—Onboard security and monitoring systems

Is your boat trying to tell you something? Find the best way to monitor systems, be informed and find yourself, no matter where you are.

From Texas to Florida, in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, the theft of yachts has been on the increase. Most recently, a report to the Marine Support Services Branch of the Royal Bahamas Police Force stated that in the first six months of 2011, just under 50 stolen boats have been reported. Only 30 have been recovered.
Is your boat safe? There are plenty of things you can do to help protect your boat from theft and other emergencies. So here we offer a range of monitoring devices to help both you and your yacht stay safe and secure.

Yacht Sentinel for iPhone
Yacht Sentinel is the ultimate answer for maintaining a constant look-out on your craft.  Like its competitors, the system alerts you to possible problems and monitors the state of your craft at all times, sending constant updates to your mobile device, such as the iPhone. Yacht Sentinel is powered via 230vAC shore power or 12vDC/24vDC through the boat battery or from its own internal battery (the preferred set-up).
It draws very little power and, when detecting an alarm, sends an SMS to as many as three user-defined mobile devices, communicating securely through use of a pin code. Unlike other systems there is no contract, just a one-time purchase and a simple pay-as-you-go SIM card. Installation is simple and straightforward: just connect the power and it’s done!
The Yacht Sentinel system consists of a base station, fly lead power cord for boat battery connection (12vDC or 24vDC), GSM aerial stub, sensor connector and installed pay-as-you-go Vodafone SIM card. Unfortunately, because it communicates via a SIM from Vodafone, it is not as widely known in the U.S. as it is throughout Europe.
The free iPhone Yacht Sentinel app allows you to monitor or communicate with your Yacht Sentinel device while away or aboard. Using the app while you’re away allows you to quickly see your boat’s current position on iPhone Maps—even the speed and course if underway— or access your boat’s battery and shore power state.
Yacht Sentinel is looking for distributors in the United States but for the time being, the hardware is only available via the company website in the UK. Retail price is £339.57 ex VAT ($556 USD), plus shipping. For more information, contact Yacht Sentinel at +441483 270220 or www.yacht-sentinel.com.

Yacht Sentinel YS-3 by Yacht Watchman
– Affordable Vessel Safety Monitoring
Created by a lifetime boat owner, Yacht Sentinel YS-3 was designed for owners of vessels from 20 to 150 feet. The service can track everything from bilge pump activity, shore power connection, a break-in, smoke, low battery power and more, all at an affordable monthly rate.
The Yacht Sentinel YS-3 receives and reports information on any of the boat’s system, in real time—24/7.  Using wireless sensors, the unit automatically monitors and reports vessel conditions to the boat owner or his designees via phone, text or email. The owner can access Yacht Watchman’s secure website from a personal computer or mobile device and view current and past conditions, as well as location and track. The user can specify and change parameters for alarm conditions for each sensor and to whomever that condition is reported.  Got an engine malfunction? Alert your mechanic!
The YS-3 is totally independent of any other boat systems. It literally sips power (very low draw) and is totally self-contained. The YS-3 has its own onboard radio (GSM or satellite) for outgoing and incoming communications. It includes a GPS and holds a back-up power source, meaning you don’t have to worry about a shorepower failure or other electronic interruptions.
If a sensor is tripped, the Watchman immediately transmits a message to the owner/operator in conjunction with Yacht Watchman’s Server Center. The message is based on the users pre-designated method (phone, text, fax, email, etc.) and will simultaneously appear on the boat’s webpage.
In its basic form the YS-3 will monitor and report on bilge pump operations, battery (banks) voltage, shore power availability, high water, security (motion and/or door and hatch alarms), smoke, temperatures of living areas, refrigeration/freezers, vessel location and track, geofence area entry and departure.
The Yacht Watchman design concept is simple, easy-to-install and uses miniature sealed and self-powered radio transceivers installed throughout the boat. This eliminates the need to run additional wires and allows any number of monitoring sensors to be added after the initial installation. These functions are connected to the YS-3 via the miniature radio transceivers.
The Yacht Sentinel YS-3 seems to be the most self-contained system on the market, offering more peace-of-mind to yacht owners. The base of the system, the Yacht Sentinel YS-3 is the biggest investment, retailing for $3,495. The monitor sensors run between $70 to $150 each. Professional installation ranges from $300 to $600 depending on the size of the vessel. Monthly service charges are $40. yachtwatchman.com

Iridium-based inReach
supplies secure messaging from sea
DeLorme plans to release the first-ever Personal Communicator with 2-way messaging, Iridium Global Satellite Coverage, and a Smartphone interface.
According to Charlie Conley, the Marketing Manager at DeLorme, the new inReach will provide global two-way satellite text messaging that includes delivery confirmations, SOS capabilities, remote tracking and an Android Smartphone interface, all at an affordable price-point.
The company is promising connectivity over 90 percent of the earth’s surface, something no cellular company or other satellite provider will be able to compete with.
Mariners can send and receive text messages outside of cell phone range with friends, family, Facebook/Twitter or emergency services. Android users can drive the inReach GPS signal to their phone (or to a DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w device), improving positional accuracy to within 10 feet while eliminating the significant battery drain that results when a phone’s native GPS is engaged.
When using the inReach with an Android device you can type up to 160 characters and send your message to friends and family using either email or SMS text message addresses.  In a critical situation, emergency response services will even be able to notify you that help is on the way.
The core component of the inReach is the Iridium 9602 short-burst data (SBD) transceiver which provides a two-way communications connection through the Iridium satellite network. Iridium’s pole-to-pole global connectivity means inReach users can send and receive messages anywhere on the planet, making it especially attractive to long-range cruisers.
The communicator itself is quite compact, measuring less than five inches tall (antenna included) and is powered by two AA batteries. The tracking interval can be customized and the message includes SOG, COG and altitude (for hiking, rather than boating).
DeLorme, based in Maine, says that inReach will be available this October. Suggested retail price is $249.95. Annual subscription plans begin at $9.95 a month. delorme.com

Globalstar SPOT HUG
– Asset Monitoring System for your vessel
From the makers of the highly successful personal EPIRB—the SPOT— comes the SPOT HUG.
When asked why they named it “the HUG,” Derek Moore, Globalstars’ Public Relations Manager said, “A HUG is [symbolic] of safety and security.”
Using state-of-the-art satellite technology, the SPOT HUG monitors a virtual security perimeter around your boat. When it moves more than 500 meters without your authority and the key fob is not present, SPOT HUG will alert you or your designated parties instantly, even from remote areas beyond cellular coverage. A notification with the GPS position is automatically sent to the Asset Monitoring Center which then alerts local authorities (where available).
The key fob allows users to arm and disarm unauthorized movement. The Tracker knows when the fob is outside the 60-foot range. If the boat starts to move when the fob isn’t present, it will start to transmit, notifying the owner of the incident and location.
The SPOT HUG can also connect to up to four monitoring sensors for battery, high water, engine/ignition or other external contacts. Like its predecessor, the SPOT HUG will alert the boat owner with sensor status updates (Check-in/OK, SOS, Help) and the boat’s GPS coordinates or “breadcrumbs.”
Rugged and waterproof to the IPX7 standard, the SPOT HUG can be line powered to either a 12 or 24vDC external battery or operate solely using AA lithium batteries.
Additionally, boats equipped with the SPOT HUG satellite-based security system meet specific security protection requirements and qualify for insurance premium discounts in some circumstances. Check with your carrier for details.
The SPOT HUG is available at select West Marine retail locations and on the company’s website for $399.99, plus an additional annual subscription price for service starting at $149.99 per year which includes unlimited asset monitoring and personal satellite messaging. For more information on SPOT products and location-based satellite services like SPOT Assist Maritime with BoatUS Towing, visit findmeSPOT.com