At how many boats don't have their information in properly on their AIS units -- presumably Type B units.

I'm also surprised and the number of passenger vessels -- especially some ferry boats in Maine, Mass, and RI that have NO AIS units. There are also some barges tugs that have nothing.

Regardless, it's a very useful feature which I appreciate. It's amazing in the middle of the night when someone chirps up and calls your boat's name with a WTF are you up to? :^).

It's a lot easier to speak to a bridge of vessel approaching you when you call them by name instead of the lame brained: "Large commercail vessel south of Block Island headed east towards New York Harbor..." That usually didn't get too much attention unless you flashed a 500,000 Foot Candle spot at them :^)