The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) have announced the winners of the 2023 IBEX Innovation Awards Program. The program is managed by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and judged by Boating Writers International (BWI). The judges selected 13 Innovation Award winners and four honorable mentions from nearly 100 entries submitted by exhibiting marine industry companies. Awards were presented during the annual Industry Breakfast, Innovation Awards Presentation, and Keynote held Tuesday, October 3, 2023, from 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. 

Products can also be viewed on the online showcase. The winners of the 2023 IBEX Innovation Awards are:

BOAT CARE AND MAINTENANCE

PowerTech! Propellers, Seascour by PowerTech!/Hendry

Judge Julia Carleton said, “Seascour combats scale and barnacles at the chemical level by breaking down the calcium bonds using an organic, non-corrosive solution. From flushing heat exchangers to cleaning hulls, the environmental benefits are far-reaching.”

Honorable Mention: SeaWide Distribution, Hempel Silic One

BOATBUILDING METHODS AND MATERIALS (dual winners)

beSpline, Shaped Foam Kit

Judge Tim Murphy said, “One of the longstanding problems in composite boat building is how to turn flat foam panels into the complex curves of a boat hull or deck. beSpline’s new North American facility uses heat to ‘thermoform’ flat panels into complex curves, omitting kerfs, that are delivered to boatbuilders in kit form. The result is lighter, stronger, higher-quality boat structures.”

Infinity Luxury Woven Vinyl, Infinity Grip: Judge Andy Adams said, “Infinity Luxury woven flooring with self-adhesive backing delivers significant labor and cost savings. Installation is simple and best of all requires no mess.”

BOATYARD AND MARINA HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

VoltSafe, VoltSafe Marine

Judge Ed Sherman noted, “Voltsafe is the future of dockside shorepower systems for marinas and boats. It revolutionizes shore power connectivity by addressing critical drawbacks of traditional methods.”

Honorable Mention: Sunstream Boat Lifts, Sunstream Power System (SPS) 

DECK EQUIPMENT AND HARDWARE

Lippert, Lewmar® Venta Pontoon Winch

Judge Steve Davis observed, “The underdeck pontoon winch is completely waterproof and stays clear of passengers on deck. The unit slides into a mount so the winch is easily installed and removed as seasons change, and the spring-loaded roller keeps the anchor under the deck until deployed or retrieved.”

ELECTRIC MOTOR/BATTERY POWERED PROPULSION/HYBRIDS

TEMO, TEMO 450

Judge Steve Davis noted, “The simple, lightweight design of the Temo 450 electric motor is an innovative way to power small boats and dinghies. The tubular design with built-in motor and battery is waterproof, simple, efficient, and easy to mount and operate.”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

ARCO Marine, Zeus High Energy Alternator Regulator

Judge Ben Stein stated, “Arco’s Zeus answers the call for advanced alternator regulation aboard today’s boats and their increasingly complex DC power systems. With connectivity capabilities not previously seen in an alternator regulator, Zeus delivers the configuration, insight, and diagnostics needed for advanced, high-output 12-, 24-, and 48-volt systems.”

Honorable Mention: Navico Group, Mastervolt Mac Plus 48V

ENTERTAINMENT

Hertz Marine, HTX 8H S-FL-G

Judge Ryan Gullang observed, “Thanks to Hertz’s novel approach to horn design, the HTX 8H S-FL-G tower speakers delivers crystal-clear audio well outside the wake.”

FURNISHINGS AND INTERIOR PARTS

Roswell Marine, Auto-Rolling Fabric System

Judge Tim Murphy said, “Roswell Marine uses the magic of slap bracelets to solve a longstanding problem in marine canvas – how to roll sections of biminis or dodgers when they’re opened up. With Roswell’s Auto Rolling Fabric System, boaters simply unzip sections of the canvas, and it automatically rolls out of the way – no snaps, no Velcro.”

MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

Scanstrut, ATMOS 12V Integrated Airstation

Judge Ryan Gullang noted, “Scanstrut’s ATMOS 12-volt Integrated Airstation is an elegant and effective solution to the relative drudgery of inflating water toys.”

OEM ELECTRONICS

Garmin USA, GPSMAP® 9227 with Garmin BlueNet

Judge Ben Stein said: “The GPSMap 9227 is a quantum leap forward for marine navigation electronics. 4K resolution on its large display means more information at the operators’ fingertips. Plus, dramatically faster processors and gigabit Ethernet ensure nearly instant response.”

Honorable Mention: Syntec Industries, Murano Multifunction Display 

PROPULSION PARTS, PROPELLERS

Volvo Penta, Joystick Driving

Judge Steve Davis noted, “Joystick control has been around, but primarily used for docking, and Volvo Penta has taken to new heights with the innovative ability to drive the boat without touching the steering wheel. The system integrates shifting, steering, and throttle and easily installs into the driver’s armrest for ergonomic driving and comfort.”

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

WIF-Pro, WIF-Pro

Judge Ed Sherman said, “The float/sensor technology of the WIF-Pro offers outboard boat owners a safety feature when out at sea through a fuel filter system with an externally mounted sensor ring that detects and alarms the captain when five ounces of water gets in the fuel system. Once the filter bowl is drained, the system clears and you’re back underway.”

“The participating exhibitors in this year’s Innovation Awards program have successfully showcased how incredibly forward-thinking the marine industry is,” said Anne Dunbar, IBEX Show Director. “The products entered include a remarkable level of ingenuity and innovation in product design and development. We’d like to thank the judges for their time and hard work in deciding which products would be selected in each category. Congratulations to all our winning exhibitors and a big thank you to everyone who participated.”
IBEX is scheduled to return to the Tampa Convention Center, with IBEX 2024 Show dates set for October 1 – 3, 2024. For more information, visit www.ibexshow.com.

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Welcome to the third-annual Best Elex Awards, which honor innovative marine electronics and technology products that have been reviewed and approved by the editorial team behind the four leading titles in marine media: Boating, Yachting, Cruising World and Salt Water Sportsman. At the first of the year, the nominees were evaluated by our team of eight judges, including the editors-in-chief and electronics editors of the aforementioned brands. In the end, seven products set themselves apart. And the winners are:

• Editors’ Choice: KVH TracNet
• Leading Edge Technology: Simrad Halo 2000/3000
• Best in Navigation: Garmin Navionics+
• Best Integrated System: Lowrance HDS Pro w/ Active Imaging/ActiveTarget 2
• Most Innovative for Fishing: Furuno TZtouch3 w/ CHIRP Side-Scan Technology
• Best in Sonar: Garmin LiveScope XR
• Best in Entertainment: Kicker KMXL

Editors’ Choice: KVH TracNet Hybrid Antennas

What the Judges Said: “The most impressive feature is the antennas’ ability to seamlessly jump between cellular, Wi-Fi and VSAT networks, all with the lowest-cost routing and user experience in mind.” —David Schmidt, electronics editor, Yachting

Two of our eight judges gave KVH’s TracNet system perfect scores. And what’s not to like? This new system for onboard connectivity just might be as seamless as the internet setup in your home. And it doesn’t require an assortment of disparate parts, complicated connections and multiple bills. TracNet combines satellite, cellular and Wi-Fi under one dome. The system features automatic switching to keep boats connected using the best communication option at all times—without the need for hands-on tuning. The H30 ($18,995), H60 ($27,995) and H90 ($44,995) antennas match boats of 30, 60 and 90 feet, respectively. Paired to a belowdecks unit using an Ethernet power-over-coaxial cable, the H90 can deliver VSAT download speeds as fast as 40 Mbps (with Elite service). Boaters can also expect support for 5G/LTE cellular service where available, as well as the ability to add user-supplied SIM cards for local service. TracNet connects to shore-based Wi-Fi using an integrated bridge for additional speed.

Leading Edge Technology: Simrad Halo 2000/3000

What the Judges Said: “Veteran anglers have long sworn by power-hungry magnetron radars, scorning the advent of pulse-compression radars, for finding flocks of seabirds. But now there’s a pulse-compression radar that may change some minds.” —Jim Hendricks, electronics editor, Salt Water Sportsman and Boating

All the judges commented on the Simrad Halo 3000 Bird+ mode, labeling it innovative and a problem solver. In that mode, the open-array radar focuses all its juice toward finding birds for fishermen. It can reach out to 8 nautical miles, while other pulse-compression units might see flyers at 3 miles. Halo 3000 is available in 4- and 6-foot arrays, and delivers 130 watts for seeing out to 96 nautical miles. Its smaller sister, Halo 2000, is available in 3-, 4- and 6-foot arrays, and offers 50 watts of power for visibility to 72 nautical miles. Both arrays are equipped with ZoneTrack, which allows captains to track up to 50 vessels. Dangerous Target Alerts highlight the range, bearing and heading of other vessels. VelocityTrack shows color-coded targets to help identify threats. Halo 2000 starts at $6,399; the 3000 starts at $8,499.

Best in Navigation: Garmin Navionics+

What the Judges Said: “The big excitement for me is that Garmin has finally combined two excellent products into a single, intuitive interface. Throw in automatic daily updates, and the end user is the real winner here.” —Andrew Parkinson, editor-in-chief, Cruising World

When Garmin purchased marine-chart powerhouse Navionics about six years ago, boaters loved the idea of the two joining forces and the prospect of new navigational tools. And while the evolution took a little time, the process has come full circle with Garmin Navionics+. The all-in-one mapping solution features advanced autorouting, depth-range shading, vibrant colors, a streamlined interface, combined coastal and inland content plus a one-year subscription to daily chart updates through the ActiveCaptain app. Boaters can upgrade to Garmin Navionics Vision+ to add high-resolution relief shading, high-res satellite imagery, aerial photos and more. The charts come preloaded on a variety of new Garmin chart plotters and can be purchased online. Starting prices range from $149.99 to $249.99.

Best Integrated System: Lowrance HDS Pro w/Active Imaging/ActiveTarget 2

What the Judges Said: “HDS Pro delivers full ­networking with bow-to-stern boat control as well as compatibility with Lowrance’s latest live sonar—ActiveTarget 2—and the second generation of Active Imaging. That’s a lot of capability in one package.” —Chris Woodward, editor, Best Marine Electronics and Technology

How many features can you fit into one new multifunction display? If you ask Lowrance, the list appears to be near endless. With its latest system, Lowrance launches the HDS Pro line of multifunction displays, as well as increases the functionality of its side- and down-scan imaging and live sonar. The 1 kW-capable HDS Pro units also deliver full control of trolling motors, autopilots, engines, radar, communications and Power-Pole shallow-water anchors. The MFDs are available with 9-, 10-, 12- or 16-inch SolarMAX IPS HD touchscreens and cost $2,199 to $4,999. The ActiveTarget 2 Live Sonar module and transducer cost $1,649; the module alone costs $799, and the transducer alone costs $1,099. Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducers for Lowrance Ghost trolling motors or transoms cost $399 to $449.

Most Innovative for Fishing: Furuno TZtouch3 w/Chirp Side-Scan Technology

What the Judges Said: “Low-frequency side-scan sonar opens this more-traditional freshwater and inshore-­saltwater product category to offshore fishermen, enabling them to spot fish hundreds of feet away.” —Randy Vance, editor-at-large, Fishing and Marine Group

Side-scan sonar helps anglers see under docks and into submerged trees and weeds, right? Yes, but that’s not all it can do, and offshore fishermen have long wanted a piece of the action. With Furuno’s latest software update, TZtouch3 users can see structure and fish 750 feet or more off each side of their vessels. Cruisers too can leverage that to find a safe path through coral reefs. To reach that distance, Furuno scans the water at a lower frequency (220 to 240 kHz) than other side-scan sonar brands. While lower-frequency chirps don’t deliver the same crisp returns as higher-frequency transmissions, this new technology aids anglers hoping to find new bottom structure, and yachtsman and sailors hoping to avoid hazards. The software update is free; the transducer costs $900.

Best in Sonar: Garmin LiveScope XR

What the Judges Said: “Everyone likes a product that can address multiple tasks well, and Garmin’s LiveScope XR does just that. With a single transducer, the user has the ability to adjust the system to see forward, out to the sides or directly beneath a vessel’s hull.” —Patrick Sciacca, editor-in-chief, Yachting

Like side-scan sonar, live sonar initially catered to freshwater and inshore boaters and anglers. But with LiveScope XR, Garmin delivers real-time videolike sonar from lakes out to blue water. In fresh water, LiveScope XR can see up to 500 feet in front of or below the boat; in salt water, that range is 350 feet. The system offers image clarity at close and long ranges simultaneously. The LVS62 transducer can be pointed forward or down manually or turned sideways with the included Perspective Mode Mount. The system includes a GLS 10 black box that mounts beneath a console. With a free software update, the transducer (sold separately) can be added to an existing LiveScope black box. The full system costs $2,999.99; the LVS62 alone costs $2,499.99.

Best in Entertainment: Kicker KMXL

What the Judges Said: “Kicker is truly working hard to deliver great sound in the audio-unfriendly environment that is a boat.” —Kevin Falvey, editor-in-chief, Boating

Innovative was the adjective most commonly used by our judges to describe Kicker’s latest speakers. The company’s tangential center-cone geometry—also dubbed horn-loaded technology—makes waves among wakeboarders who use uber-powerful tower speakers to push sound to the cockpit and to the rider. But the new Kicker KMXL speakers deliver that same technology to every boater. Kicker says the new coaxials—in 6 ½- and 8-inch sizes as well as 6 by 9 inches—deliver increased performance with optimal sensitivity, power handling and sonic accuracy. The speakers cost $649.99 to $869.99 per pair

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I still remember waving goodbye to my mom, as my dad, three of his buddies and I pulled away from the dock in Bar Harbor, Maine. We were bound for the Gulf of Maine and, eventually, our home port on Long Island Sound. The year was 1987; I was 10, and I had begged to go offshore. Consequently, I had made my share of promises so that I might find myself—a mere boy—on a bona fide delivery. Among them were a promise not to venture forward of the cockpit and to wear an (awful) orange Type II life jacket with a homemade chest harness and safety tether.

While my dad’s old C&C 37 got us through in fine form, I quickly learned that I hate being seasick even more than I despise Type II life jackets. 

Flash-forward 35 years to my most recent offshore adventure: a delivery from Ketchikan, Alaska, to Seattle via the outside of Vancouver Island, aboard a lickety-split Riptide 44. Many things had changed. For starters, there was no seasickness, nor was there any time spent languishing at 5 knots. There also was no awful orange life jacket. Instead, I wore my brand-new PFD, which contained an AIS MOB beacon set up to trigger automatically if the PFD inflated. I also carried a PLB.

While there’s no comparing the boatspeeds or water temperatures involved in these two adventures, there’s also no comparing the safety gear. Sure, hypothermia would arrive much faster in British Columbian waters than in the Gulf of Maine in August, however, my AIS MOB beacon would guide my own vessel back to my real-time position, while my GPS-enabled 406 MHz PLB would alert the correct rescuing authority.

When it comes to safety at sea, modern mariners have two important pieces of satellite-based defense available: EPIRBs and PLBs. Both are underpinned by Cospas-Sarsat, which was founded decades ago by Canada, France, the United States and the former Soviet Union to provide a free emergency-signal relay service for mariners of all flags. Today, Cospas-Sarsat involves these founders plus 43 other nations (and two agencies) that share the goal of providing, maintaining and innovating a global distress-signal monitoring system that directs the correct rescuing authority to an unfurling ­emergency as quickly as possible. To date, Cospas-Sarsat has saved more than 50,000 lives. 

On the infrastructure side, Cospas-Sarsat uses transponders fixed onto search-and-­rescue satellites (SARSAT) that operate on three constellation bands: geostationary (GEOSAR), low-earth orbit (LEOSAR) and medium-earth orbit (MEOSAR). As of this writing, there are nine active GEOSAR satellites and five LEOSAR satellites; once the network is complete, there will be at least 75 MEOSAR satellites aloft. 

These satellites are supported by a global network of ground-based assets, including Local Users Terminals (LUTs), Mission Control Centers (MCCs) and local rescue coordination centers. 

Satellite transponders spend the majority of their time monitoring for 406 MHz emergency signals, which originate from a vessel-registered EPIRB or an individually registered PLB. Once a satellite receives a distress signal, it either forwards the signal’s exact frequency and time it was received to a nearby LUT, or it stores and forwards the message to the next available LUT. Then, the LUT passes the message to an MCC in the country where the beacon is registered. The MCC, in turn, hands it off to the correct rescue-coordination center, which executes the rescue. In US waters, this last responsibility falls to the men and women in the US Coast Guard. 

Modern EPIRBs and most PLBs are GPS/GNSS-enabled, meaning they encode and transmit their GPS or GNSS location information along with their unique 406 MHz distress signal. This is critical because accurate position information almost always reduces the amount of time it takes for Cospas-Sarsat to determine an active beacon’s position. 

LEOSAR ground segments can determine a beacon’s location using Doppler processing, however, this requires at least three beacon bursts to determine the beacon’s correct latitude and longitude. MEOSAR satellites can perform almost-instant “trilateration” of an active beacon using what NOAA describes as 3D triangulation. 

GEOSAR satellites, on the other hand, because of their geostationary nature, pass collected 406 MHz signals to LEOSARs and LEOLUTs for geolocation work. 

In addition to their ability to execute trilateration—sometimes with only one beacon burst—the still-evolving MEOSAR satellite network offers other important advantages compared with the older GEOSAR and LEOSAR satellites. These advantages include sheer numbers (read: far shorter wait times than LEOSARs, which complete each orbit every 100 or so minutes) and the fact that multiple MEOSAR satellites are always looking at the same swatch of earth and ocean. This includes the high latitudes. 

According to an example cited on NOAA’s webpage, on May 4, 2016, an EPIRB activated some 700 nautical miles west of the Galapagos Islands. The LEOSAR and GEOSAR constellations required 59 minutes to locate the beacon, and an additional hour and 18 minutes to confirm the signal; MEOSAR located the signal immediately, and confirmed it in 20 minutes. MEOSAR was about seven times faster, shortening the time by almost two hours. And in any emergency situation, time matters.

EPIRBs

As mentioned, EPIRBs are registered to a vessel, not to individual sailors. They come with manually or hydrostatically released mounting brackets, and the EPIRBs themselves can be manually or hydrostatically activated. EPIRBs are physically larger than PLBs. Their batteries are required to enable signal transmission for at least 48 hours (some offer longer burn times), and they’re equipped with 360-degree strobe lights. 

All EPIRBs sold in the United States on or after January 1, 2019, are required to be GPS/GNSS-enabled. One important and recent regulatory change came on July 1, 2022, when the International Maritime Organization began mandating that large commercial ships (read: SOLAS-level vessels) fit EPIRBs that are both GPS- and AIS-enabled.

While SARSATs listen for 406 MHz signals, AIS signals are transmitted via VHF radio and are received by every AIS-equipped vessel that is within VHF range. This makes AIS the preferred signal for so-called final-mile search-and-rescue work, and means that modern EPIRBs transmit four signals: 406 MHz, 121.5 MHz (an older-generation homing signal for final-mile operations), AIS and GPS/GNSS. As of this writing, the only EPIRBs that satisfy this requirement are ACR Electronics’s GlobalFix V5 EPIRB, Ocean Signal’s EPIRB3, McMurdo’s Smartfind G8 AIS and Kannad’s SafePro AIS (ACR and Ocean Signal are owned by the same parent company, while McMurdo and Kannad share similar lineage). Other manufacturers are expected to bring next-generation EPIRBs to market soon. 

If you cruise with an older, non-AIS- and GPS/GNSS-enabled EPIRB, or with one that’s incompatible with the new MEOSAR satellites, this winter could be a great time to ask Santa for an upgrade. 

PLBs

Personal locator beacons are designed to contact Cospas-Sarsat and are among the most important beacons that every sailor should carry. PLBs are typically pocket-size, are inherently buoyant or employ a buoyant case, and are manually activated. As mentioned, PLBs are registered to an individual, not to a vessel. Users must register their beacon after purchase; in the United States, this is done through NOAA’s website. Users can update their beacon’s profile as necessary. 

This latter point is key. Before leaving for my recent delivery from Ketchikan to Seattle, I updated my NOAA beacon profile to describe our proposed sailing dates, expected routing, the vessel’s name, the (correctly spelled) names of each crewmember, the name of the vessel’s owner (he wasn’t aboard), some emergency contacts, and a description of the yacht (44 feet, white topsides, royal-blue undercarriage). All of this information would save critical time in an emergency. Once sailing, I carried my PLB in a dedicated pouch attached to my PFD’s harness, and I secured a lanyard from the PLB to the PFD’s harness so that the beacon couldn’t float away if I found myself swimming (my AIS MOB was also backed up with a lanyard).

As mentioned, most modern PLBs—including mine—incorporate GPS/GNSS information with their distress signals, which can save a lot of time. Another important advancement involves relaying confirmation to the PLB that Cospas-Sarsat has received its distress signal. Tragically, there have been documented examples of mariners making fatal decisions because they believed their signals went unheard. As a result, some newer PLBs have Return Link Service (RLS), which means that once Cospas-Sarsat has received a distress signal, it initiates a reciprocal signal for confirmation. 

Anyone in the market for a PLB should spend a little bit more (ballpark $100 extra) and invest in a MEOSAR-compatible PLB that includes RLS capabilities. 

While cruisers can expect to pay a few hundred dollars for a PLB, there are no subscription costs or revolving fees. PLB batteries are good for roughly five years of standby service and at least 24 hours of operation (manufacturers advise mariners to replace their batteries after use). Five years is also a good time frame for evaluating newer technologies and possibly upgrading beacons as new capabilities come online. 

AIS MOBs

Having sailed and raced extensively in the Pacific Northwest’s cold waters, I’m well aware that one’s own vessel—or a nearby vessel—is the fastest way out of a MOB situation. As their moniker implies, AIS MOBs are individually carried but unregistered beacons that, when activated, transmit emergency signals over AIS. These signals trigger AIS alarms on all nearby vessels; these alarms include AIS MOB icons that appear on networked chart plotters and give real-time information about a MOB’s location.

AIS MOBs include an AIS transmitter, integrated GPS (or GNSS), usually a Digital Selective Calling (DSC) transmitter, sometimes an integrated strobe light, a battery and an antenna. Once activated, AIS MOBs transmit position information that’s accurate to within a few meters for at least 24 hours. 

While most AIS MOBs are manually activated, some—including Ocean Signal’s MOB1 and ACR’s AISLink MOB (owned by the same ­parent ­company)—can be rigged inside a personal ­flotation device so that when the PFD inflates, it pulls the pin on the AIS MOB. This way, the AIS MOB starts broadcasting within seconds. This ­feature is especially important if the MOB is injured or goes into shock.

Bluetooth Devices

In addition to PLBs and AIS MOBs, companies including ACR also make Bluetooth-based MOB alarms. These consist of an onboard base station that typically pairs with a wireless device running a dedicated app, plus a series of crew-carried pendants or tags. Should a tag break its geofence, an alarm is tripped on the app, which captures the tag’s current GPS location. Users can navigate back to this last-known MOB position; however, it’s important to understand that set-and-drift means an MOB can travel some distance from where they fell overboard. Also, unlike AIS MOBs, whose emergency signals and real-time positions are displayed by all nearby AIS-equipped traffic, Bluetooth screams can be heard only by the tag’s paired base station. So, while Bluetooth-based MOB devices are affordable, and sometimes even include an engine kill switch, they don’t afford the same protection as an AIS MOB or PLB. 

Two-Way Communicators

Recent years have seen the advent of satellite trackers that offer two-way satellite communications and the ability to contact a privately operated emergency-­response center such as the (Garmin-owned) International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC). That center, in turn, contacts the correct rescuing authority. These two-way communicators are GPS-enabled, which means they can share your exact location information. They also have two-way communications (typically using a third-party wireless device, but sometimes on the communicator itself) that can be crucial in an emergency. Product names include Garmin’s inReach, Spot X and ACR’s Bivy Stick. These devices can sometimes be used for navigation and to get basic weather information, but they do require a subscription plan (although typically not for issuing an emergency signal). 

Gold Standards

Given the available technologies, the best electronic tools for ensuring safety at sea are a contemporary and properly registered EPIRB, a properly registered and updated PLB, and an AIS MOB. This setup is the safest way to sail. As for cost, remember: No one ever wished they owned a cheaper parachute before pulling the rip cord.

David Schmidt is CW’s electronics editor.

Stop The Press!

Minutes before press time, ACR Electronics and Ocean Signal (same parent company) announced the first combination 406 MHz and AIS-enabled beacons: the ResQLink AIS PLB and the PLB3 (respectively). These devices are registered to an individual, and can be considered the gold standard for all-in-one beacons. If you’re looking to upgrade, these game-changers could be just the ticket.

Vendor Information

ACR Electronics; from $310
Garmin; from $350
Kannad; call for pricing
Netwave; call for pricing
McMurdo; from $290
Ocean Signal; from $310

The post Electronic Life Insurance appeared first on Cruising World.

Fourteen to 18 knots of southerly breeze flowed across Puget Sound on a gorgeous day this past summer. My friend Jonathan had invited me to go daysailing aboard Dark Star, his Riptide 44. We hoisted the square-top main and jib, and sailed uphill from Seattle’s Shilshole Bay Marina past West Point Lighthouse. Glancing at the angle to Port Madison, where we were headed, Jonathan decided that we should hoist the spinnaker. Perfect!

We were soon ripping toward Port Madison at 11 to 12 knots. Then we noticed a container ship plying the southbound Vessel Traffic System lane. Given that our hands were full of sheets and steering wheels, I was relieved to glance at the chart plotter and see—via the boat’s Automatic Identification System—that the ship was passing clear east of us.

While AIS has been keeping sailors safe since 2008, newer technologies, including more-capable AIS Class B transmitters and updated hardware, are making AIS safer, more intuitive and more robust. 

Better still, upcoming ­regulatory changes to the way AIS interfaces with the rest of the electronic-communications ecosystem are poised to make cruising safer and even more data-rich.

What’s coming next started back in 2002, when the International Maritime Organization began requiring most internationally bound commercial vessels to employ Class A AIS transmitters. This equipment dynamically broadcasts vessel AIS information (such as vessel name, position, course, speed and Maritime Mobile Service Identity) on two dedicated AIS channels: VHF channels 87B and 88B. The information is broadcast every two to 10 seconds, based on vessel speed, at 2 or 12.5 watts. Class A AIS operates on the self-organized time-division multiple access (SOTDMA) channel-sharing scheme, which is coordinated within the AIS transmission hierarchy. 

In 2006, the AIS standards committee announced specifications for Class B AIS transmitters, which were aimed primarily at recreational mariners. These became commercially available in 2008. Class B AIS also broadcasts on the same two channels, but at 2 watts and a static reporting rate of once every 30 seconds, using the carrier sense time division multiple access (CSTDMA) scheme. Hence the designation Class B/CS.

While the acronyms are alphabet soup, the important bit is that SOTDMA transmitters pre-announce the AIS channel time slots that they intend to employ and then broadcast accordingly, whereas CSTDMA systems “politely” listen for open slots. If an opening doesn’t exist when a CSTDMA transmission is timed to transpire, it retries 10 random times and then waits—in 30-second increments—for a window. In crowded waters, this scheme can sometimes equate to several skipped transmissions. While this is irrelevant for a sloop that’s sailing at 5 knots and can still listen for incoming AIS signals, it’s a bigger concern aboard rides that can cruise in the low to mid-20s, or faster.

Class B/SO transmitters arrived in 2013, offering several advantages. They use the SOTDMA scheme and report their AIS information once every five to 30 seconds at 2 or 5 watts of power. While Class B/SO transmitters were initially aimed at non-SOLAS-class vessels, their bolstered transmission power increases their range, and their SOTDMA channel-sharing scheme helps ensure that more transmissions will be heard by other AIS users in busy waters.

“Everything we make now is on the newer platform,” says Jim McGowan, Raymarine’s Americas marketing manager, referring to Class B/SO technology. Other leading manufacturers do the same.

Another recent and positive change has been the integration of AIS within some VHF radios. “I’m pleased that regular VHF manufacturers are putting AIS on radios—it costs nothing, and look at the benefits,” says Jorge Arroyo, a US Coast Guard program analyst who helps develop AIS regulations and standards. He says we eventually might see VHF radios with listen-only AIS receivers for less than $200. 

In 2019, Vesper Marine unveiled its revolutionary Cortex safety and communications platform. It put AIS, cellular, Digital Selective Calling, VHF and Wi-Fi communications onto a single, user-friendly software-based platform that combines with a belowdecks black-box processor (with a built-in Class B/SO transmitter), one or more handsets, and two smartphone apps. Cortex users get smartphone-­style operations instead of clunky VHF radios buttons and knobs. The system has a touchscreen, six hard buttons, and an iPod-like rotary wheel and central selector. “We were keen to simplify the experience and make it safer to use,” says Carl Omundsen, Vesper’s chief product officer and company co-founder.

Garmin acquired Vesper in January, largely to acquire Cortex. “We have no plans to change the current product,” says Dave Dunn, Garmin’s senior director of marine sales. 

While crystal balls are in short supply (must be the microprocessor shortage), it’s fair to say that other manufacturers will emulate Cortex’s smartphone-esque user interface. It’s also fair to say that the sheer volume of AIS transmissions will increase in coming years as more users adopt the technology for more applications.

In addition to collision avoidance, AIS is also used for critical jobs such as alerting crews and nearby vessels of man-overboard and life-raft scenarios, marking fishing gear, and advising mariners of navigable dangers. The Coast Guard and other international agencies regularly employ AIS to electronically augment aids to navigation, and to electronically mark other points of navigational interest. There are currently more than 500 electronic AIS aids to navigation in the United States, Arroyo says, and they’re supplemented with at least another 100 during hurricane season, for things such as ­reopening ports after storms. 

“The USCG has them all over, on both coasts,” says Jeff Robbins, Vesper Marine’s CEO and co-founder. 

These electronic aids to navigation can also use AIS to transmit Application Specific Messages, which can automatically appear on navigation displays. For example, ASMs can deliver local notices to mariners information or be used to cordon off dredging areas. 

While these are all smart ways of using AIS capabilities, VHF maritime channels 87B and 88B have only so much bandwidth. To address this issue, international bodies, including the Coast Guard, have been working to create the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES). This two-way ­communications system, once operational, will allow ships, satellites, and shore stations to transmit and receive high-speed data in a sort of super-AIS data ecosystem. 

In this brave new world, which is expected to begin unfurling between 2025 and 2035, users will be able to buy a single VDES box that will bundle multiple communication frequencies (similar to how smartphones juggle Wi-Fi, cellular and Bluetooth frequencies). 

“The goal with VDES is to move traffic off AIS so that AIS is only for collision avoidance,” Arroyo says. “All other traffic will be moved to VDES channels.” 

VDES will have four structural components: AIS, VDE Satellite, VDE Terrestrial and ASM channels. VDES will collectively occupy 18 frequencies: two for long-range (satellite) AIS, two for regular AIS, two for ASMs, six satellite uplink channels and six satellite downlink channels. 

“The AIS frequencies will remain for government data. The others are open,” Arroyo says.  “Real-time weather could be the killer app.” His hope is that ships will be able to broadcast their real-time weather information and create mesh networks that repeat this data across to shore stations and to satellites. 

While VDES promises to carry a lot of data, today’s AIS equipment will continue to operate safely long after VDES rolls out. “VDES is in the stratosphere, but it will trickle down,” Dunn says. 

And Cortex is already built to receive and decode eight channels in parallel. “We are currently using five, so there are three in reserve,” Omundsen says. “In 10 years, no one will know or care about AIS—it will just be cool functionality, along with VHF, DSC and VDES.” 

As with most communications technologies, VDES is internationally regulated, but the features are evolving faster than the regulations do. This means that AIS will be rolled into a bigger communication platform, and its safety margins should improve as other communications are moved to separate frequencies. 

And if Arroyo’s “killer app” concept of relaying real-time weather is realized, this data could possibly be helpful to government agencies for weather forecasts and modeling.  

While these upsides are big, the downsides are minimal. Existing AIS transmitters and listen-only receivers will continue to provide collision-­avoidance awareness, so there will be no immediate need to upgrade hardware. VDES boxes won’t be free, of course, but—given that they will likely be software-based platforms (like Cortex)—they should come ready for future upgrades.

So, if you’re in the market for a new AIS setup, consider a Class B/SO transmitter. If you’re an early adopter, Cortex will put you ahead of the pack right now.

If your AIS and VHF radio equipment is contemporary, just continue watching this space. The future of VDES looks bright.

David Schmidt is CW’s electronics editor and occasionally writes on other gear topics.

Antenna Matters

“AIS works only as well as its antenna system,” says Raymarine’s Jim ­McGowan, adding that it’s best to invest in an antenna designed for AIS. “Running a dedicated antenna is better” than employing an AIS/VHF splitter. ­McGowan points to ­Digital Antenna, Glomex and Shakespeare as good places to start shopping. 

Vendor List

• Digital Antenna; call for pricing
• Garmin; from $700
• Glomex; from $90
• Raymarine; from $600
• Shakespeare; call for pricing
• Vesper Marine; call for pricing

The post AIS Technology Today, VDES Tomorrow appeared first on Cruising World.

Welcome to the second-annual Best Elex Awards, which honors standout marine electronics products that have been reviewed and approved by the editorial team behind the four leading titles in marine media: Boating, Yachting, Cruising World and Salt Water Sportsman. Over the course of two months, the nominees were evaluated by our team of seven judges, including the editors-in-chief and electronics editors of the aforementioned brands. In the end, six products set themselves apart. And the winners are:

• Editors’ Choice: Raymarine Cyclone
• Leading Edge Technology: Garmin SurroundView
• Best Integrated System: Raymarine YachtSense
• Most Innovative for Sailing: Balmar Battery Monitoring
• Most Innovative for Power: Yamaha Battery Management System
• Best in Entertainment: Garmin Apollo

Editors’ Choice: Raymarine Cyclone

What the judges said: “While the open-array grabs your attention first, the Raymarine Cyclone radar backs up its stylish design with a high level of functionality that includes excellent target definition, great power, Doppler target tracking, an advanced dual-range feature, highly effective bird mode, a high-RPM setting and more.” 

The next-level design and the ability to weather the toughest conditions stood out to the judges as premier features of Raymarine’s Cyclone. This radar series sports a radical look that resembles an aircraft wing, a relatively thin array design made possible by using dielectric radar technology. But there’s much more to highlight. Advanced post-processing removes sea and rain clutter and replicates chart-like radar images. Anglers should appreciate the enhanced bird mode, which is surprisingly effective since Cyclone is a chirp-pulse-compression, solid-state radar versus a high-powered magnetron. The Cyclone also fits a wider range of vessels because of its size. The smallest version — a 3-foot open array — measures only 13.2 inches tall and weighs 51 pounds. Because of Cyclone’s low-profile, it can perform at wind speeds up to 100 knots, compared with 70 knots for competitors — important for 70 mph offshore boats. Cyclone is also available in 4- or 6-foot arrays and with a 55-watt (equivalent to a 6 kW magnetron) or 110-watt (12 kW-equivalent) pedestal. The array spins at variable speeds from 6 to 60 rpm; at its fastest, the radar gives captains immediate awareness of their surroundings. Cyclones also come with three-color Doppler technology, a 96-mile range, and RangeFusion, which combines short- and long-range pulses into a single image. Prices range from $6,999.99 to $9,749.99. 

Leading Edge Technology: Garmin Surround View

What the judges said: “Surround View allows the captain more confidence while docking, even if there’s no second crew member (and, maybe, even if there is) to eyeball the blind distance between the swim platform and the bulkhead or between the anchor chute and the boat tied up just ahead.”

Docking can be a harrowing experience, but Garmin’s Surround View Camera System minimizes that anxiety and boosts boater confidence. The judging panel agreed that this product is a game-changer when it comes to giving captains a clear view of their surroundings in crowded marinas and harbors. One look at Surround View’s 360-degree bird’s-eye imagery shows you the innovation. The judges applauded Garmin for taking docking awareness to a new level. How does it do this? The system uses six flush-mounted 1080p cameras mounted at the bow, aft, and amidships port and starboard. Surround View then creates a full overhead stitched image with 360-degree, real-time video, and feeds it directly to compatible Garmin chart plotters or multifunction displays. Captains can view one or two cameras simultaneously with the bird’s-eye image, and even zoom in and pan around with individual camera views. Surround View also provides a number of augmented-reality features, including a visual bumper and distance markers. Available as an OEM option on new boats only.

Best Integrated System: Raymarine YachtSense

What the judges said: “Raymarine has come up with a system of electric control Legos, if you will, that allows builders to jump into the digital-switching era using off-the-shelf modules that can be expanded as necessary.”

Simple. Easy. Redundancy. Scalable and customizable: All of the judges characterized Raymarine’s YachtSense digital-switching system as a remarkably common-sense approach to cleanly managing ship’s systems such as lighting, pumps, windlasses, entertainment systems, generators and air conditioning. Each YachtSense system begins with master and power-supply modules; additional multichannel signal modules can be added based on needs — like colored-coded Legos. In addition, YachtSense delivers electrical redundancy. The master module features an integrated keypad for manual override, as well as an LCD screen for system diagnostics. And perhaps best yet: YachtSense offers a scalable and customizable design that’s suitable for boats as small as 35 feet. Captains monitor and control YachtSense with a Raymarine Axiom touchscreen multifunction display. Pricing varies depending on the number of integrated systems and scope of the installation.

Most Innovative for Sailing: Balmar SG230/235 Battery Monitor

What the judges said: “Balmar’s SC230/235 battery monitors give boaters significant insight into the real-time health and state of charge of their battery banks from a variety of dedicated or wireless displays.”

The fact that captains can access battery information with Balmar’s monitors by using an app on a smartphone creates tremendous appeal for sailors who don’t always want to run a chart plotter to check their power supply. The judges also liked the products’ ability to monitor lithium batteries, which is unique to the market. But don’t consider this just a sailboat win; powerboaters also appreciate the SG230 and SG235. With NMEA 2000 networking capability, the monitors can push accurate information on a deep-cycle house bank—such as state of charge and voltage—to any multifunction display. Over time, these smart monitors actually learn from the batteries, allowing the SG230/235 to examine a broader parameter called state of health. Captains can then see how their battery bank ages over time. The SG230 comes with a color display and costs $329; the SG235, without display, costs $239.

Most Innovative for Power: Yamaha Battery Management System

What the judges said: “Yamaha’s new battery management system simplifies rigging, saves money, reduces weight and facilitates easier service of multi-outboard-powered boats, proving once again that less is more.”

Yes, the judges noted a theme throughout this year’s new products: a focus on making everyone’s life—from the boater to the builder—easier. Yamaha even has a philosophy tied to this trend called CommandBlue, designed to deliver products that are easier to use and create greater satisfaction and confidence on the water. The judges felt that Yamaha’s Battery Management System delivered. The most impressive feature they noted was the system’s ability to start up to five outboards with just two starter batteries (without the system, each engine would need a starter battery). The BMS constantly monitors and charges all batteries but it prioritizes the starting batteries, ensuring their readiness. Boaters can then add more house batteries to power their ever-growing list of accessories. Captains can also turn on or off the batteries from up to 15 feet away using a key fob or they can use a console-mounted switch. The estimated retail price for the system is $2,200. Note that BMS is only compatible with Yamaha’s digital-electronic-control outboards on vessels that employ Yamaha’s Helm Master EX.

Read Next: More Marine Electronics

Best in Entertainment: Fusion Apollo Series Amplifiers

What the judges said: “More impressive than a moonshot, Apollo amps ease installation and setup of marine audio amplifiers.”

Most amplifiers must be manually tuned, often by a dealer or technician, so that they can produce clear, quality sound. But Fusion’s new Apollo Series Amplifiers eliminate all that. The judges felt that tune-free functionality was ground-breaking. Here’s how it works: Captains wirelessly connect to their mobile device and open the Fusion-Link app. There, they select the relevant audio profile for their vessel. The amps, enclosed in white, powder-coated-aluminum casings, exclusively pair with Fusion Digital Signal Processing enabled stereos. They feature 150 W RMS per channel and a high-power mode, and come in 1-, 4-, 6- and 8-channel options. Prices range from $179.99 to $949.99.

The post Bonnier Best Electronics Awards 2022 appeared first on Cruising World.

It’s fair to say that the marine industry is having a moment, likely spurred by at least three significant factors: the still-churning pandemic, a buoyant stock market, and historically low interest rates. While this is great news for ­many marine-facing businesses, the on-the-dock reality is that the brokerage markets have been scoured, and the wait times for new boats are being quoted in years rather than months. While this is quite a lengthy wait time, sailors looking for kit will find that the equipment tents at upcoming winter shows are filled with new innovations and electronics that can help breathe fresh life into the boat you have now. Here’s a roundup, then, of new electronics gear you might want to check out for any projects and upgrades that you’re pondering for 2022.

Airmar: If you’re interested in ­attaining next-level control, connectivity, and ­communication across your vessel’s various ­systems and networks, Airmar’s SmartBoat System is worth your attention. Third-­party sensors such as thermometers or DC-voltage monitors connect directly to a nearby SmartBoat module, which converts their protocol to NMEA 2000 and then wirelessly communicates this information with other networked SmartBoat modules over enterprise-grade Wi-Fi. 

This hybrid hard-wired/wireless architecture saves boat owners the cost and complexity of installing sensor hubs and cabling between modules, while also allowing owners (or installers) to check the status of their system and its sensors via Airmar’s CAST app or its SmartFlex View browser-based tool, the latter of which also includes user-configurable SmartFlex Alerts. Owners can connect a variety of NMEA 2000 and analog sensors to each SmartBoat module to know at a glance what’s going on from stem to stern. 

Fusion Entertainment: Stereo-­maker Fusion is (almost) never one to come to the fall-boat-show parties empty-­handed, and the 2021/2022 season was no exception. Fusion’s latest audiophile offerings include the MS-RA60 marine stereo, which delivers premium-level features and can be paired with the XS Series 6.5-inch speakers and 10-inch ­subwoofer, which combined, deliver ear-pleasing ­acoustics without breaking the bank. The ­MS-RA60 features clean-looking aesthetics and a user interface that includes a rotary knob, six hard buttons, and an anti-fogging, edge-bonded display. The stereo is built to IPX6 and IPX7 standards, and its Bluetooth connectivity ­allows it to be paired with a smartphone that’s running the Fusion-Link app. Once paired, users can control their ­MS-RA60 from their mobile devices (and/or ­compatible Garmin-built remote controls and smartwatches), and they can also use their smartphones’ cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity to deliver over-the-air software ­updates to their stereos via Bluetooth. 

On the acoustic side, the 200-watt XS Series 6.5-inch speakers (they’re also available as 240-watt 7.7-inch speakers) and the 600-watt subwoofer are built to IP65 standards and are available with ­interchangeable grilles to match one’s aesthetic preferences. And depending on your taste in style, the speakers can be purchased with optional red-green-blue LED accent lighting.

Garmin: The new-product ­announcements from Garmin fall into two ­categories: evolutionary and revolutionary. Garmin has been making (and ­refining) handheld marine GPS units since 1990, but what started as a metrics-­only navigation device has evolved into the GPSMap 79 Series handheld, which delivers a graphically rich, full-­color nav station that easily fits in one’s pocket. The handheld comes loaded with upgradable global base maps, or users can upgrade to the GPSMap 79sc, which comes standard with Garmin’s premium ­BlueChart g3 cartography. Both handhelds ­feature optically bonded, sunlight readable and scratch-resistant screens; a built-in three-axis compass; and the ability to get position information from the GNSS ­satellite constellation. Conveniently, the new handhelds also include 8 gigabytes of onboard memory that can store, say, 10,000 waypoints and 250 routes. The units’ ­batteries are good for up to 19 hours of navigation between refills.

Garmin’s biggest new-equipment ­announcement isn’t available for the ­aftermarket (yet), but it’s highly innovative and designed to work on new boats up to 80 feet LOA. SurroundView is made up of an array of six Garmin-built 1080p color daylight video cameras, a ­dedicated black-box processing unit, a ­compatible Garmin chart plotter, and Garmin’s image-­stitching wizardry, which the ­company honed through its work with its VIRB 360 cameras. The camera array consists of one forward-looking camera, two cameras each on port and starboard, and a single 180-degree-view stern-facing camera that’s mounted up high to provide stern clearance.

Once a SurroundView system has been factory installed and calibrated, it delivers a 360-degree bird’s-eye video view around the boat, as well as Distance Markers and Visual Bumpers. Distance Markers are similar to automotive-style backup ­graphics that give anyone on the helm a precise graphical reference for how far their sailboat is from a dock or other object, while Visual Bumpers are graphical (and user-defined) margins showing the water separating hulls from docks. Both Distance Markers and Visual Bumpers are overlaid atop SurroundView’s real-time video feed.

SurroundView employs color ­differentiation, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality to differentiate between water and objects. While this helps defang docking, the system can ­also differentiate between water and, for ­example, kayaks or dinghies.

As of this writing, SurroundView ­provides only visual warnings (other alarms are expected), and its sensor input is limited to its six-camera array, but down-the-road updates could pull in other technologies such as light detection and ranging technology (think of the driver-­assist sensors in your car), high-­precision GPS receivers (such as Garmin’s still-new multiband GPS xd24 sensor), vector cartography, additional artificial intelligence layers and, eventually, helm and throttle controls. (Expect this latter capability to start on the powerboat side.)

Icom: VHF communications isn’t new, but this doesn’t mean innovations can’t still be realized. Icom’s M510 is the first in situ VHF from a mainstream VHF manufacturer that gives users wireless command over their radio using a paired smartphone. The M510 broadcasts at 25 watts and can be paired via Wi-Fi with up to three wireless devices that are running Icom’s RS-M500 mobile app (Android- or iOS-friendly). Icom makes two versions of the fixed-mount radio: the standard M510 and the M510-AIS, the latter of which includes a built-in Automatic Identification System listen-only receiver. Aside from AIS, both versions feature identical 3.5-inch color LCD screens, active noise cancellation and NMEA 0183 connectivity (users can add an optional CT-M500 box to add NMEA 2000 compatibility).

Iris Innovations: All sailors can ­appreciate the benefits of bolstering ­onboard security, especially when it comes in an affordable package. Iris ­Innovations’ S460 camera comes bundled in a ­rugged 316 stainless-steel dome, boasts an IP66 weatherproof rating, and features a 1.8-millimeter wide-angle lens that delivers a 160-degree horizontal field of view, plus infrared capabilities with a range of 30 feet. The IP-enabled high-­definition camera has 3-megapixel sensors and is compatible with B&G and Raymarine chart plotters, TimeZero, and some PC-based navigation software. The camera measures 2.28-by-2.36 inches; once ­fitted, it supports multiple streams and ­allows users to tweak a menu of settings, including brightness, contrast and color.

KVH: One of the few silver linings from the past two years is the ­greater ­acceptance of working outside the ­office, provided, of course, that one has a ­reliable internet connection. KVH’s TracPhone LTE-1 Global gives ­cruisers the ability to access the internet using cellular networks from up to 20 miles offshore in more than 150 countries. The TracPhone LTE-1 Global ­accomplishes this by leveraging a high-gain antenna ­array, a GPS receiver, automatic network switching, and built-in Wi-Fi that allows the system to share its cellular-based connectivity with paired smartphones, tablets and PCs. While speed and coverage depend on local third-party ­cellular providers and the mounting location of each system’s onboard antenna (the ­higher the antenna, the better), KVH ­advises that under normal conditions, the TracPhone LTE-1 Global is fast enough to support video conferencing, HD-content streaming, web browsing, email and voice calls. Users buy their airtime from KVH as well, so hardware and service are compatible. The LTE-1 comes bundled in a sailboat-friendly dome that measures 13.5-by-13.3 inches and weighs 6.25 pounds; its single power and data cable purportedly makes for a DIY-friendly installation.

Sirius Signal: Back in the ­proverbial day, sailors had to remember to check the expiration date of their flare kit or else risk a write-up from the Coasties. Sirius ­Signal changed all that with its ­emergency flares that replace pyrotechnics with ­United States Coast Guard-approved LED-based devices. The company’s newest safety-­minded offering, the ­Supplemental Alert System, takes this to new heights (­literally) by coupling a high-powered ­electronic ­visual distress device—essentially an ­electronic flare—with a standard masthead light. Once installed, users can switch between standard navigation and anchoring modes and the system’s ­emergency mode, the latter of which triggers the alert system to flash SOS in both visible ­color (red-­orange-cyan) and infrared light. The system’s masthead mounting ­location maximizes its visibility; this is compounded by the C-1002’s ultra-bright array of 13 LEDs, which Sirius Signal purports to be five times brighter than any other ­USCG-­approved electronic visual device. While it’s expected that the SAS will be sold as an original-equipment option on new builds, it’s hoped that it will also be available as an aftermarket upgrade. 

Sneak Peek at New Radars

While we’re planning a more in-depth look at radars later this year, both Furuno and Garmin have introduced dome enclosed radars that warrant mention now. 

Furuno’s DRS2DNXT features a 19-inch enclosed antenna that delivers 48 nautical miles of range using a solid-state transmitter. The system relies on Furuno’s proprietary Target Analyzer feature, which uses Doppler technology to assign various colors to targets to graphically differentiate potentially dangerous ones from benign objects, vessels and landmasses. Additional features include Furuno’s proprietary RezBoost beam sharpening, dual-range mode and Auto Acquire, the latter of which automatically tracks all targets within 3 nautical miles of the radar.

Garmin’s GMR Fantom 18X and GMR Fantom 24x radars employ the same architecture and deliver similar feature sets using different antenna lengths. The radars can be configured with either an 18-inch or 24-inch antenna, both with 50 watts of transmitting power, and—in a Garmin first—black or white radome enclosures. Garmin’s newest Fantoms all leverage solid-state transmitters and deliver Garmin’s proprietary Doppler processing, called MotionScope, dual-range mode and a sailor-friendly power-save mode. 

Stay tuned!

Charge It

CRW0222_RV104

If you’re looking for an easy and secure way to charge your compatible smartphone while aboard, check out
Scanstrut’s ROKK Wireless Catch, which sells for $110. Once installed, cruisers simply place their smartphone on the mat, touchscreen side up, and the 12-/24-volt charger will replenish the device’s spent DC juice. Catch’s closed-cell foam construction and use of raised edges provide a safe harbor for a smartphone to hang out in lumpy seas, with impact and ­vibration protection.

Swimming with Smartphones

If snorkeling or diving are part of your sailing program, check out SeaLife’s underwater smartphone housing, which is now compatible with most Android and Apple smartphones. The iPhone and Android armor protects phones down to 130 feet, and its design features large, user-friendly control and shutter-release buttons. Users can check the integrity of their case’s seal using the app’s vacuum-pressure alarm, and a moisture sensor warns swimmers of any unexpected water ingress. Additionally, the app provides advanced-level camera settings, including exposure, focus and the ability to shoot in RAW format. Combined, they can add sophistication to your phone’s image-capturing capabilities.

Vendor List

Airmar: $650-$1,350

Furuno: call for pricing

Fusion Entertainment: from $170

Garmin: from $300

KVH: $1,700

Icom:.$600

Iris Innovations: $450

Scanstrut: $110

SeaLife: $300

Sirius Signal: call for pricing

David Schmidt is CW’s electronics editor.

The post A Look at New Electronic Gear for 2022 appeared first on Cruising World.

Satellite-communications systems are great for ­accessing the internet and staying connected to ­family, friends and business while cruising far-flung places. The trouble for most sailors is that very small aperture terminals—the dome antennas needed for satellite access—typically require rack-mounted belowdecks equipment and AC power. Until now. KVH’s new TracPhone V30 ($11,995) draws 10 to 36 volts of DC power and employs a small belowdecks VSAT hub that’s roughly the size of an ­at-home Wi-Fi router, making it an easy fit aboard a wide range of ­cruising sailboats.

The TracPhone V30′s ­radome is 15.5 inches wide by 17.6 inches high and weighs a little more than 23 pounds; inside, there’s a stabilized antenna. Once installed and networked, it transmits data at speeds up to 2 Mbps and downloads it at up to 6 Mbps using Ku-band frequencies on KVH’s proprietary mini-VSAT BroadbandSM network.

“When we started the TracPhone V30 project, the number-one request was for DC power,” says Robert Balog, KVH’s chief technology officer.

The TracPhone V30 is ideal for making phone calls, running enterprise software, downloading GRIB files, web surfing, streaming high-definition content, and participating in Zoom video calls. However, as with all KVH VSAT systems, it works only on the company’s network. While this eliminates comparison shopping for airtime plans, it also means that a single tech-support call can tackle both hardware and network issues.

“We offer two types of airtime plans: metered and unlimited,” says Jim George, KVH’s director of satellite sales, adding that most customers select unlimited plans. “Metered plans cost 50 cents per megabyte and are for customers who use their boats on the weekends.” KVH’s unlimited plans cost between $150 and $3,000 a month and deliver between 200 megabytes to 10 gigabytes of high-speed data (see KVH’s website for details). Once a customer hits their data limit, the system downshifts to slower speeds, and unlimited-plan customers aren’t charged for slower-speed data use. Customers can change or suspend their metered or unlimited data plans at any time. Finally, the TracPhone V30′s single cable makes for easy DIY installations.

So, if you’re interested in making longer cruises but need to stay connected, the TracPhone V30 could be ideal, especially if belowdecks space and AC power are in short supply.

The post Sailor-Friendly Satellite Antenna appeared first on Cruising World.

To expand the possibilities of life on the water, technology and electronics are essential. And once you choose your electronics, their potential can only be maximized through understanding. To help you on that journey, we have created a digital destination dedicated to this category. Best Marine Electronics & Technology (BMET) is a new comprehensive resource powered by the most respected media titles in the marine industry, including cruisingworld.com. Not only does BMET provide reviews of 60+ products, but offers expert advice, DIY tips and how-to instruction from our team of editors. The world of marine electronics and technology can be complicated. BMET is here to inform, educate and empower. 

EXPLORE »

The post Best Marine Electronics appeared first on Cruising World.

Sailor-Friendly Satellite Antenna

Best Electronics Awards 2021

Satellite Communications for Sailboats

New Marine Electronics and Safety Gear for 2020

Leaving My Comfort Zone

Check Your Chainplates for Rust, Cracks and Fractures

National Boating Industry Safety Award Winners

Annapolis Safety-at-Sea Seminar

Gear Review: Navigation Apps Help You Get To Where You Want To Go

Newport For New Products 2023 Award Winners Named at the Newport International Boat Show

Sailing Totem: Do We Need Paper Charts on a Cruising Yacht?

Start Your Bareboat Charter Dream by Earning Sailing Certifications

KICKER Marine Audio KMLC LED Lighting Remote

KICKER Marine Audio LED Subwoofer Grilles

KICKER Marine Audio KM Subwoofers

KICKER Marine Audio KMC3

The post 2020 Marine Electronics Guide appeared first on Cruising World.

When it comes time for a sailing vacation or even a delivery trip on a friend’s boat, one of the great things about smartphones and tablets is that you can pack a ton of useful apps into a tiny device. Even better, they allow you to effectively bring your own nav system along on a boat whose chart plotter or choice of cartography might prove difficult to use. But calling it good with navigation assistance would be short-selling your phone or tablet. Here’s a look at some apps, broken down by category, that stand ready to help make your next getaway by sail an even better experience.

Accommodations

If you’re a veteran cruiser, you’re likely familiar with ActiveCaptain, which is a Garmin-owned app that connects countless users with information on almost 18,000 marinas, just shy of 13,000 anchorages, and more than 146,000 reviews of different marine-related ­businesses around the world. The free app is compatible with Android and iOS platforms; gives access to points-of-­interest information such as fuel-dock prices or marina reviews, as well as location and contact information; and includes access to the ActiveCaptain Community, which delivers user-written feedback and reviews on water-related businesses and experiences. Community information can be displayed as a layer atop Navionics cartography (another Garmin-owned brand; see below), giving you additional navigation and decision-making information when plying unfamiliar waters.

Scoring a night’s marina berth or dock space can sometimes be tricky. This is where Snag-a-Slip can be a highly valued virtual crewmember. The app is designed to help connect boaters with marinas and privately owned slips in North America and the Caribbean. Users input their particulars such as boat length, beam, draft and preferred dates, and then the app helps filter the options. Payments are done via credit card, and the app, which doesn’t charge a booking fee, guarantees to match a marina’s advertised rates. The app can also put cruisers in direct contact with the owners of private slips. Snag-a-Slip works on both Android and iOS platforms.

Go Fish

Fishbrain is a free app that works on both Android and iOS platforms, allowing anglers to record their catches and (optionally) share their location information. It also features its Species Recognition tool, which helps visiting cruisers ID their prizes. The app includes information on where the fish are biting and what kind of bait is attracting strikes, and its Fishing Forecast employs user data to help you plan your day. Fishbrain purportedly boasts more than 10 million users and features a social side that allows you to connect with other anglers. A paid version of the app—dubbed Fishbrain Pro—includes access to all shared catch locations, private-group conversations, and crowdsourced contour information via C-Map social maps.

Keep in Touch

While not a boating-specific piece of software, WhatsApp allows users to make phone and video calls and send texts using a smartphone’s internet connection rather than local cellular towers. Provided you have a way of accessing a Wi-Fi network, say, at a marina, this can save significant money and eliminates the hassle of dealing with SIM cards. WhatsApp employs end-to-end encryption, which ensures that the only people you call or text can hear or read what you’ve sent. This is particularly useful when using unsecured marina hotspots. Additionally, Android and iOS users can send photos, videos and voice memos, as well as documents (up to 100MB in size) using a few screen taps, and the app also supports group messaging (up to 256 users per communication), making it easy to securely keep in touch with family and friends.

Take a Hike

Many sailors, myself ­included, look forward to heading ashore for a hike as soon as the anchor is made fast. AllTrails leverages its community of 20 million users to give you at-a-tap access to more than 100,000 trails, including directions to trailheads, user-­submitted hike reviews, and crowdsourced photos. Hikers can access relevant maps and use their phone’s GPS to avoid getting lost (not that that would ever happen to an intrepid mariner), track their stats, and set filters to find, say, dog- or kid-friendly hikes. Alternatively, adventurers can opt for AllTrails Pro, which allows them to download maps for offline use, receive off-route notifications, and enjoy real-time map overlays.

Long trusted by outdoor enthusiasts (including myself), Gaia GPS turns your Android or Apple phone into a chart plotter for terrestrial adventures. The app is loaded with handy features, including its Discover tab, which helps visiting sailors connect with great nearby hikes. But its best feature is its ability to leverage your phone’s GPS to provide location information atop pre-loaded topographical maps, even when cellular service isn’t available. Hikers can access up-to-date weather forecasts via the app, and they can measure distance, altitude and elevation change with a few simple screen taps. The app offers three membership levels—free, member and premium member—that unlock different levels of downloadable topo and satellite maps.

Stay Well

No one likes to dwell on thoughts of medical emergencies, especially while off sailing, but the reality is that things can, and do, go pear-shaped. First Aid: American Red Cross, which is available for Android and iOS platforms, gives step-by-step instructions for navigating a menu of medical emergencies. The app includes pre-loaded content that can be accessed offline, and—for times when cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity exists—it also includes a handy hospital finder. The app is integrated with 911 services, and it includes informative videos that can help the crew brush up on their first-aid skills, as well as quizzes that help cement this knowledge base.

There’s more help ­available as well. If you or another crewmember falls ill, WebMD can help diagnosis the problem. The app’s Symptom Checker allows sailors to select their ailments and learn about care options, and its Doctor Directory can be a great resource for finding (and making appointments with) doctors and specialists. Users can leverage the app’s Medication Reminders to help them take their daily meds, even when time-zone shifts or vacation brain is at play, and its Drug Interaction Checker helps ensure that users don’t accidentally serve themselves an unsafe cocktail of prescription medications. WebMD works with Android and Apple devices, and it can be a useful source of second opinions if you’re cruising in areas where language barriers exist.

The Great Outdoors

One of the coolest aspects of chartering in new waters is the opportunity to identify unfamiliar birds. The ­trouble, of course, is identifying unknown species. Enter iBird Pro, a paid app that includes a deep database of all birds in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Palau, as well as its Photo Sleuth feature, which leverages the app’s onboard artificial intelligence to match user-­captured bird images with their identities. The app delivers detailed illustrations of each species in its database, and its search engine allows birders to cross-reference characteristics such as their GPS location or a bird’s song type with the app’s database to identify nearby flyers. Moreover, the app also contains more than 4,000 bird songs, and its Birds Around Me feature lists usual suspects using your device’s location information.

Aside from staring at campfires, few activities are more hardwired into the human brain than stargazing. Star Walk 2 delivers a real-time virtual map of the night sky. Android and Apple mobile-device users can just point their phone at the sky, and the app leverages gyroscope and GPS information to match stars, planets, comets and constellations with its real-time map. The paid app’s Visible Tonight and What’s New features keep stargazers appraised of upcoming events in time to enjoy them with friends and family. Users can also leverage the app’s clock-face icon to virtually see the sky at different dates and times (past, present and future), and they can also find—and learn more about—deep-sky objects such as meteor showers. Additionally, the app can be used to learn more about planets, or even to track down the International Space Station.

Among sailors, it’s fair to say that whales rank highest on the list of charismatic megafauna species, even if it’s not always so easy to identify them by a cursory glimpse of a fin or a tail vanishing beneath the brine. WhaleGuide can help by offering detailed descriptions and some 850 photos of 68 species of whales and dolphins; in-app purchases can unlock an additional 560 images and 80-plus video clips. The for-pay app, which is available for Android and Apple platforms, offers descriptions of each species’ behavior, typical diving performances, regional habitats and usual hotspots (across 100 countries), as well as fun facts and figures. WhaleGuide’s Finder feature helps users identify whales using their device’s GPS ­coordinates and a few observed details, and it can also be used as a pre-cruise primer on what one might hope to encounter while sailing.

Map Time

Situational awareness ranks high on C-Map: Boating’s priority list, and the app is designed to give users at-a-glance info about what matters now. The app delivers an uncluttered appearance, and it auto-adjusts its color palette and contrast to ensure that its cartography, which is sourced from official hydrological offices and constantly updated, is readable. The app is free, but users who are cruising outside cellular coverage will want to upgrade to the app’s premium version so that they can download and store charts on their mobile device. The app’s Autorouting feature makes it easy to chart a course to Port B, and its Tracks feature leaves a trail of electronic breadcrumbs astern, making it simple to retrace your voyage. AIS targets (from within a 54-nautical-mile radius) can be overlaid atop chart views, and points of interest and weather information can also be accessed from within the app. Users can personalize their charts with images, notes and their choice of measurement units, and they can share their favorite (or recently discovered) anchorages with friends. It’s available for Android and iOS platforms.

On a personal note, I’ve long trusted Navionics to serve as my personal nav station, both for racing and cruising. The Navionics Boating app is available for Android and Apple devices, and gives mariners access to a wealth of Navionics vector cartography and unadulterated NOAA charts. Creating routes is a matter of tapping the screen and selecting waypoints, and the app’s crosshairs function makes it easy to explore chart features or add points of interest. Users can pair their mobile device with a Wi-Fi-enabled AIS receiver (or a chart plotter that’s networked to an AIS receiver) to overlap AIS targets atop cartography. ActiveCaptain Community information (see above) can also be accessed through the app. The Community Edits feature gives users access to points of interest. The app also provides angling information, such as its SonarChart feature, but it’s the app’s dock-to-dock Autorouting feature that helps remove navigational guesswork. Additional features include access to weather and tide information; Plotter Sync, which wirelessly transfers chart layers, routes, and waypoints between mobile devices and B&G or Raymarine chart plotters; and Connections, which helps you track your boating buddies.

To be clear, the MarineTraffic app isn’t a ­replacement for AIS information or an actual AIS receiver/transceiver, nor should it be relied upon to determine safe crossing distances, but it does provide information on nearby AIS-equipped vessels. Users can track vessels and glean ­insight into their arrival and departure information, and the app’s Access Plus 24 feature (which requires an in-app purchase) lets users look for ships and vessels that are far ­outside their geographic area using satellite AIS information. The app also provides access to some 2.5 million images of ships and points of navigational interest such as lighthouses and harbors, and users can upload their own imagery to this database. Additionally, the app provides wind forecasts and a route-planner function, and its Augmented Reality tool helps sailors identify vessels and points of interest using the ­device’s camera.

Play It Safe

Wise mariners set GPS-based anchor alarms so that they can deal with anchor-dragging hiccups before they devolve into full-blown problems, but this can sometimes be tricky on an unfamiliar chart plotter. Android users can stay a step ahead of the odds with Anchor Watch, which lets a skipper create a GPS-based geofence. Should the boat start to drift beyond the scope of its virtual anchor rode, the app trips a customizable audible alarm on the phone; the app’s professional version can also send email and instant-­message alerts. Likewise, the app will also trip an alarm if the phone loses GPS reception. Two cautionary notes: The phone needs to be placed in an area with strong GPS reception (the app displays its real-time signal strength), and apps that constantly monitor a phone’s GPS location need to be fed a steady diet of DC power, so plan accordingly.

Named simply Coast Guard, the US Coast Guard’s app is one that all mariners should have handy, both for domestic charter trips and for cruising their home waters. The Coast Guard’s app allows Android and Apple users to create float plans; locate NOAA buoys; report navigational hazards, pollution or suspicious behavior; or just brush up on the rules of the road. Sailors can also learn about local boating regulations from state to state, cross-­reference their onboard safety kit with the USCG’s checklist, get weather information from nearby NOAA buoys, and learn more about the safety regulations. The app also allows sailors to ping the USCG for emergency help via its Emergency Assistance button.

Two More Handy Apps

Money might enable overseas travel, but it can also pose headaches when exchange rates and money transfers are required. Xe Currency & Money Transfers can help with both of these issues by letting travelers check current rates of more than 130 currencies and track the transfer of their monies. Users can easily add recipients, and they can also set the app to alert them of currency fluctuations. Additionally, the app provides charts showing 10 years’ worth of rate history, which can be useful when choosing when to convert US dollars.

One good rule of the road for mariners on vacation or simply sailing from here to there involves not paying through the nose for cellular data. This is where WiFi Finder shines. The app, which works on both Android and iOS devices, allows you to research fast Wi-Fi hotspots (both local and global), and its offline functionality allows you to download this information as a map for later use. Users can filter hotspots by venue, such as hotels, cafes, etc., and the app also works in offline mode, which can further diminish your reliance on overseas cellular data.

David Schmidt is CW’s ­electronics editor.

Apps-at-a-Glance

ActiveCaptain: garmin .com; free, with in-app purchases

AllTrails: alltrails.com; free or $30 per year for the professional version

Anchor Watch: peckish-sloth.com; from $6

C-Map: Boating: c-map.com; free, with in-app purchases

First Aid: American Red Cross: redcross.org; free

Fishbrain: fishbrain.com; free, with in-app purchases

Gaia GPS: gaiagps.com; free, with in-app purchases

iBird Pro: ibird.com; $15

MarineTraffic: marinetraffic.com; free, with in-app purchases

Navionics: navionics.com; free, with in-app purchases

Snag-a-Slip: snagaslip.com; free

Star Walk 2: starwalk.space/en; from $3

Coast Guard: uscgboating.org; free

WebMD: webmd.com; free

WhaleGuide: ocean-pix.de; $10

WhatsApp: whatsapp.com; free

WiFi Finder: etrality.com; $5 for three months or $10 per year

Xe Currency & Money Transfers: xe.com; free

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