For safety, documentation and communication reasons, we have modern navigation and communication instruments on board the Sea Stallion.
Safety is about navigation, visibility and communication.
We have the following for navigation:
- GPS for the ship’s position.
- Electronic compass and traditional magnetic compass.
- Electronic sea charts connected to the GPS. And traditional paper sea charts should the electronics fail.
- Radar, so we can see land, rocks and other ships in the dark and fog.
To be visible we have:
- Lanterns: the side and stern lights required by law plus red and green sailing ship lanterns at the top of the mast.
- Radar reflector.
- AIS (automatic identification system). Here we have keyed in the Sea Stallion’s MMSI number (the ship’s international identification no.), the number of people on board, the ship’s length and breadth, speed and course over ground. Other ships that have this system can see this information on their navigation equipment, and we can see other ships’ information. It is their speed and course over ground that interests us most.
For communications we have:
- VHF radio for contacting other ships and harbour authorities. This radio has a range of 50 km. We have one stationary and four hand-held VHF radios distributed about the ship.
- Satellite telephone for summoning e.g. medical help, and an ordinary mobile phone.
- Inmarsat C Distress, which sends distress signals with the ship’s information via satellite when it is activated manually.
- Two EPIRBs (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons) that send distress signals with the ship’s information via satellite. This happens automatically if they become wet or when they are activated manually.
For documentation purposes we have:
- Manual logbook registration.
- A computer that receives:
- GPS position
- Speed through the water
- Speed over ground
- Wind speed and direction
- Steered and actual course
- Two hand-held GPS instruments as back-ups.
- Inclinometer, thermometer and various other instruments.
For dissemination purposes, a message is sent automatically to the Sea Stallion’s website with information on:
- The Sea Stallion’s course, speed and position.
- Wind direction and speed.
- Whether we are in port, lying at anchor, sailing or rowing.