Stylish Sounds
For some yachtsmen, music is almost as intrinsic as water is to the boating experience. Fusion Entertainment’s revamped Signature Series speakers have CURV composite construction that pairs silk tweeter domes with an upgraded woofer magnet system in a True-Marine package for the spray and salt of the oceangoing environment. Fusion’s Signature Series speakers are available in 6.5- ($399 to $419), 7.7- ($449 to $479) and 8.8-inch ($529 to $559) models and can be ordered with newly redesigned white or silver/chrome sport grills for a more modern onboard look.
Skinny-Data Comms
Looking to stay connected at sea? RedPort Global’s Glow ($1,795) operates on Iridium’s satellite network, providing access to low-bandwidth data communications, anywhere. Modest-size satellite systems don’t deliver the speed or bandwidth of a VSAT or FleetBroadband terminal, but they allow users to send and receive compressed email and images, and get weather data or PredictWind forecasts. Glow can also keep users connected on social media while enabling texting and providing a user-configurable firewall that determines which devices can send and receive data.
Steady Talker
Ocean Signal’s ATB100 AIS Class B device is built to help boaters avoid collisions. The ATB100 (call for pricing) is NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000, USB and Wi-Fi compatible. It uses an external GPS antenna (included) that delivers 99 acquisition channels and 33 tracking channels. Critically, the 5-watt ATB100 broadcasts once every five seconds, rather than the once-every-30-seconds reporting scheme used by more common 2-watt AIS Class B units. This repetition matters for fast-moving vessels, and it helps to ensure that a signal doesn’t get lost or delayed in heavily trafficked waters.
MOB Saver
While no electronic man-overboard solution is as safe as carrying a personal locator beacon and an AIS beacon, some boaters prefer less pocket heft. Weems & Plath’s CrewWatcher ($89) relies on a compact crewmember-carried beacon and an app that plays nicely with most smartphones and tablets. Should a crewmember fall overboard, the app detects that the beacon has skipped its geofence and triggers an alarm. The app then provides position information on where — and at what time — the MOB incident unfurled, as well as a virtual compass that helps rescuers find their mate.
