Aug 28, 2018
Smartphone/tablet screens are difficult to see out on the water, especially wearing polarized sunglasses. But sailors need wind speed, wind angle and boat speed. Version 2.3 of the SailTimer Wind Gauge™ app on Android has just been released, and takes another step into the post-screen era. No screen needed; the app just tells you the wind conditions and boat speed, when they change more than set amounts. It is a new approach to sailboat navigation, like having a little voice in your ear.
This solves the problem of mounting a tablet/phone in the cockpit to keep it protected and dry. The wireless SailTimer Wind Instrument™ transmits on Bluetooth from the masthead to your tablet/phone. The Wind Gauge app then simply announces wind conditions and boat speed, either as they change or if you tap the screen. This is only audio; the app does not listen and cause privacy concerns.
It works great with a wireless speaker, as in the video demo above. The speaker is easy to hear out on the water (since sailboat cockpits are usually pretty quiet, and don’t have a loud motor noise). The same as if you had a tactician beside you reading out updates. We have never seen anything else like this. It is pretty amazing to use! You don't need to look at a screen, your hands are free, and as soon as there is a change you just know the information you need.
Turn the audio feedback off/on with Audio Navigation in the menu. Then whatever wind data is being displayed on screen gets audio feedback too (audio is also being added to the SailTimer tacking app on iOS). Tapping the screen will give you an audio readout of all of the data. But even that is a bit inconvenient if the tablet is stored safely away, or you have your hands full sailing and navigating. So, you can set the Audio Intervals as shown above, to hear wind conditions and boat speed automatically if they change by set amounts.
To watch an informational video, check out: https://youtu.be/FBNmau3GlYo
Corporate Profile - Dometic Outdoor Global Marine Division
Dometic Outdoor Global Marine Division is one organization that has set the bar high globally on quality standards in all aspects of its operation. From its human resources practices to its product development and manufacturing standards, the company strives for 110% in all it does. Dometic’s Vancouver, British Columbia design and manufacturing facility is the largest marine focused company in Canada. Its global standards are admirable, and our entire industry can learn from its leadership and positive practices.
In 1962, Dometic (then under the name Teleflex) developed, launched, and marketed a mechanical steering system and with its success came the first hydraulic steering in 1983 and No FeedBack Steering in ’91.
Read More
Every Tuesday we publish a fresh Digest with informative articles pertaining to the Canadian boating and marine industry. Stay up to date with the latest products, research and industry developments.
Missed an Issue of Boating Industry Canada News Week? If you're looking for a specific issue, or simply want to catch up on previous issues, check out our Boating Industry Canada News Week Archives.
Not signed up for News Week? Subscribe here.
The 10th edition of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (MEBC) has wrapped up at the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) and it gives a compelling look at the future of electric boating.
The MEBC was started in 2014 as a competition between university teams who built and raced boats powered only by solar power and batteries. To encourage more participation from institutions that may not have naval architecture or boat construction expertise, the YCM introduced the Energy Class competition. The club supplies the student teams with the same one-design catamaran hull, and each team adds their own cockpit and propulsion system that can be powered by any renewable alternative energy sources, not just solar.
Read More
Torqeedo announces new structure and names business unit management
Left to right: Matthias Vogel, Fabian Bez, Sven Mostoegl
Torqeedo, the global market leader for electric mobility on the water, announced on July 18th, the creation of two dedicated business units and named their managers. Matthias Vogel will lead the Customized Solutions unit, and Sven Mostögl will lead the Branded Retail line.
“The new Customized Solutions business unit will serve our marine industry and commercial maritime clientele with a dedicated team of experts in sales, application engineering, customer service, and after-sales service,“ said Fabian Bez, CEO of Torqeedo GmbH.
Read More
