Category: Cabin & deck gear

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VETUS Marks 50 Years In The US With Key Product Developments

1973, VETUS founder Willem den Ouden opened his first brand office in the US, just nine years after den Ouden founded VETUS as a wholesaler of marine components operating from his home in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Today, VETUS has an unparalleled worldwide distribution and service network. With its headquarters in The Netherlands, direct representation in 18 countries, and distributors in many others, the company can truly call itself a global innovator…

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Three-strand or plait anchor rode? And which windlass?

Gizmo needs a new anchor rode and windlass, and in my experience replacing boat gear is a lot more satisfying if it’s also an improvement. That’s how I got interested in the somewhat new plaited 8-strand rodes that seem to offer multiple advantages over the 3-strand nylon line I’ve used all of my boating life. But, wait, does plait have its own problems…

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A cool and quiet sailboat thanks to efficient air conditioning, LiFePO4 batteries, and Integrel

I work around boats pretty much every day of my life. So, what would cause me to jump in my car and drive 28 hours round trip to go see a boat? The answer: A brand new, luxury 44-foot sailboat ordered with no generator and no air conditioning. But fear not, although it was delivered without systems many regard as required, it’s now been outfitted with arguably the best air conditioning and power systems available.

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Garmin announces Surround View, the first 360 bird’s-eye view marine camera system

Garmin International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd., the world’s largest and most innovative marine electronics manufacturer, today announced the Garmin Surround View Camera System, a breakthrough in video guidance for recreational boating and yachting. Utilizing six through-hull mounted cameras that act like multiple sets of eyes, Surround View provides a live 360-degree bird’s-eye view around the vessel to help captains quickly view their vessel’s perimeter during low-speed maneuvers, such as docking, from the helm…

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Scanstrut Announces New Waterproof Wireless Phone Charging Mat

Scanstrut announces a new addition to their groundbreaking waterproof ROKK wireless range, ROKK Wireless – Catch, the world’s first 12/24V waterproof wireless charging phone mat. Catch is one of the most convenient ways to store and wirelessly charge your phone onboard indoors or out! Designed to install onto any flat surface, perfect for use on top of boat consoles…

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Helm ergonomics #2: Gizmo’s pilothouse

“Your boat should fit like a glove!” yacht designer Dave Gerr wrote in the 1990’s, and the 2020 refit of Gizmo’s lower helm is the closest I’ve gotten to that excellent advice yet. The ergonomically arranged array of displays and controls above are also a somewhat experimental mix of PC and tablet navigation tools with dedicated marine electronics and oodles of monitoring in the background. I could talk for hours about the gear choices and install details, but the focus of this entry is how well this helm layout works