Category: NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K

17

Yacht Devices Run Indicator and Alarm Button, alarmingly flexible

Yacht Devices Limited builds an impressive array of clever devices that solve specific needs aboard your vessel. Recently they’ve introduced a NMEA 2000 run indicator to monitor circuits aboard your boat and an alarm module that can notify you of problems or provide a man overboard button. These new products build on their impressive array of capabilities and make monitoring your boat easier and more powerful.

37

Furuno SCX20 & SCX21 satellite compasses, the impressive demo at NMEA

While Furuno has just introduced powerful new TZT3 multi-function displays and NXT solid-state radars, that’s all the more reason to highlight their remarkable new SCX satellite compass design. After seeing prototypes demonstrated on the water, I believe that the technology delivers much more than similar sensors at a reasonable cost with lots of install flexibility. In fact, I expect to eventually see the SCX20 mounted on boats that don’t even have other Furuno gear and hope to see other brands develop similar multi-sensors…

3

Actisense bring industry-first intelligent in-line NMEA terminator to market

Marine electronics specialist, Actisense, have unveiled a world and industry first: TER-U – a smart universal micro-terminator for the NMEA 2000 bus. What makes the TER-U unique is that it acts as an intelligent diagnostic terminator which provides instant feedback as to the state of the NMEA 2000 bus onboard. It is also a universal terminator…

27

Digital Switching gets easier, cheaper, and more compelling

Until recently digital switching has only been seen on newly built, high-end boats. Now, Maretron and CZone both have digital switching products that can be retrofitted by a boat owner or pro installer and cost under $500. But, are these products easy to install and will the boat owner benefit from the installation? Read on to find out.

10

Kobelt Vitals: a new sensing, monitoring, and gateway powerhouse

Long Maretron experience has taught me that the key benefit of boat monitoring is not screens of sensor readings, though they can be useful; it’s warnings and alarms. Done right — which is not easy — they can help a boat operate longer without major issues, but with a more relaxed operator. So I’m pleased to report that the new Kobelt Vitals offers similarly sophisticated alerting in a freshly thought-out, reasonably priced, and very flexible design that may be just right for many mid-size vessels…

34

Better waste tank monitoring with Maretron

Have Another Day’s waste tank monitors have never been very accurate and that’s only gotten worse as time has gone by. In well over 10,000 nautical miles of cruising we’ve only overflowed a waste tank once, but that’s once too many. So, when the gauges on both tanks recently seemed to completely stop working, I decided it was time to find a new solution.

MoB alarm generated by Digital Yacht TriNav GPS160 button 4

Digital Yacht TriNav GPS160 & NMEA 2000 MoB buttons

When Digital Yacht announced their TriNav GPS160, I was impressed with the details. For starters, it offers high-performance GPS for $190, and it can integrate with most any navigation electronics environment because it has numerous interface options and its various user-selectable settings are done internally with good old DIP switches. But the cherry on top is support for a manual MoB alarm button that should work with most any current multifunction display, along with some PC charting programs and mobile apps…

2

VHF-Reimagined – Vesper Marine Announces Cortex

Vesper Marine, a leading manufacturer of innovative marine electronics, announced today a revolution in marine VHF with the release of Cortex. Completely redefining the VHF experience, Cortex is the world’s first radio with wireless touchscreen handsets, built-in Class B SOTDMA smartAIS transponder and remote vessel monitoring.