Sailing vessels on AIS
Sailing yachts, sail-training ships and traditional sailing vessels report AIS ship type 36. How "under way sailing" differs from the type code, and the sailing vessels our shore-based receivers hear now.
Code 36290 heard in latest snapshot150+ in store
Which AIS codes count as sailing vessels
AIS code 36 is sailing vessel. It describes the boat, not what the boat is doing: a sailing yacht motoring into harbour is still a 36. Whether it is under sail right now is navigational status 8, "under way sailing" — a field only Class A transponders can send.
Many cruising yachts report 37, pleasure craft, instead. Large sail-training ships and traditional tall ships tend to report 36 and carry Class A.
| Code | Meaning | Heard now |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Sailing vessel | 290 |
How to spot one on the live map
Sailing tracks give themselves away upwind: a zig-zag of tacks across a straight line, at 4 to 8 knots. Downwind and on a reach they look like any slow motor vessel.
Ocean-crossing yachts vanish from a terrestrial map soon after leaving the coast and reappear weeks later on the far side. That gap is our coverage, not the yacht.
Open the live map → Positions there are the latest known, with their source and age.
Who has to carry AIS
Recreational sailing boats carry AIS voluntarily in most jurisdictions; large sail-training and passenger-carrying sailing ships can fall under SOLAS or national rules and use Class A. Class B transponders, the cheaper units fitted voluntarily to small craft, have no navigational-status field at all and report position less often — every 30 seconds while moving for the common CS type. A small boat that shows "no status" has not forgotten to set one; its equipment cannot send it.
The navigational status to expect
Ship type says what a vessel is; navigational status says what it claims to be doing. These are the statuses that normally go with sailing vessels:
- 15 · No status (code 15, or Class B, which has no status field)
- 8 · Under way sailing
- 0 · Under way using engine
- 5 · Moored
Where the type code misleads
A sailing yacht under engine should report status 0, not 8 — under the COLREGs it is then a power-driven vessel. Class A sailing ships sometimes leave 8 set while motoring.
Because so many sailors choose 37, a count of code-36 vessels undercounts sailing boats on the water.
Lights and shapes
Under Rule 25, a sailing vessel under way shows sidelights and a sternlight; under 20 metres she may combine them in one tricolour lantern at the masthead. A sailing vessel also motoring shows a cone, point down, by day.
Summary for orientation only. The COLREGs text is the authority; this site is not a navigation reference.
Questions
What is the AIS ship type code for a sailing boat?
Code 36. Many sailing yachts report 37, pleasure craft, instead — the owner chooses when setting up the transponder.
What is the difference between ship type 36 and status 8?
Type 36 says the vessel is a sailing vessel; it stays the same whether the sails are up or not. Navigational status 8, under way sailing, says it is sailing right now. Class B transponders cannot send a status at all.
Why do sailing yachts disappear on long passages?
This site uses shore-based receivers only. AIS is VHF line-of-sight, so a yacht out of sight of the coast is out of range. It has not switched off; we simply cannot hear it.
Further reading
- AIS Navigational Status Codes: All 16 Explained
- Why AIS coverage is uneven — and what it means when a ship disappears from the map
- How AIS actually works
- All 100 AIS ship type codes, one page each
- Port activity index
- AIS transponders and receivers for small boats — Class B, receivers and what to look for
In our store
Sailing vessels we have heard
8 with a position
| Vessel | MMSI | Type | Destination | Speed | Course | Status | Position age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INGEBORG | 230938640 | Sailing vessel | VEDKAJEN | 0.0 kn | 239° | Moored | 25 min ago |
| JOANNA SATURNA | 230987940 | Sailing vessel | HELSINKI | 0.0 kn | 167° | Moored | 25 min ago |
| SVANHILD | 230991880 | Sailing vessel | HELSINKI | 0.0 kn | 354° | Moored | 25 min ago |
| VALBORG | 230108270 | Sailing vessel | HELSINKI | 0.0 kn | 82° | Moored | 25 min ago |
| BELLINGSHAUSEN | 276850000 | Sailing vessel | EENOB | 0.0 kn | 1° | Under way using engine | 25 min ago |
| HELENA | 230225000 | Sailing vessel | BRANSKAR | 0.0 kn | 111° | Moored | 1 h ago |
| ELLEN | 265508900 | Sailing vessel | BECKHOLMEN | 0.0 kn | 242° | Moored | 1 h ago |
| TRE KRONOR STOCKHOLM | 266271000 | Sailing vessel | SE STAVSNAS | 0.0 kn | 223° | Moored | 2 h ago |
| OCEAN WOLF | 205660270 | Sailing vessel | SOLLER | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ACE DISCOVERER | 210118000 | Sailing vessel | ONNE | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| VTS PENTADAKTYLOS | 210920000 | Sailing vessel | OPL LIMASSOL | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| BV2 VEGESACK | 211226120 | Sailing vessel | DE BRV | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| THOR HEYERDAHL | 211232340 | Sailing vessel | FRBES | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| JOHANN SMIDT | 211237730 | Sailing vessel | DE KEL | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SY CLARA | 211293290 | Sailing vessel | NON | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PLATESSA VON ESBJERG | 211296810 | Sailing vessel | ECKERNFOERDE | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| MADDALENA | 211298480 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| AMPHITRITE | 211302560 | Sailing vessel | SVENDBORG | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ALBATROS-C | 211302570 | Sailing vessel | WINDDEPENDING | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SEUTE DEERN | 211302890 | Sailing vessel | ECKERNFOERDE | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| WILHELMINE VON STADE | 211304200 | Sailing vessel | STADE | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| MRS.G | 211319850 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ANDURIL | 211323730 | Sailing vessel | IONIAN SEA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| MALTZAHN HF294 | 211330130 | Sailing vessel | HAMBURG MHOE | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| NORDSTJERNEN | 211332100 | Sailing vessel | GREIFSWALD | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PETRINE | 211332970 | Sailing vessel | STRALSUND | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ASTARTE | 211334270 | Sailing vessel | CUXHAVEN | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| S/Y SANNE | 211341320 | Sailing vessel | REINERS BOOTSWERFT | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| JONAS VON FRIEDRICH | 211345510 | Sailing vessel | WINDDEPEND | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| AMAZONE | 211346180 | Sailing vessel | KIEL | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| JOHANNA | 211359860 | Sailing vessel | FINKENWERDER | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SANTA BARBARA ANNA | 211360780 | Sailing vessel | ROSTOCK << | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| RIGMOR | 211363240 | Sailing vessel | GLUECKSTADT | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| FRIEDRICH | 211416860 | Sailing vessel | LEER | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ELLEN | 211432030 | Sailing vessel | GREIFSWALD | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| LILLE OE | 211692440 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| YACONDA | 211698030 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| LEBEN | 211840510 | Sailing vessel | ANTIBES | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| MAGIC BLUE | 215000957 | Sailing vessel | CB | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ARCHELON | 215286000 | Sailing vessel | ES PMI | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| S/Y ABUNDANCE | 215360000 | Sailing vessel | CRUISING | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PITUXIN VI | 215619000 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| XASTERIA | 215682000 | Sailing vessel | FLISVOS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ALEX VON HUMBOLDT 2 | 218768000 | Sailing vessel | ES AGP | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| GEORG STAGE | 219417000 | Sailing vessel | BE BRUGGE | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| NORTHERN GRACE | 220252000 | Sailing vessel | AARHUS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PIAFFE DOS | 224190730 | Sailing vessel | ALTEA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SY VENTOLEIRO | 224429790 | Sailing vessel | VIGO | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| NOSTROMO | 224700570 | Sailing vessel | LAST UPDATE TIME | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ORION | 225990145 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SONORA | 225992099 | Sailing vessel | VIGO | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PELOTARI PROJECT | 225993472 | Sailing vessel | IBIZA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| AQUA 44 | 225993932 | Sailing vessel | LAST UPDATE TIME | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| AMAZIGH | 225995947 | Sailing vessel | LAST UPDATE TIME | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| BELEM | 227051000 | Sailing vessel | FR SNR | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| LA RECOUVRANCE | 227306100 | Sailing vessel | SAINT-MALO | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| FS MUTIN | 227806500 | Sailing vessel | KIEL | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PORT CROS | 227842990 | Sailing vessel | LAST UPDATE TIME | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ARMAND_THIERY | 228069900 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SVR LAZARTIGUE | 228078060 | Sailing vessel | CONCARNEAU | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| F/V CARMINCHIN | 228082700 | Sailing vessel | DOUARNENEZ | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ATLANTIS | 228478800 | Sailing vessel | BR_SSO | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| INVADER | 229000469 | Sailing vessel | GENOVA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| STALLA DE MUR | 229138000 | Sailing vessel | BARCELONA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| MITI ONE | 229414000 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PATH | 229428000 | Sailing vessel | SAN DIEGO | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| MINET | 229671000 | Sailing vessel | ES BCN | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PANTHALASSA | 229905000 | Sailing vessel | LIVORNO | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| EUGENIA | 230998680 | Sailing vessel | DALSBRUK | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| KEMMUNA | 232005330 | Sailing vessel | CARTAGENA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| NGONI | 232006087 | Sailing vessel | PALMA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| RAVENGER | 232007762 | Sailing vessel | ESPMI | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| OCEAN JOY | 232008615 | Sailing vessel | LAST UPDATE TIME | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| VEGA | 232011338 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| YAM2 | 232016424 | Sailing vessel | PROVINCETOWN | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| LA PASSION | 232024857 | Sailing vessel | MARQUESAS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| LEA LEA ELUA | 232025702 | Sailing vessel | B 2 A | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| BLUE MAGIC | 232026254 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PASSIFLOR 1 | 232034573 | Sailing vessel | LAST UPDATE TIME | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| BIG G | 232040055 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| CELOX | 232046324 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SWAGGER | 232048122 | Sailing vessel | VILANOVA_SPAIN | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| MOONFLEET | 232055094 | Sailing vessel | PORTLAND | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| A'LEIGH | 232056438 | Sailing vessel | B 2 A | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SHAMROCK V | 232056681 | Sailing vessel | VILANOVA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| QUADRA | 232063623 | Sailing vessel | WILHELMSHAVEN | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| FURTHER BEYOND | 232065486 | Sailing vessel | ESPMI | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ADIX | 232398000 | Sailing vessel | ES VLC | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| REESLE | 233877000 | Sailing vessel | SEATRIALS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SB ADIEU | 235014861 | Sailing vessel | THAMES | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| NO6-TEXEL | 235030755 | Sailing vessel | GR PER | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| S.B GLADYS | 235036841 | Sailing vessel | LONDON | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| CHARLOTTE BIS | 235078002 | Sailing vessel | MONFALCONE | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ATHOS | 235080485 | Sailing vessel | MED | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SOIREE | 235093129 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| BRISTOLIAN | 235096432 | Sailing vessel | IT GEN | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| DAHLAK | 235115423 | Sailing vessel | PALMA DE MALLORCA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SELENE ROUGE | 236719000 | Sailing vessel | TRGCK | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| GETAWAY | 237572800 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PAREA | 237787800 | Sailing vessel | ALIMOS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SKY X | 238037810 | Sailing vessel | CAN | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| CORSARIO | 238038000 | Sailing vessel | DUBROVNIK | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| OLYMPUS | 238040000 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| MAREA I | 238043000 | Sailing vessel | KS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| JOKALE | 238046840 | Sailing vessel | MARINA RUBICON | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| DOLCE VITA | 238047840 | Sailing vessel | MLJET | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SOLITAIRE I | 238051540 | Sailing vessel | ST | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| INGRID | 238053000 | Sailing vessel | COLON,PANAMA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| THOR | 238065000 | Sailing vessel | SPLIT | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| REPOSADO | 238066710 | Sailing vessel | KORCULA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| KSP | 238074000 | Sailing vessel | CANNES | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| BAZA | 238076440 | Sailing vessel | TG | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| NIKA I | 238084310 | Sailing vessel | SPLIT | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| TRANQUILLITY II | 238172410 | Sailing vessel | PREVEZA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SHAREDREAMS | 238299340 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| VULPINO | 238309840 | Sailing vessel | ST | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| OLIMP | 238320740 | Sailing vessel | POMENA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| CLASE AZUL | 238568440 | Sailing vessel | KRILO | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| DESSUS | 238874840 | Sailing vessel | KASTEL G | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| FREEDOM | 239211700 | Sailing vessel | CYCLADES | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SHOOTING STAR | 239392400 | Sailing vessel | AGIOS KOSMAS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PROMISE | 239878700 | Sailing vessel | ERMIONE | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SILVER STAR II | 239907700 | Sailing vessel | KALAMOS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SEA FORCE | 240003400 | Sailing vessel | ALIMOS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| PETALIDA | 240007200 | Sailing vessel | KOSS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ALPHA | 240029700 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| BRAVO | 240039900 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| CINDERELLA | 240131600 | Sailing vessel | PAROS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ALEGRIA | 240146300 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| VITAMIN SEA | 240147600 | Sailing vessel | AEGEAN | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| KALIMAR | 240149400 | Sailing vessel | ATHENS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| DEEP WATER | 240154600 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SITHONIA | 240170100 | Sailing vessel | ALIMOS MARINA ATHENS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| STALKA II | 240170200 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| AQUAHOLIC | 240182500 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| CARPE DIEM | 240256500 | Sailing vessel | LEFKAS MARINA | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| FAMILIA | 240257100 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ALEXIA | 240258700 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| IROULA | 240260100 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| APOLLO | 240264500 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| ARTEMIS | 240264600 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| VANILLA | 240265300 | Sailing vessel | MOLOS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| NANCY | 240266700 | Sailing vessel | ALIMOS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| FOXTROT | 240266900 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| C2DAY | 240278800 | Sailing vessel | ALIMOS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| BLACK LION | 240303800 | Sailing vessel | PIREUS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SILHOUETTE | 240401100 | Sailing vessel | SARON/CYCLDRKJVK | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| SPYROS | 240402600 | Sailing vessel | AMORGOS | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| IRIS | 240402900 | Sailing vessel | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
| KOSTAS | 240413200 | Sailing vessel | NAFPLIO | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | No position held |
Listed newest position first, capped at 150 rows. Ship type is self-declared by the vessel and is not verified by anyone.