Electronics+Navigations

Faster, Brighter and Smarter

by Tim Bartlett, Posted September 21, 2010

It’s been an interesting year for everyone interested in the future of GPS. Last year, the Government Accountability Office published a report saying that it was “uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption.” The reason, said the GAO, was that almost half the existing GPS satellites—all designed with a

Safe, Sound and Visible

by Adam Cort, Posted September 14, 2010

Seaview Sail Pods from PYI house and protect your steering instruments while ensuring you can still see them clearly. Sail Pods are available in four sizes, with faceplates that can be custom pre-cut to order. Each Sail Pod comes with a UV-resistant ABS plastic housing and stainless steal rail mounts. Enclosed wire runs protect cables and sockets from moisture and snagging.A number of

See the Wind at Night

by Adam Cort, Posted September 14, 2010

The new Tri-Color Anchor Navigation Light from Signal Mate uses a clear window on top to allow the white stern light to shine upward. This extra beam of light then illuminates the wind vane’s reflective patches whenever the light is on, eliminating the need to click on the anchor light to make the wind indicator visible—an incorrect and dangerous practice that can be confusing to other boats in

Easy Reading

by Sail Staff, Posted August 10, 2010

Easy Reading Sailmon instruments are fully configurable, which means data can be presented in a range of different colors, digit sizes and orientations to meet your crew’s unique needs. Equally vibrant in the dark and in direct sunlight, the monitors can be mounted vertically or horizontally. Numbers can be sized anywhere from 1 1/2 in to 5 1/2 in, and the system is connected wirelessly over a

Wind Data from a Distance

by Adam Cort, Posted May 3, 2010

With a Racer’s Edge wind sensor from Catch the Wind Inc., it is now possible to precisely measure the wind direction and velocity hundreds of yards away. The handheld fiber-optic device—which was part of BMW Oracle’s technical arsenal for the 33rd America’s Cup—weighs about 18lb and uses a pulsating laser to detect what the wind is up to, an approach that allows it to work even in poor

The Top iPhone Apps for Sailing

by Mark Smith, Posted April 6, 2010

Apple's iPhone is an amazing piece of technology—it’s a full computer in a small package. As a recent convert to the iPhone, I've been exploring the world of apps to discover which ones provide something truly useful. When I searched for "sailing" in the App Store, over 150 programs popped up. Out of those, here are the three that I'd most want with me while cruising or racing.

Simple, Consistent Collision Avoidance

by Adam Cort, Posted April 5, 2010

The AIS WatchMate RX from Vesper Marine is an all-in-one, standalone collision avoidance system that comes with an internal parallel two-channel Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver, which allows it to effectively identify targets at a greater range.In operation, the AIS WatchMate RX displays class A and class B vessel positions, voyage data, navigation aids, AIS safety messages

See and Be Seen: NXR displays

by Sail Staff, Posted March 10, 2010

It is always frustrating on a raceboat when you can’t see the numbers on the instrument display. This shouldn’t be a problem, though, with the 21/2 -inch digits on the new NXR line of instruments from Nexus Marine. An inverted LCD display makes the numbers easy to read at night without ruining your night vision. Each display can also run either a green or red background, making it clear which

Tacktick T104 Instruments

by Peter Nielsen, Posted December 21, 2009

I’d been thinking about installing new sailing instruments for a year before I finally took the plunge. The difficulty of choosing between several excellent makes was one problem. Another was the hassle factor; the significant amount of labor involved in running cables around the boat and installing the display heads. This accounts for much of the cost of upgrading instruments. The more I thought

Keep Your Monitor in the Clear

by Adam Cort, Posted December 21, 2009

All too often the problem with cockpit navigation monitors is keeping them in clear view when you’re under sail. Take a seat immediately behind the helm, and life is good. But find a comfy perch steering to windward, and the next thing you know you’re continually having to crane your neck to keep an eye on where you are with respect to those pesky shallows off to leeward; same can be said for