SAIL launched a new magazine, BoatWorks. In the Spring 2004 issue they have some marine electronics related stories. Two of the topics that might provide you with a reason to buy the magazine are:
A Household Fridge On Board He couldn't find the fridge he wanted in the marine-supply catalog, so he strolled down to the local appliance store.
Confessions of an Autopilot Brain Surgeon No need to throw out your autopilot's healthy drive unit when all it needs is a new brain.
Fuel cells are a hot topic in many areas, ranging from cellphones to the automotive sector. However, boating could be an industry segment where this new technology can be applied very soon. It's a very efficient way to power your boat's systems.
"The vessel can obtain its raw water where ever it is, as an onboard water maker is used to purify it, so that an electrolysis unit can split the water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can then be used by fuel cells to power an electric propulsion motor (right) and supply the vessel's other onboard energy needs. When under sail, the electric motor functions as a generator, thus providing another renewable energy source."
Practical Boat Owner looks at Simrad�s new 34 series; "big-ship technology that�s hitting the small-boat market." And while you are reading the May-issue, make sure you do not skip William Sandford's GPS alert. He's from the Royal Institute of Navigation, so you'd better believe him....
"A Dual Range radar mode gives a detailed close range radar image with the ability to view a long-range overview alongside. Radar images can be overlaid onto chart images to provide the full picture, making for safer navigation and a more relaxed voyage in general."
As long as standards like NMEA 2000 take to lang to penetrate the market, more proprietary initiatives will have a chance. Brunswick's SmartCraft is definitely one of them. Onan, the marine generator set manufacturer, signed a license agreement that will allow users to read data from Onan product through the SmartCraft Networked databus system.
"The user can view genset status, including AC voltage, AC frequency, coolant temperature, oil pressure, battery voltage, and genset hours; be alerted to a pre-alarm condition; and, if the genset shuts down, view the notification and diagnostic message in text. For the boatbuilder, the common display frees up valuable space previously taken by multiple monitoring devices."
Can't find any reviews of this system, but it appears to be a nice way of securing your boat and be alerted via your cellphone when something is wrong....
"The BlueRay Marine Security System supervises your boat, reporting intruders and other key events. Intruders trigger an immediate on-board siren, while all events generate detailed alarm messages direct to your mobile phone. The EB201 sends a text message to up to four mobile phones of your choice. That means there are no on-going monitoring charges."
Not sure if it is water resistant, but this looks like a nice solution for use in the cockpit, inside or outside.
"Nobu is now shipping a 12.4" in-wall touchscreen PC running Windows XP. This computer is designed to work with home networking and automation systems. Nobu, based in Costa Mesa, CA, manufactures a variety of "PC touch screen products for clients in the Residential, Commercial, and Industrial sector."
Nowadays wireless LCD TVs still have a few disadvantages, but on a boat they could provide more flexibility when it comes to entertainment. Plug all your video sources (DVD, STB, aerial) in the base station, and use your wireless display everywhere. Its range of 50ft should be perfect for on board viewing, wether on deck or in a cabin. Let's just hope battery live will improve rapidly.
"When the signal is solid, the picture is terrific, with a wide viewing angle, high contrast and defined images characteristic of Sharp's outstanding approach to LCD (viewing on the sun deck at high noon isn't recommended, though). The issue is whether cable-free living and potentially dicey performance is worth twice the price of a wired 15-inch LCD TV."
Gizmodo points at Raymarine's new C Series Multifunction Navigation Display, a product also highlighted by Ben Ellison in SAIL Magazine.
"Raymarine's C-Series Multifunction Navigation Display is, at heart, a simple LCD monitor. What makes it powerful is its ability to serve as the interface to a wide array of Raymarine-brand equipment, including radar units, fish-finders, GPS charting units and more. Three models are available, in 7-inch, 8-inch, and 12-inch sizes, and prices vary depending on your custom configuration."
Yachting World's May issue reviews an electronic chart system, LookSea, that uses a 360-degree "pan-and-tilt" video camera and 3D interface to make navigating more easy and safe. Through the advanced technology of augmented reality, LookSea enhances your electronic navigational picture with continuous, real-time views of the surrounding ocean. LookSea happens to be a sort of spin-off from DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), where the owners of the company behind LookSea used to do research into augmented reality. And funny enough, the system was even tested on the predecessor of the U.S. Navy's High Speed Vessel (HSV) SWIFT which I wrote about yesterday.
For more reviews of this interesting system you can visit Klein Associates. At the bottom of the page you will find some relevant links.
"LookSea Pro is the most advanced electronic chart system available and can also provide a focal point for your integrated bridge system. The LookSea system takes video data from an exterior camera, converts electronic chart data into computer generated, 3D graphics and synchronizes those images with GPS and heading data to create an augmented view of your situation on a video monitor."
Never mind VHF radios with buddy lists, there is still a lot of room for error when using VHF equipment. The latest Ocean Navigator newsletter looks at the role of VHF communications in a collision avoidance context.
"Warnings continue to surface periodically about the dangers inherent in VHF communications as used for avoidance -- most because of the uncertainty of who is talking to whom. One master commented (in discussing the explosion of electronics, etc., available to the bridge) that sometimes it�s necessary not to forget to look out the window!"
A Household Fridge On Board
Fuel cells are a hot topic in many areas, ranging from cellphones to the automotive sector. However, boating could be an industry segment where this new technology can be 
Practical Boat Owner 
As long as standards like NMEA 2000 take to lang to penetrate the market, more proprietary initiatives will have a chance. Brunswick's 
Can't find any reviews of this system, but it 
Not sure if it is water resistant, but this 
Gizmodo 
Yachting World's May 
For more reviews of this interesting system you can visit 
Never mind VHF radios