Electronics+Navigations

KVH Tracphone V3

by Sail Staff, Posted May 6, 2011
KVH has been a long-term industry leader in antenna stabilization and satellite communication. Its latest V3 satellite phone delivers crisp voice calls, competitive data rates and faster connections. The cost per minute is now at a price point that will appeal to more than the megayacht crowd.The new V3 phone utilizes a stabilized antenna and a belowdecks-mounted controller/modem. The

Iridium 9555 Satellite Phone

by Sail Staff, Posted May 6, 2011
The Iridium system has gotten more robust and now has 66 low-earth-orbit satellites arrayed in a constellation that delivers Arctic-to-Antarctic coverage. One big advantage of this system is that the company has recently decided to transition to a 2015 upgrade called “IridumNEXT” that will be backward compatible. The new satellites and software will allow current sat-phones to remain fully

Nav Station to Go

by Ralph Naranjo, Posted June 14, 2011
Perhaps you like to plan your passages when you’re away from your boat. Maybe you spend a lot of time sailing on other people’s boats. Maybe you just like to take your nav gear home at the end of the day, or you like having a backup in a bag. Whatever the reason, there’s a lot to be said for being able to tote along your own tried and proven gear.My own experiences on any number of
Energy-conscious sailors worldwide are exchanging their incandescent bulbs for LED lights. LEDs work well in many applications, but some sailors find the beam they cast is too diffused to clearly spot distant objects. Pelican’s Stealthlite Rechargeable 2460 uses a rechargeable NiMH battery pack to power its strong, focused LED beam. It should allow you to spot buoys or

Channel Surfing

by Sail Staff, Posted February 6, 2009
When I started sailing, 50 years ago, electronic gear was a rarity. In fact, a knotmeter was the only electronic device aboard the first boat I sailed on. Obviously, things have evolved a lot since then. An onboard TV was once the sole province of the wealthy, but now they’re becoming increasingly common, even on fairly small boats. Some cruisers hate the idea, while others can’t do without
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