OK, so I was nosing around Harkenstore.com looking for specs on some cam cleats I need for my Rhodes 18. Couldn’t help but check out the clearance section, and, wow, there beckon lots of the fine Italian boat shoes Harken started selling a few years back. I already have a pair of Torboles, which are very comfortable and beautifully made. Now I’m going to have a pair of the Rivas, right, marked way down to $40 with free ground shipping. They’re in most common sizes too, and Harken has printable shoe chart online. Thought you might want to know. Electronics later, hopefully.
I knew about “Easter Eggs”—little jokes or animations hidden behind odd key combinations in PC software, particularly games—but I just learned last week about pushing star69 on a Northstar. Apparently back in the Loran days, the key combo would display the message, “Help we’re prisoners in a Loran factory.” On the 6000i above, you get a full screen photo of the Northstar staff with a similar message taped to the factory windows. Are there other marine electronics out there with a sense of humor? By the way, the boat has four 6000i displays at one large helm, and you’ll hear more about the set up eventually.
One of the most interesting back stories in the marine electronics world is how the planet’s largest boatbuilder, Brunswick Corporation, bought up a series of companies like Navman and Northstar and formed a division called Brunswick New Technologies (BNT). The move sent shock waves through the big brands used to selling lots of product to Brunswick units like Sea Ray and Boston Whaler, or to their dealers. The presumption was that Brunswick boats would soon all come with electronics built, branded, and supported by the mother corporation. Navman, in fact, has the first color plotters and fishfinders to support SmartCraft, Mercury Marine’s (i.e., Brunswick’s) own version of NMEA 2000 CANbus. But I’ve been told that each Brunswick boatbuilder, sometimes each big dealer, is free to make their own decision about electronics packages, and there seem to be a variety of brands on new Brunswick boats. What do you all see out there? And why did BNT just acquire MX Marine, a small company solidly focussed on commercial AIS and dGPS, often under the Leica label? What’s the plan?
Dan Fales has an interesting article on AIS use during last year’s Nordhavn Rally, and Maptech just posted a chart symbol test (actually a lead in to a new, and likely well done, reference guide).
The super fine sailing newsletter Scuttlebutt is having a subscription drive, with benefits for all. If you aren't getting it, or know people who might enjoy it, for cripes sake do the clicks. The ‘Butt’ may be mostly about racing, with rarely an electronics reference, but it’s wonderfully written, covers many sailing subjects, and sometimes features stunning photos by the likes of Carlo Borlenghi (how does he do this, by the way…in a wet suit?).
Ben Ellison here, pleased to introduce myself as the new editor of Panbo.com. Yme Bosma did a fine job of starting this weblog last year, and I’m pleased to report that he’s staying on to manage and grow the technology behind it. Between us, we hope to take advantage of this new medium to create a lively window into the fascinating and fast-moving world of marine electronics.
As for me, I’m a life-long boat guy — cruiser, delivery captain, navigation instructor, almanac editor, sucker for odd vessels, etc. etc. — who’s lived on the coast of Maine since buying an old 40’ wooden sloop here in 1971. Nowadays I’m the Electronics Editor for both Power & Motoryacht and Sail magazines (who owns and enjoys both kinds of boats). I’m also an advisor for Marine Electronics Journal and write columns for Voyaging and Maine Boats & Harbors. I’ve watched yacht and work boat navigation go from RDF and celestial to satellites and PCs, and am enthusiastic to see where the heck the technology is headed next. Yme and I hope you’ll join us as a reader and/or contributor to blog about it!
Some of you will probably have noticed that posting on panbo.com is not up to speed, and it's not because there is nothing to post...;-). It will stay this way for another couple of weeks due to an extremely busy business agenda, since we are launching a new, very innovative, service at the beginning of next month that requires all of my attention.
I am at the Monaco Yacht Show today and the coming 3 days. Lots of beautiful ships and electronics over here, I will report on them later. Don't expect a lot of posts this week however... To hot to carry around a laptop;-)
"Self-contained, GPS-synchronized solar LED marine light." That sounds impressive, right...?
"Carmanah's new Model 701-GPS and 702-GPS marine lights use Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite signals as a timing tool. Each of the 24 orbiting GPS satellites has several on-board atomic clocks transmitting a time signal that is accurate to within 0.5 nanoseconds of Universal Time (UTC). Built-in GPS receivers in Carmanah's lights require only one satellite signal to precisely synchronize the beginning of each flash sequence to this time code, thereby perfectly matching the timing of any other GPS-synchronized light. Multiple lights outlining features such as port entrances, channels and navigational hazards are easier to follow and to distinguish amidst background lighting when they flash together."
If you happen to be close to Orlando next weekend, make sure you go to the 15th annual Hot Summer Boat Show... They have a seminar dedicated to marine electronics. Although targeted to novices probably.
"Get great fishing tips from Capt. Al Bernetti during his Saltwater Fishing in Florida seminar. The Marine Electronics Made Easy seminar, presented by Bethel Marine Electronics, will get you up to speed on the latest marine gadgets."
OK, so I was nosing around Harkenstore.com looking for specs on some cam cleats I need for my Rhodes 18. Couldn’t help but check out the clearance section, and, wow, there beckon lots of the fine Italian boat shoes Harken started selling a few years back. I already have a pair of Torboles, which are very comfortable and beautifully made. Now I’m going to have a pair of the Rivas, right, marked way down to $40 with free ground shipping. They’re in most common sizes too, and Harken has printable shoe chart online. Thought you might want to know. Electronics later, hopefully.
One of the most interesting back stories in the marine electronics world is how the planet’s largest boatbuilder, Brunswick Corporation, bought up a series of companies like Navman and Northstar and formed a division called Brunswick New Technologies (
Ben Ellison here, pleased to introduce myself as the new editor of Panbo.com. Yme Bosma did a fine job of starting this weblog last year, and I’m pleased to report that he’s staying on to manage and grow the technology behind it. Between us, we hope to take advantage of this new medium to create a lively window into the fascinating and fast-moving world of marine electronics. 
Hello there,
I am at the 
"Self-contained, GPS-synchronized solar LED marine light." That sounds 
If you happen to be close to Orlando next weekend, make sure you go to the 15th annual Hot Summer Boat Show... They have a seminar