. Two AMVER vessel crews responded to the Coast Guard’s enhanced group call. A crewmember from aboard the merchant vessel Mary Ann Hudson stated they were approximately 120 miles from the Argo V, were willing to divert and the crewmember also said they had heart medication aboard. The crew of the Clipper Daisy also responded to the call for assistance saying they did not have heart medication but were willing to divert to the Argo V’s position to take the man aboard and transport him to Bermuda. The wife aboard Argo V altered her course to head toward Bermuda, but was unable to continue because of strong winds and 6-foot seas. The crew of the Clipper Daisy rendezvoused with the Argo V at approximately midnight Thursday and took the man aboard. The man is currently being transferred to Bermuda then to a local hospital. “This case is a prime example of the outstanding coordination using various tools in the search and rescue system to include amateur radio operators, AMVER system and Rescue Coordination Center Bermuda,” said Lt. Cmdr. James Klein, chief of the Rescue Coordination Center Norfolk.

Mobile Content and Your Boat

Earlier this year I received an Android phone as a birthday gift. Of course the first thing you do when you get a smart phone is go searching for the best Apps available. There are Apps that do useful things like track your bank accounts, and there are Apps that do useless mind-numbing things like blowing bubbles.

Eventually, once I began to comprehend how my phone works, I started looking for Boating related applications. There are actually more than I thought there would be. There are Navigational applications (my favorite is still from Navionics), tidal information, weather data, and quite a few others.

I’ve even read a couple articles about applications that control various functions of the boat itself. This is where I become a bit leery of the how fast things are advancing. The fact is that paper charts have not been completely replaced , yet people are willing to allow their phone to control things like auto-pilots and power distribution panels.

The National Marine Electronics Association(NMEA)  has made incredible progress in getting a protocol established that enables most marine electronics to interface. While the people at Apple, Google and Microsoft are all very bright – I'm not certain that any thought has been given to whether any of these programmers have even been on a boat, let alone piloted one.

The London P&I Club, one of the world’s leading mutual marine liability insurers, published in their StopLoss Bulletin that, “Onboard communication has improved significantly over the last few years, with technological advances enabling crew to use mobile phones and laptops to stay in contact with family and friends ashore. However, the use of such equipment at inappropriate moments may distract crew from the navigation or operation of the ship.

“Another issue is the risk of being exposed to excessive information and simply being unable to process it all. Bridge equipment is increasingly sophisticated and it can provide the crew with access to extensive information regarding the relative positions of other ships. But, unless it is used in a focused manner, it can confuse, rather than clarify, and ultimately prove counter-productive.”

There have been accidents on inland waterways, as well as intra-coastal waterways caused by the distractions of Skype calls, streaming news reports, and Email/Texting. Often, these  activities are being conducted on equipment either adjacent to or on the same screen as chartplotters, AIS displays or RADAR supplies.

There is no doubt that great advances have been made in what is possible to accomplish with technology, particularly within the marine industry. In 2004, the idea of linking different systems together seemed like something from the realm of "Star Trek." Now, in the world of tech, there is an app for everything it seems. The question isn't whether we “can” control a boat from an iPhone, Droid, Blackberry or Windows Phone – rather “should” we take this step. Eventually, sure but this is where the NMEA should monitor closely what the mobile device developers are “attaching” to boats. The most dangerous of the four major smart phone’s to the marine industry is the Droid phones – because anybody can make an application for them. This is great for the general public, but can mean disaster to mariners.

We’ve all had that person checking their Twitter or Facebook account cut us off on the road – boats are not quite as responsive. Already there are apps that are trying to replicate the functionality of AIS systems. What happens when somebody loses reception, or they forgot to plug in their phone the night before when they happen to be in a very busy port? Call me a cynic – but I can see bad things happening.

The bottom line is that there always seems to be a trade off for progress made to quickly.

As always, I appreciate any comments.

Kiwis claim Port Cities Challenge

Posted on 13 November 2011

From America's Cup News:

Ideal racing conditions returned to San Diego on Sunday, with 6-10 knot westerlies and bright sunny skies. Crowds poured into the America’s Cup Village to watch the racing which at time brought the boats just a few yards from the viewing points along Broadway and Navy Piers.

Emirates Team New Zealand may have been the last crew to arrive in town on Friday and skipper Dean Barker had never sailed in San Diego ahead of Saturday’s first race,. But his team didn’t miss a beat, winning the Port Cities Challenge on this opening, preliminary weekend of the America’s Cup World Series.

On Saturday, China Team won a race for the first time at AC World Series, and on Sunday it was the turn of the French teams. First it was Aleph with new skipper Pierre Pennec at the helm, who took a win in race four. But not to be outdone, Energy Team sailed a flawless race six with skipper Yann Guichard to claim their first win.

Representatives of the five Port Cities were on board the race boats during the first contest of the day, with Coast Guard Commander Guerrero winning bragging rights on board ORACLE Racing Spithill, who raced to a second place finish, ahead of the other Port Cities boats.

“It was awesome, just great,” said Commander Guerrero representing Chula Vista. “The boats are phenomenal, and to go that fast, it's amazing. We hear a lot about the technology that's behind these boats, and now I can say I've seen it in action.

Navico Introduces Broadband 4G™ Radar

From a Navico Press Release:
Date: 10/27/2011 

Revolutionary New Dual-Range Radar System Features ‘Beam Sharpening’ For Unprecedented Target Resolution

Tulsa, Okla. — Navico — the world leader in recreational marine electronics and parent company to the Lowrance, Simrad Yachting and B&G brands — announced today its next-generation, solid-state Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radome, the Lowrance, Simrad and B&G Broadband 4G™ Radar models. Offering unparalleled performance, Broadband 4G Radar redefines what is possible in radar-based navigation and collision avoidance.

Joining the award-winning and world’s first recreational marine FMCW Broadband Radar™ line, 4G radar delivers 50-percent greater range and target detection than Broadband 3G Radar. All 4G radar models feature revolutionary Beam Sharpening technology that provides the sharpest-possible radar images. When networked with most display options, the new Simrad and B&G Broadband 4G models also have the unprecedented ability to present dual-range radar returns from a single scanner, combined with the benefits of greater high-speed operation.*

The new Lowrance, Simrad and B&G Broadband 4G Radar models are compatible, respectively, with the award-winning Lowrance HDS®, Simrad NSO Offshore, NSE Expert and NSS Sport, and B&G Zeus™ multifunction displays.

For optimal target separation, Broadband 4G Radar is the world’s first dome radar to use Beam Sharpening, which significantly improves azimuth resolution — the effective horizontal beam width of the radar signal. The result is a resolution that is equivalent to a 3.5-foot open array radar. When combined with a Simrad NSE, NSO or B&G Zeus multifunction display, the system’s user-defined, target-separation control allows users to adjust the level of separation to meet specific navigational needs.

The Simrad and B&G Broadband 4G Radars’ exclusive dual-range functionality — available with Simrad NSE, NSO and B&G Zeus displays — makes them the only recreational radars capable of displaying distances from 200 feet to 36 nautical miles — all from a single dome. The ultimate navigational safety tool, Broadband 4G Radar allows boaters to see a buoy 200 feet away on the multifunction display, while simultaneously monitoring coastal projections up to 36 nautical miles. In addition, Simrad and B&G Broadband 4G Radar models can track up to 10 MARPA targets per range — each with independent control, for a total of 20 tracked targets in split-screen mode.

All Broadband 4G Radars provide an unequalled number of working ranges, 18, for premier performance and navigational awareness. Providing intuitive and easy-to-use operation, each model also features smart, pre-defined Offshore and Harbor modes on all ranges without requiring special tuning knowledge.

Broadband 4G Radar not only raises the bar in radome performance by providing far superior resolution at long-range distances, it also delivers the same exceptional close-range capability signature to Broadband Radar. The system marks objects within 6.5 feet (2 meters) of the boat, providing target definition and separation in close quarters where traditional pulse radar is blind.

“Broadband 4G Radar will change the way boaters navigate,” said Louis Chemi, COO for Navico Americas. “With unrivalled close-range visibility and new groundbreaking long-distance capability, this latest addition to the Lowrance, Simrad Yachting and B&G Broadband Radar lineup provides the sharpest radar images of any radome in the world for best-in-class situational awareness on the water.”

Maintaining high-sensitivity and clarity in all weather conditions, the radar provides easy-to-view detail of targets even in high-sea states. Additional Broadband 4G Radar safety and convenience features include: revolution speeds up to 36 rpm for Lowrance HDS and Simrad NSS, and 48 rpm for Simrad NSE, NSO and B&G Zeus — providing near-instant updates at ranges less than 1 nautical miles; directional sidelobe-clutter suppression to reduce clutter and echoes caused by large targets; accurate chart overlay and MARPA; display networking; extremely low emissions (less than 1/5th the energy of a mobile phone); flexible antenna-placement options for safe and easy installation almost anywhere on a boat; InstantOn™ — allowing the radar to power up immediately from cold start and standby; and incredibly low power consumption.

Broadband 4G Radar’s compact 18-inch radome measures 11.02-inches high x 19.28-inches in diameter (280 mm x 489 mm), weighs 16.3 pounds (7.4 kg), and installs quickly with an easy-to-route 0.5-inch (13.5 mm) diameter scanner cable. Drawing only 20 watts of power during operation (21 watts in dual range mode) and 2.9 watts in standby, Broadband 4G Radar has an operating temperature range of -13 to +131 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 to +55 degrees Celsius) and can operate in winds up to 100 knots. Broadband 4G™ Radar is waterproof to the IPX6 standard and is protected by a two-year parts and labor warranty and the Lowrance, Simrad Yachting and B&G Advantage Program.

Price & Availability: Available in November 2011 from authorized dealers and distributors throughout the United States and Canada, the new Lowrance Broadband 4G Radar has a minimum advertised price of US $1,899, while the Simrad and B&G Broadband 4G Radars have a suggested retail price of US $2,299. For more information on Lowrance, Simrad and B&G Broadband 4G Radar, or their entire line of performance marine electronics, contact 800-324-1356 (toll-free) in the USA or 800-661-3983 (toll-free) in Canada or visit www.lowrance.com, www.simrad-yachting.com and www.bandg.com, for details on brand-specific models.

*Available with the Simrad NSE and NSO and B&G Zeus multifunction displays.

Losses for Most, Groupama 4 is Leading.

A Volvo Ocean Race Update.

November 9, 2011 - 2200 UTC Leg One Day 5

Telefónica with the Spanish super star Iker Martinez has lost 20 nautical miles (nm), PUMA’s Mar Mostro (Kenny Read/USA) 19 nm, and the worst casualty CAMPER (Chris Nicholson/AUS) has lost 24 nm. She’s now 105 nm in deficit and has only averaged 5.4 knots out to the west, while the French team is creaming along at 13.8 knots as the boat heads into fresher breeze on their inshore course.

Telefónica and PUMA’s Mar Mostro are just a mile apart, still clinging tightly to each other and watching every move, while CAMPER is out of sight, 21 nm further west with Madeira 60 miles on their port beam. Groupama 4 has about 60 nm to sail before the French team reaches the Canary Island of Lanzarote. But, it’s going to be a long painful night for the three in the west until they reach Madeira and a potential change of fortune.

STX Anounces Eoseas Concept Ship, Incredible Eco-Friendly Design!

The Following is an Article from Ship Technology . This is a pretty incredible design. I would venture to call it the mother of all Sailing Vessels! 

 (11/9/2011)

www.ship-technology.com

Eoseas is a concept cruise ship being developed by STX Europe in collaboration with Stirling Design International (SDI).

The 105,000t ship will have an overall length of 305m, breadth of 60m and draft of 8m. Eoseas is being developed as a part of the Ecorizon programme launched by STX France in 2007.

STX's Ecorizon programme

Ecorizon is a technical programme aimed at developing innovative marine clean technologies and alternatives to oil fuels. The project attained maturity in 2009 after two years of research and development work.

Jointly funded by STX Europe and the Regional Council, Ecorizon consists of five major work programmes including energy management, air emission management, water management, waste management and sustainable design.

Ecorizon addresses the entire environmental footprint of the ship throughout the design, construction and operation stages. The long-term goal of the concept is to reduce the use of non-sustainable energy to 50% by 2015.

Eoseas design and features

Eoseas incorporates a pentamaran hull design. The double hull design will feature long promenade decks on both sides of the ship.

The ship will be a trimaran on five hulls, of which two hulls on either side will have the same fore-and-aft plane. An air cushion under the main hull optimises the hydrodynamic characteristics of the vessel.

The double skin on the ship will function as a natural air conditioning system. The frictional resistance of the ship is reduced with the air film injection and the froude number is reduced by incorporating vertical bow.

Fresh water is generated onboard using highly efficient multistage evaporators and reverse osmosis. The ship will feature an advanced wastewater purification system to treat grey and black waters. An absorption chiller absorbs rain water from the upper decks. It uses heat generated from engines.

The design objectives of the Eoseas are to reduce power consumption by 50%, emissions of CO2 by 50%, SO2 by 100%, NOX by 90% and ash by 100%.

Accommodation onboard the concept cruise ship

Eoseas can accommodate 3,311 passengers in 1,403 cabins. There are 555 cabins for 1,089 crew members. The ship allows the passengers to fully explore the maritime environment. The passenger space ratio of the ship will be 31.7 when full and 37.4 based on lower berths occupancy.

The cabins are designed to use natural lighting and are fitted with presence sensors and light sensors. The energy management systems in the cabins reduce energy consumption by 30%.

Propulsion and power

Eoseas will be powered by four dual-fuel LNG diesel electric generator sets. Each genset provides 8MW power for propulsion and hotel load. There are four screws, two pump propellers with shaft lines on the outriggers and two pump propeller pods on the central hull.

LNG is stored in a storage system similar to that of LNG carriers and is transferred in a pressurised service tank. The ship will have an advanced heat recovery plant to recover thermal energy.

8,300m² photovoltaic panels fixed on side and upper deck provide maximum power of 108MW and an average of 270kWe. The organic waste gasification plant onboard generates 300kWe syn gas which is used in the generator sets.

The ship is equipped with an innovative sail concept patented by STX France. The sails mounted on five masts over 12,440m² significantly use wind energy for propulsion.

STX France conducted 13 tank tests with different hulls and propulsion configurations during 2008 and 2009, achieving 17% improvements over conventional propulsion / hull systems.

The innovative propulsion system aboard the ship enhances fuel efficiency, redundancy and manoeuvring.