You buy holiday gifts for your friends, your family, and if you’re anything like me, you buy gifts for your dog. Why not show yourself (and your boat) some love this holiday season? Here are our top five tech gifts for boaters.
Sunscreenr
AS SEEN ON SHARK TANK! This camera will help prevent sun damage to your skin so you can stay on the water longer. If you’re not sure if sure if your skin is protected from the sun, this is the product for you. Sunscreenr’s Patented UV Camera technology shows where sunscreen isn’t applied on your skin—protected areas appear dark and unprotected areas appear light no matter your skin tone. The camera starts up when the Mobile for Android app is opened and the camera is plugged in. One feature of the app is an alert to reapply sunscreen.
Keep an eye on your boat at all times. Yacht Sentinel 6 is an intelligent boat monitoring security system that enable owners to remotely check their boats’ status through a mobile app or online web app. The two-way communication system’s onboard central unit uses worldwide 2G/3G/4G coverage (with optional satellite communication) to monitor the boat’s critical information as well as motion detection and an interior breach.
I’m the Captain now. Take control and get up close when docking with the new, state-of-the-art Dockmate Wireless Remote Control Systems. Offering four setups —single, twin, Twist, and Twist with a Volvo Penta IPS interface —each waterproof transmitter can operate up to five functions: one or two engines, bow and stern thrusters, anchor winch or windlass, and horn. It’s like playing a video game…but much cooler.
Move over, iPad. Get lost, Kindle. There’s a new tablet in town. Seatronx introduces the rugged, waterproof, shockproof, and sunlight readable SUNTAB TABLET. Made of aero-grade titanium alloy frame material, the 7-inch high, bright, full view display delivers amazing clarity. Operable in temperatures from -20 to +60º centigrade, the Suntab has a long-life battery, camera, GPS, plenty of memory, and with a SIM card, provides communication with Internet and phone access.
Get lost and then be found. No matter how far off the grid you go, Globalstar’s Sat-F12 Wifi keeps you connected when cellular service is unavailable. The free Sat-Fi2 app is easy to use and allows connection to email, text, voice, the web, weather, and to share photos and files. It also has SOS capabilities and can connect up to eight devices.
Launched in 2018, Scanstrut’s ROKK Wireless is the first 12/24V waterproof wireless charger and was nominated for a DAME design award in November. The IPX6, fully encapsulated and sealed unit is easy to install and eliminates phone charging cables. Using the Qi wireless protocol, ROKK Wireless can mount below, level or on top of a surface.
The new Seakeeper 3 gyro system offers stability previously only available to boats 40 feet and up.
It still surprises me how many people suffer from seasickness in spite of all the medications that are available and technology developments that lessen the rock-and-roll at sea. Several years ago, I met a wealthy yacht owner whose wife was extremely prone to seasickness. To her credit, however, she wasn’t willing to give up on their dream to circumnavigate the globe. Her husband researched extensively and found a yacht that was designed to significantly reduce the rocking motion that causes seasickness. They then went to the North Sea to test a prototype in the most turbulent conditions possible. He found her calmly knitting a scarf during their sea trial, unaffected by the rough seas, and he ordered one built for their extensive cruising itinerary. Several years later they embarked on their circumnavigation together on their new yacht. Not everyone who suffers from seasickness, however, can afford to buy a custom yacht.
The Seakeeper 3 provides stabilization for boats from 30 to 39 feet.
Fortunately, owners of boats 40 feet or larger can retrofit their craft with aftermarket marine stabilization technology by Seakeeper, Inc., providing the boat’s design accommodates the unit. The company first introduced their gyro stabilizing systems in 2008 for boats larger than 40-feet LOA and commercial craft. Owners of boats smaller than 40 feet, however, have had no option other than to leave their seasick-prone family and friends at the dock. That recently changed.
At the 2016 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last November, Seakeeper revealed the release of its newest and smallest model yet: the Seakeeper 3 designed for boats sized 30 to 39 feet. According to the manufacturer, the Seakeeper 3 reduces up to 95 percent of the motion that contributes to the often-debilitating effects of seasickness, including angst, nausea and weariness. The Seakeeper 3 is also 30 percent lighter and 25 percent smaller than their other models; the new addition gives owners of smaller boats the option to add increased stabilization to their existing craft. Seakeeper offered sea trials during the boat show so that builders, boat owners and the media could experience the stabilizing effects of the Seakeeper 3 firsthand. “We had a customer with us that just commissioned a 34-foot center console build and was on the fence about adding the gyro,” said Joel Kauffman from Xcelerator Boatworks. “Well, before we even finished the sea trial we had definite plans for a Seakeeper gyro on our new build! The customer was in true disbelief at how effective the gyro was in very extreme situations. We were also very impressed with its physical size for ease of installation, low noise level, and operation smoothness. We now have plans for gyros in our next three builds: a 64-foot convertible, 34-foot center console and a 40-foot walkaround. We are all very excited with what Seakeeper has brought to the table in recent years!”
Since many boats in the 30-39′ range do not already have a generator, adapting the product with that in mind was of paramount importance. The Seakeeper 3 runs exclusively on 12-volt DC power, so the refit process is simple and does not require additional power systems or complicated modifications. Installation involves a customized leaning post design and can be completed in only two days. Andrew Semprevivo, Seakeeper Vice President of Sales and Marketing said in a press release that the Seakeeper 3 offers their technology to smaller vessels, which is the next step in the company’s goal to bring stabilization to the boating mainstream. “By offering an optimized solution for boats between 30- and 39-feet long, Seakeeper is offering stabilization solutions to a whole new range of boats for the first time. It truly is our biggest, smallest thing yet.”
The Seakeeper 3 can be ordered now for shipments starting in Spring 2017. MSRP is $26,900.
— By Liz Pasch, Southern Boating Magazine January 2017
Adding a unit is easy, and provides confidence and safety when docking in challenging conditions.
Single-screw boats can be difficult to dock without aid in wind or when fighting current. Even experienced captains will relent for safety’s sake and ask for a helpful hand—someone on the dock who gets tossed a bow line and pulls the boat in. With a bow thruster, however, that helpful hand is a small propeller positioned forward on the boat and it applies side-to-side propulsion to get you safely docked.
If a boat doesn’t have a bow thruster, some boat owners are drilling tunnels through the bows of their boats. The tunnel is structurally engineered to accept the retrofit of a bow thruster, and when properly installed it adds strength to the vessel.
“Many people believe that drilling a 4-inch hole or larger in their boat will weaken the structure,” says Chris Deboy, Vestus America’s sales manager, a manufacturer of bow thrusters and other marine products. “The opposite is true, as long as the thruster tunnel is installed properly, using fiberglass, aluminum or steel, depending on the hull material. The installation can add strength to the bow of the vessel. This would include the proper lamination of the fiberglass tunnel or proper welding of the aluminum or steel tunnel.”
Lewmar bow thruster joystick
It’s estimated that half of all recreational boats from 30 to 65 feet have bow thrusters. Aftermarket installations are becoming common as people fix up their boats. To complete the work the boat must be hauled out for detailed fiberglass work as a tunnel housing is installed in the hull with the bow thruster impeller. The impeller is driven by an electric motor powered by its own battery. The cost to install a bow thruster on a 40-foot cruiser is approximately $8,000, and about 60 percent of that cost is for labor while the rest is for parts. Three companies have the majority of market share in the U.S.: Lewmar, Side-Power and Vetus.
Side-Power introduced its Proportional DC Thrusters in 2011 and won an NMMA Innovation Award that same year. “You can now operate a thruster relative to the conditions like a throttle providing smoother operation,” says Peter Nolet, IMTRA Corporation’s thruster product manager, the U.S. distributor for Side-Power. “The ‘hold’ feature is very popular. The SE170 is the most popular size for a 50-foot cruising boat and delivers 374 foot-pounds of thrust, and is used on models like the Fleming 55 and a Princess 56. With our full range of Side-Power Thrusters being available in On-Off or Proportional Control, we can meet any customer’s expectations.”
With the proper size electric motor for the bow thruster, the boat should hold its bow off the dock in a 20-knot wind. However, there’s a misconception surrounding the amount of time you can run an electric bow thruster.
“The common misconception is that you can only run the bow thruster for a few seconds,” says Nolet. “Side-Power Thrusters are designed to be run continuously in one direction for three minutes. When pulsing the On-Off thruster, you will get around six minutes of operation. We rarely hear about the motor’s thermal protection tripping, which is a testament to our purpose-built motors. If you have a Side-Power and are only getting a short run time, I would suggest you service the thruster.”
Vetus’ most popular model for a 50-foot cruising boat is the BOW12524D. “This unit is delivered with a single six-blade Delrin propeller which provides 308 foot-pounds of thrust,” says Deboy. “The single propeller allows greater flexibility for installation of the tunnel and thruster. The BOW12524D offers a standard run time of 2.5 minutes per hour and can be ordered as an extended run version, BOW1254DE, with 10 minutes of run time per hour for demanding applications.”
The percentage of new boats with factory installed bow thrusters has increased over the years with an additional increase in bow thrusters on boats under 30 feet. Bow thrusters give owners moving into larger boats the confidence to operate the vessels without worry.
“For 2017 we are offering a new range of retractable thrusters from 3-13 horsepower as well as improving our controller systems,” says Harcourt Schutz, general manager of Lewmar USA. “The new controllers will make dual thruster use easier and more intuitive. You will also see more emphasis on small boat systems.”
Lewmar’s 185TT bow thruster is a popular choice for 50-foot cruising boats. The 8-hp unit offers equal thrust in each direction without the complexity of dual-prop thruster. Its fully sealed lower unit doesn’t require an oil reservoir, which means there’s no maintenance of the lower leg. The propeller is a spline-driven, five-blade wheel for maximum efficiency. “Smaller boat owners are really seeing the benefits of having the addition of a thruster as standard equipment,” says Schutz. “This is creating a much higher level of comfort and confidence when docking, and that is often one of the most stressful parts of boating.”
McMurdo announces new EPIRB distress beacons that can support each of the four frequencies used in search and rescue.
We are in a day and age in which new technology and products are announced on nearly a daily basis that are designed to keep us safe, whether we’re traveling on land, in the air or on the water. Yet, emergency situations still occur. Search and rescue responders are depended on to react to distress calls, locate persons in life-threatening situations and bring them to safety. All of those actions, however, depend on the responders having received the distress signal in the first place. Many times, the distress signal is dispatched by emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs), which use specific frequencies.
McMurdo, a provider of emergency readiness and response products and part of the Orolia Group, now offers a new line of EPIRBs that combines multiple frequencies into one product, which speed up the search and rescue process. McMurdo’s SmartFind and Kannad SafePro EPIRBs will be the world’s first distress beacons that can support each of the following four frequencies and converges them into one beacon: 406MHz and 121.5MHz for beacon transmission, GNSS for location positioning and AIS for localized connectivity.
The multiple-frequency capability enables quicker detection, excellent positioning precision, better signal reliability, and consequently, people or vessels in distress can be rescued sooner. Company spokesperson Justine Heeley was quoted in a press release as saying “With this announcement, we continue our long tradition of market leadership and product innovation in the maritime industry. From GMDSS shipsets to AIS man overboard devices to personal locator beacons, and now with these latest EPIRB advancements, we are dedicated to developing state-of-the-art technologies that keep people safe while navigating our world’s waterways.”
Most EPIRBs use 406MHz and 121.5MHz frequencies via satellite communication to provide location and positioning data to search and rescue personnel worldwide whose location could be several hundred miles away. Extra AIS channels on McMurdo’s new EPIRB products—SmartFind G8 AIS and Kannad SafePro AIS—will send position signal information to standard AIS electronic equipment on nearby vessels for complementary local tracking and rescue capabilities.
Additional benefits include expanded satellite connectivity since the EPIRBs have a multiple GNSS satellite constellation receiver supporting the Galileo constellation (when it is completely operational), GPS and GLONASS. The benefit of advanced GNSS data processing produces earlier position recognition and improves emergency site accuracy.
The McMurdo SmartFind and Kannad SafePro EPIRBs are part of a comprehensive search and rescue ecosystem the company offers—distress beacons, satellite ground stations, mission control and rescue coordination systems, and rescue response products. McMurdo builds, integrates and tests products as part of a live search and rescue system. This safeguards greater cohesion between distress signal transmission and reception so that beacon owners are assured that their signals reach search and rescue authorities quickly in order for help to be dispatched.
The McMurdo SmartFind and Kannad SafePro EPIRBs are designed to be 100 percent compatible with the Medium Earth Orbit Search and Rescue System (MEOSAR), the next generation of the Cospas-Sarsat international search and rescue satellite system that has helped to save over 40,000 lives since 1982. MEOSAR will increase the speed and accuracy of beacon signal detection and location with new MEOSAR ground network infrastructure and additional MEOSAR satellites. When fully deployed, a MEOSAR-compatible beacon can be located—within five minutes of signal deployment—to within 328 feet an estimated 95 percent of the time, all without reliance on GNSS. McMurdo currently manufactures about half of the world’s MEOSAR infrastructure and is also leading the design of additional MEOSAR-capable beacons under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program’s HELIOS project.
According to Bruce Reid, CEO of the International Maritime Rescue Federation, McMurdo’s new EPIRB products contribute significantly to accomplishing a unified search and rescue vision. “The convergence of products and systems whether AIS and 406MHz or maritime domain awareness and search and rescue, respectively, will require a comprehensive understanding of the entire search and rescue ecosystem. I look forward to seeing more McMurdo solutions and innovations that will shape the search and rescue industry for years to come,” said Reid in a press release. Airbus, Boeing, the British Royal Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA, NASA, and others are among the hundreds of aviation, fishing, government, marine, and military customers around the world that rely on McMurdo products.
Looking for the perfect gift for your favorite mate? Take a look at this offerings in Southern Boating’s 2015 Holiday Gift Guide.
The Burano Wheel by Stella is a head turner that can enhance any boat’s decor. Schmitt & Ongaro Marine’s new offering is suited for cruisers, runabouts, ski and wakeboard boats, and upscale pontoons. MSRP $275; schmittongaromarine.com
Coastal Art Maps capture the be
auty of the shoreline on hand-drawn maps. Take your pick from 28 maps or send in y
our custom order. MSRP from $110; coastalartmaps.com
Designed in the shape of a sailboat, RHINSHU creates unique sounds to mimic acoustic wooden instruments. Enjoy hours of music with positive therapeutic benefits. MSRP $2,950; rinshu.net/en
Don’t get wet feet! The Giller Men’s Shoe from Tucket Footwear is named for the “gills” on the sides and outsoles, which allow water to drain instantlly. MSRP $60;tucketfootwear.com
Smathers & Branson introduces their holiday line that includes boating inspired hand-stitched and needlepoint products such as these iPhone cases. MSRP $39.50;smathersandbranson.com
Moisturize your first mate’s sun-drenched skin! Jindilli’s Hydra-Opulence body lotionis a unique formula combining macadamia oil and aloe vera. MSRP $29.99;jindilli.com
Protect your personal electronics with their own wetsuit! Gulf Marine Technologies’ FrogSuits are waterproof, brightly colored and well-padded. They float if they go overboard but include a lanyard to secure it to your boat. MSRP from $30; gulfmarinetech.com
The shade you need for fun under the sun. Pawleys by Costa feature a combo of high quality Monel metal and nylon. Pictured: Retro tortoise with blue mirror. MSRP $259; costadelmar.com
Sling it over your shoulder for hands-free carrying! The IceMule is a portable, soft-sided ice bag that’ll keep ice frozen for up to 24 hours.MSRP starts at $49.95. icemulecoolers.co
Show your love for the ocean with one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry from master inlay artist Craig Lavin. Custom orders are welcome. MSRP contact company; handcraftinlay.com
REACTOR introduces its limited edition Ionic Poseidon, replacing the monochrome look of most watches with an iridescent, color changing finish using a process borrowed from the knife industry. MSRP $1,250; reactorwatch.com
Nautical Scout‘s silicone, collapsilble cookware saves space on board. Choose kettles, pots, pans, steamers, and more! Seven-liter bucket MSRP is $31.99; nauticalscout.com
Most yachtsmen dream about cruising to an exotic destination. Turn dreams into plans withDream Cruising Destinations: 24 Classic Cruises Mapped and Explored.MSRP $25; bloomsbury.com
The Matador Droplet wet bag is the ideal compact solution for aprés-swim garments and towels! It fits on a keychain and expands large enough to hold a whole outfit or a dripping wetsuit. MSRP $14.99; matadorup.com
Explore the underwater world with your personal drone. Deeptracker’s easy to use robotic camera can take you to depths up to 450 feet. MSRP contact company. deeptrekker.com
Take your pick among this limited edition of Hand-Beaded Nautical Pillows from MMDesigns for a simple and chic decor that reflects your passion for the ocean. Available in eight different patterns. MSRP $150;mmdesignsllc.com
Spice up your onboard meals with this selection of unique aromas from faraway lands. RawSpiceBar is a subscription box that delivers freshly ground, exotic spices that aren’t available in most grocery stores. MSRP $6/month;rawspicebar.com
Expand your boat with an inflatable, terrace platform that extends your entertainment area— and fun! ProPad is a new portable platform that extends around the transom and motors and is available in several sizes. Contact seller for MSRP; propadusa.com
by Nathalie Gouillou, Southern Boating Magazine December 2015
