Why Our AIS Was Failing… and How We Fixed It (Full Install Guide)

Join us on a two-day boating journey through the beautiful Georgia coast as we tackle a critical boat upgrade—installing a brand new AIS antenna! After discovering our AIS system had extremely weak range due to a leaking and corroded antenna, it was time for a full fix. In this video, we walk you step-by-step through diagnosing the issue, removing the damaged antenna, and installing a new 8ft AIS antenna—even while dealing with strong winds and rough conditions. We also show how water intrusion through a poorly sealed connection caused corrosion all the way down the coax cable into the AIS unit. Along the way, enjoy scenic cruising footage from St. Simons Island, encounters with vessels on AIS, and real-world insights into boat maintenance, epoxy sealing, and marine electronics installation. ⚓ What you’ll learn in this video: How AIS systems work and why they’re important for boating safety Troubleshooting weak AIS signal range Fixing a leaking marine antenna Step-by-step AIS antenna installation Using epoxy and proper sealing techniques (4200, Teflon, etc.) Real AIS range improvement (up to 14+ miles!) Whether you're a liveaboard, cruiser, or weekend boater, this project highlights the importance of proper installation and maintenance of marine electronics. 📍 Locations: Georgia Coast | St. Simons Island 🌊 Conditions: Foggy departure, windy install day (30–35 mph winds!) Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more boating adventures and DIY upgrades! #BoatingLife #AIS #BoatProjects #MarineElectronics #Sailing #DIYBoat #GeorgiaCoast #BoatMaintenance #LiveaboardLife