Truth be told, I am not that big into sailing. It’s not that I don’t like it; sailing just seems to me like something I should do when I get older, like learning to fly fish. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to do some sailing, I just don’t have the patience to learn right now. There is one aspect of sailing that I do particularly enjoy though, their high tech gear. Sailing tech always seem to push the envelope, I think I’ve even seen carbon fiber toilets for sale lately.
In honor of SAIL Magazines late technical editor, Freeman K. Pittman, the publication seeks to recognize the most innovative new products available. There are 5 categories of awards, safety gear, cruising gear, racing gear, electronics, and systems, with a total of 14 products recognized. I picked my favorite three for this column, but you can see the entire list here.
The first is the Kannad Marine R10 SRS (Survivor Recovery System). The device can be clipped to a life jacket and manually activated to transmit an alert message and GPS code for an AIS (Automatic Identification System) receiver (both A and B). The device has a 4 mile range, flashing LED light for visual contact, and a 24 hour transmission life. The R10 SRS is still awaiting FCC approval.
The Second is the Raymarine e7. The e7 is a GPS chartplotter, but its real innovation lies in its network-ability. The unit can be networked (through Raymarine’s SeaTalk) to sensors such as radar, transducers, or a FLIR night-vision camera. The units Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities allow you to link to an iPad or iPhone to display wirelessly, change your route, check charts, control onboard music, etc.
My last pick is the Vetus Rimdrive Bow Thruster. I love the innovation in this product. There is so much innovation here; the motor is water cooled allowing for a longer run time, the multi-blade propeller is much quieter and virtually cavitation free, and because the motor is integrated around the propeller the unit has a much sleeker envelope.
Source: SAIL Magazine
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