Coastguard - Yes. VHF & Day Skipper - Maybe????

So I've just brought my first sea boat and will pay the $150/yr Coastguard membership but wondering about their courses. I've been jetboating and lake boating for 25+ years, however I do recognise that the sea is different and even though the boat will be used in sheltered Marlborough Sounds that shit still happens!!!
These 2 courses.
https://www.boatingeducation.org.nz/...s-certificate/
https://www.boatingeducation.org.nz/...1/day-skipper/

Are they essential / useful? My guess is many/most trailer boater have not done these courses. ~$300 & ~$500 in fees but with travels and accomodation, etc they'll be $1000 each........

I do see this "Legal Requirement: Under the Radiocommunications Act 1989, it is a legal requirement that anyone wishing to operate a marine VHF radio holds an appropriate operator’s certificate. For operators of marine VHF radios, the minimum legal operator certification is the Maritime VHF Operator’s Certificate (MVOC)."

Not sure about the benefit you would get from the courses but as a novice the Day Skipper was worth it for me. The unexpected bonus was that AMI gave me a discount on my boat premiums.

I did day skipper, coastal navigation and radio courses yonks ago. I thoroughly enjoyed them as I learned a lot. Be aware there are some real idiots out there.

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Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

I did day skipper, coastal navigation and radio courses yonks ago. I thoroughly enjoyed them as I learned a lot. Be aware there are some real idiots out there.

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Yup, have experienced many of them on lakes and rivers. The basics are common sense and some reading of the basic rules but seems many lack both. Eejits!!!

just on the point of 2 way radio. get the boat along to an RT crowd and have them test it. it only takes one shitty corroded connection etc to make your 15 watt radio transmit 3 watts etc.

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Originally Posted by gonetropo

just on the point of 2 way radio. get the boat along to an RT crowd and have them test it. it only takes one shitty corroded connection etc to make your 15 watt radio transmit 3 watts etc.

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Currently doesn't have one so will be purchasing new. Any advice on handheld vs fixed?

fixed definitely. and dont skimp on the install. decent power wiring, decent cable and antenna.
seen so many rt's installed by people and wonder if they ever worked.
and if you really want to be super safe a 12 volt gel cell battery with croc leads to power it in case of emergency like boat wiring goes fubar

Go for both, in the scheme of things with boats it's not a lot of money to mount a fixed VHF and have a portable one as a back up. I do a portable radio check with the handheld while I'm out on the water every now and again and it works 10km off the Foxton coast which is pretty good for a little hand held.

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Originally Posted by uk_exile

Currently doesn't have one so will be purchasing new. Any advice on handheld vs fixed?

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@rugerman good thought. Possibly do that in time. For now electronic budget is a fixed radio and a basic fishfinder/plotter. Could be useful having handheld while I'm hunting within a few km of house. Could check in with my Mrs using the boat fixed radio in driveway ;-)

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Originally Posted by rugerman

Go for both, in the scheme of things with boats it's not a lot of money to mount a fixed VHF and have a portable one as a back up. I do a portable radio check with the handheld while I'm out on the water every now and again and it works 10km off the Foxton coast which is pretty good for a little hand held.

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agreed, was just arguing the point of one over the other.
but ffs treat your handheld batteries in good condition. if the battery pack is not 12V then get/make an adaptor to run it off the boat battery.

Will keep a portable jumper starter on board. Do any of the handhelds accept a USB supply if their batteries go sad?

At least 2 types of communication is the go si if you have a PLB take that as well. Oh and general chatting on the VHF channels is not usually encouraged, but especially on Channel 16.

Gonetropo is right, you can't beat the power and hight of a fixed VHF. I mounted my antenna on top of my rocket launcher. Having alternative power sources to run the handheld is a good idea. I carry a lithium ion jump starter pack incase the boat battery dies as well.

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Originally Posted by uk_exile

@rugerman good thought. Possibly do that in time. For now electronic budget is a fixed radio and a basic fishfinder/plotter. Could be useful having handheld while I'm hunting within a few km of house. Could check in with my Mrs using the boat fixed radio in driveway ;-)

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Originally Posted by uk_exile

Will keep a portable jumper starter on board. Do any of the handhelds accept a USB supply if their batteries go sad?

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you dont want a charger, you want an alternate power supply in case the battery goes dead and you are in the middle of nowhere in deep poo

The good thing about the handheld versions, is (well most) have the option of a rechargeable battery and also a battery pack that takes AA or AAA cells. They are great as a cover your arse option, but the average fixed install has 3x the power of a handheld (15w vs 5w max). Also, a fixed set has a much better antenna usually (depending on how many trees it's been thwacked into). I would normally try to set the boat up with a start battery and 2nd a house battery running all of the onboard fun stuff with a DVSR system - that way you can't (well, its really unlikely) end up with an engine that you can't start because of a flat battery. That and a jump pack and you're as covered as you can be.

As far as the courses, the VHF is a requirement and the day skipper is recommended. As noted most insurance outfits offer a discount with that...

Interestingly enough, I went to one outfit for a quote for a rec boat and they asked me if I had a day skipper cert. I said I'm a commercially qualified skipper and engineer. Period of silence - "so was that a yes you have a day skipper cert from Coastguard? FFS...

I see heaps of rec boats heading out with vhf ariel horizontal :(

You dont have to sit the VHF course, but will be legally restricted to Ch 16 unless you do.

from memory ( i could be wrong) those handhelds have pretty hopeless coverage in the sounds - i think our first trip there we had almost no coverage so upgraded to a fixed unit with a decent antenna

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Originally Posted by uk_exile

Currently doesn't have one so will be purchasing new. Any advice on handheld vs fixed?

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Fixed...............or both if you have spare $$ but fixed is better. Buy an antenna which can be removed from the base and removed when towing the boat. When you remove it fit a cap over it to keep water out.
Antennas folded down bouncing up and down when boat towed get rooted real quick.
Look for water proof vhf not "water resistent" of "splash proof when buying.
VHF operators course of any description is well worth it especially learning about what channels to use and when. Most boaties buy one because "thats what you do" but ask them to test it or use it and they are stumped.

Just in case the fixed one goes underwater with the boat it's fixed to, I'd get a handheld too. Perhaps keep it secured in a floating container with the EPIRB

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Originally Posted by OPO

from memory ( i could be wrong) those handhelds have pretty hopeless coverage in the sounds - i think our first trip there we had almost no coverage so upgraded to a fixed unit with a decent antenna

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I cant comment on the sounds, but can on Nelson region.
Part of my job entails interacting with shipping via vhf on a daily basis, and I have to say that the coms with known handhelds are very average at best.
Having said that, Nelson rec boaties very very rarely file a TR, by radio at least. Maybe they all do it on line (insert Tui Ad)

@Pengy TR?

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Originally Posted by uk_exile

@Pengy TR?

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Trip report. Legal requirement in some parts now I believe.
Idea is you let a base station know time out and number of persons, then let them know when you return.

@Pengy good idea. Like leaving trip plan with someone when hunting, tramping etc. Problem is domestic boating unlicensed so will be super low compliance. Still find it surprising anyone can just buy a boat or jetski and go.....

Small boat rego will happen one day buy I recon it'll be a few decades yet

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Originally Posted by No good names left

Small boat rego will happen one day buy I recon it'll be a few decades yet

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Many locations (most?) now require boat ID to be clearly visible. Helps for after the incident identification but doesn't stop or even reduce the stupid uneducated behaviour to start with :-(

and unfortunately instead of being a safety issue it will be another tax

TR usually filed with Maritime Radio.
Specific format to follow as regards required info and you have to cancel it when you are back onshore too.

As mikee mentioned, you are restricted to CH16 and emergency use without the restricted RT operator's certificate - and a lot of the local TR receiving places (coastguard usually but there are local specific ones in some parts) run off other channels not CH16. Basically for the cost and minimal hassle I'd just get the operator's cert.

With the VHF fixed antenna's - one of the commercial survey RT inspector's went into a local retailer and asked to test all of their stock after having a surprising number of failures from brand new antennas. I mean brand new, replaced in front of the inspector right there! Virtually all of a certain type failed - I think only one of that style passed and it was marginal. If I have this correctly, it was the sealed type with the connection built into the bottom of the housing that connects to the base - the other main style that has an external cable coming out of it was better. It was a point for me as with commercial survey that is one pain in the arse that we just don't need. I have no idea if it was a dud batch, or if they are still having issues with the connection in the bottom of that style antenna but if there is a problem I'm just going to roll the other type with the cable coming out and try and avoid any issues...

Did the day skippers course years ago, waste of time but for practise letting of flares.

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Originally Posted by No.3

........................ I'm just going to roll the other type with the cable coming out and try and avoid any issues...

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On a proper boat definitely the way to go but on a trailer boat not so much as when folded down and the boat towed the antenna wobbles up and down like a porn stars enhanced .............well you know what and eventually lets go at the Ferrel (be it stainless, better or plastic) and then water gets in and then the antenna is ........buggered but you never know until the day you want to use your radio.

Do the Day Skipper and VHF courses then get some water time.
After getting some experience, do a Boat Master course, it just goes into so much detail and really ups your knowledge.
The old man made me do it when I was 15 and I still reference the course work

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Originally Posted by witchcraft

Did the day skippers course years ago, waste of time but for practise letting of flares.

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Guess you know it all then

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Originally Posted by Deanohit

Do the Day Skipper and VHF courses then get some water time.
After getting some experience, do a Boat Master course, it just goes into so much detail and really ups your knowledge.
The old man made me do it when I was 15 and I still reference the course work

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Still reference some of that stuff from time to time, pays to keep fresh on it. It was worse when I was going overseas, shifting between bouyage regions is a bit of a mind fluck and worse for some reason than changing sides of the road. I dunno why, shouldn't be that had he says hahaha.

I found out that day, they slipped the boat off the trailer without a rope and it drifted back into some rocks, then they loaded all nine of us and two boatman and the instructor on board, left the ramp and too heavy to get on to plane, went out 200m to bouys and put the jet unit into reverse but it was damaged from hitting rocks so stuck in reverse all the way back at high idle so transom didn't go under water, save your money

Sounds like a good idea to do the courses. First courses are in March.
PITA the only South Island location to do them is Christchurch. Not surprising many (most?) trailer boaties don't bother.