Information from the Ministry of Sailing
- Thread starter Bepi
- Start date
I recommend a soothing bath for this fellow. Perhaps with the money earned from his clickbait title he can invest in a bigger tub.
Slick470
Member III
The video maker is a member of our local club. He's a pretty experienced ocean racer and does a lot of deliveries. My few interactions with him have been pleasant.
I think the harness vs PFD debate depends a lot on where and how you sail. Single handing in the open ocean and/or cold water with little chance of rescue, PFD probably is just prolonging the inevitable. Best bet is to use a harness, short tether, and jacklines and stay on the boat. I mostly sail in warmer waters relatively close to shore/rescue, so I wear a PFD when single handing or conditions warrant it. Add in tethers and jacklines when racing at night.
I think the harness vs PFD debate depends a lot on where and how you sail. Single handing in the open ocean and/or cold water with little chance of rescue, PFD probably is just prolonging the inevitable. Best bet is to use a harness, short tether, and jacklines and stay on the boat. I mostly sail in warmer waters relatively close to shore/rescue, so I wear a PFD when single handing or conditions warrant it. Add in tethers and jacklines when racing at night.
I note that a LOT of sailing/boating-related videos have overly dramatic and often misleading titles. I wonder if those are generated after the vendor gets them?
This one was over the top IMHO. Christian's pragmatic approach to single handing is well explained in his video(s), and the philosophy is logical. "YMMV" as the saying goes. His ship, his choices......
This one was over the top IMHO. Christian's pragmatic approach to single handing is well explained in his video(s), and the philosophy is logical. "YMMV" as the saying goes. His ship, his choices......
Alan Gomes
Sustaining Partner
In addition to the above I also keep a PLB on my belt.
Slick470
Member III
My PFD has one of those personal AIS beacons in it. Also a good choice.
How ironic; I was only Saturday reminding myself of how I needed to get a harness for when going (farther) offshore... if I manage to become separated from the boat far offshore while solo, a lifejacket doesn't actually sound so great. And the harness alone looks much more comfortable.
I am unsure what's illegal (though I did not watch the whole video to find out) -- there is no legal requirement to wear a PFD that I am aware of.
On the other hand, I do like the techno-track sampling -- "never wear.. never wear... never wear"
PS: @Slick470 -- I am curious; how does your beacon work? I got one and discovered belatedly that it calls only... my own MMSI (on a now uninhabited boat...), not a general alert (general alerts are apparently illegal in the US (?), I presume due to the issue of false alerts.) Since it seemed I would have to push buttons anyway, I have retreated to a handheld VHF with MMSI/GPS -- ironically easier to find the emergency button by feel than on my AIS PLB, and the handheld it conveniently turns on and strobes if it gets wet, so it'd be ready to go. Plus I can talk with people. But if there is an AIS PLB that just does a general alert if one goes over, I am interested even if I may not buy just now.
I am unsure what's illegal (though I did not watch the whole video to find out) -- there is no legal requirement to wear a PFD that I am aware of.
On the other hand, I do like the techno-track sampling -- "never wear.. never wear... never wear"
PS: @Slick470 -- I am curious; how does your beacon work? I got one and discovered belatedly that it calls only... my own MMSI (on a now uninhabited boat...), not a general alert (general alerts are apparently illegal in the US (?), I presume due to the issue of false alerts.) Since it seemed I would have to push buttons anyway, I have retreated to a handheld VHF with MMSI/GPS -- ironically easier to find the emergency button by feel than on my AIS PLB, and the handheld it conveniently turns on and strobes if it gets wet, so it'd be ready to go. Plus I can talk with people. But if there is an AIS PLB that just does a general alert if one goes over, I am interested even if I may not buy just now.
overly dramatic and often misleading titles.
New thing. Direct response to payout. The YouTube algorithm rewards clicks and these content providers make ad money on exactly that. More and more they're shameless.
Titles with exclamation marks abound. Outlandish exaggerations work. Viewers flip through channels now as they once did on TV, looking for anything diverting. To cash in, gotta stop their eyes.
Making money off YouTube doesn't reward subtlety, although subtlety is there if you look for it. I now pay $15 a month for YouTube ad-free, since last year they cracked down on ad blockers.
By the way, my desktop computer has a free ad blocker called uBlock Origin. I see zero advertisements or popups anywhere I turn, and haven't for 10 years. Reputation is good. If it seems like cheating, studies show many marketers approve of ad blocker use, as it removes from their database people who are hostile to advertising and therefore drag their success percentage down.
New thing. Direct response to payout. The YouTube algorithm rewards clicks and these content providers make ad money on exactly that. More and more they're shameless.
Titles with exclamation marks abound. Outlandish exaggerations work. Viewers flip through channels now as they once did on TV, looking for anything diverting. To cash in, gotta stop their eyes.
Making money off YouTube doesn't reward subtlety, although subtlety is there if you look for it. I now pay $15 a month for YouTube ad-free, since last year they cracked down on ad blockers.
By the way, my desktop computer has a free ad blocker called uBlock Origin. I see zero advertisements or popups anywhere I turn, and haven't for 10 years. Reputation is good. If it seems like cheating, studies show many marketers approve of ad blocker use, as it removes from their database people who are hostile to advertising and therefore drag their success percentage down.
Bepi
E27 Roxanne
As far as clickbait, PT Barnum famously said "there's a sucker born every minute" it appears my minute occured in 1968. I genuinely expected to see actual danger. I'm like the doctor in "The Hamlet", getting sucked in in spite of myself..
Rick R.
Contributing Partner
I’ve noticed lately that even respected doctors like Jason Fung now have static images with their eyes and mouths wide open as if caught with a shocked/surprised look on their faces.
Slick470
Member III
@N.A. I have an Ocean Signal MOB1. It is supposed to be programmed with the MMSI number for the boat that I'm on, and then it will broadcast an AIS signal to all the boats within range. It installs inside my inflatable PFD. At the time I got it, it seemed to be the best solution for ocean racing where there was a decent likelihood that there would be other vessels within range, including the boat you fell off of and it would prompt a quicker response than a PLB would. https://oceansignal.com/products/mob1/
You might check; I think it DOES NOT broadcast to all boats in range -- that is, I think, illegal in the US (for an automatic one; OK to have if you have to push the 'emergency' button). It will only call your own MMSI, which is little help if you were singlehanding... To get it to broadcast more widely, I think you will have to, while in the water, get at it and push the right buttons the right way. I discovered this when... setting up the one I bought : (
PS: I think I have exactly the same make/model you do.
PS: I think I have exactly the same make/model you do.
Slick470
Member III
I haven't heard anything about the automatic AIS being illegal in the US so if you can find a reference, It would be good to know. Even if it changed since I bought it, I'm not sure it can be prevented from operating that way from a transmit, or receive standpoint.
Per the Ocean Signal website:
Once activated your MOB1 will transmit an alert to all AIS receivers and AIS enabled plotters in the vicinity. The integrated GPS ensures precise location is sent to your vessel and any others that may be assisting.
I also looked to see what other manufacturers are doing since there are other similar products out there. AISLink website:
AISLink sends an alert message within seconds to all local vessels with an AIS receiver and/or AIS-enabled plotter.