IBI News reports that B&G will demonstrate its RemoteVision wireless autopilot/instrument control system at the Southampton International Boat Show in September. Can't find anything about it, except for a short quote from Conrad Humphreys, who will be skippering HELLOMOTO during the Vend�e Globe.
"RemoteVision is smaller than a palm PC and features a full LCD graphical screen and simple four-button control. It utilises wireless technology to instantly send and receive signals from B&G's h2000 Hercules and Hydra pilots and instruments. All readings from the instruments can be viewed on the RemoteVision anywhere on a vessel, "be it at the top of a 60ft mast in torrential weather or down in the galley preparing a meal," said the company."
Motor Boating Magazine takes a look at one of the ships participating in the Nordhavn Atlantic Rally, a high-seas adventure from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to Gibraltar. There's a lot of electronics stuff on board this ship... Here are some of the highlights:
-�It�s the autopilot that�s the most important thing,� he says. And for autopilots, Kinney selected two Furuno NavPilot 500s and added a SC 60 GPS satellite compass."
-"The first display supports Furuno�s 1953C chartplotter with a powerful 12-kW radar for 72-mile range and 1.2-degree horizontal beam width for accurate target separation."
-"The second chartplotter, an 1833C, uses a smaller radar with dome antenna that will pump out 4-kW of power for a range of about 36 miles"
-"Called NT-Link, this is a little sister to C-MAP�s rugged commercial product, only it�s coupled with the NT recreational cartography. One notable feature of NT-Link is its ability to handle online chart updates."
-"But the real heart of the navigation package is Furuno�s NavNet system, which allows for multiple sensor displays on three different display screens�the two 10.4" monitors in the pilothouse and an additional 7" remote display on the bridge."
The early adopters of marine electronics can be found in the competitive fishing scene. Here's a story on a guy who outfitted his boat to the fullest extend. Like the article says: "he'll be at the helm of a boat with a control panel that resembles the Starship Enterprise"
"An impressive array of electronics -- everything from a laptop computer and wireless monitors to color sonar, a Lowrance LCX-104C, and global positioning system technology -- covers the dashboard of Samson's 20-foot Crestliner walleye fishing machine. As technological trappings go, not even Mr. Spock or Capt. Kirk could claim bragging rights over Samson."
Humminbird's SmartCast Fish Finder Watch has been out for a while, and I've written about it before. But here is another link to it since a new weblog called Wrist Dreams has found out about it as well. They also highlight some other watches for marine use.
"The sensor reads water depth up to 100' with a 90� sonar beam to find the sport where fish hide. All controls are operated from the one-touch wrist unit, including the fish proximity alarm, sensitivity level, depth range, and fish identifier. The remote sensor provides 400 hours of continuous usage, and automatically shuts off after it is removed from water to conserve battery life." (Humminbird's Smartcast at Amazon.com)
A new solution from WeatherData for those of you who prefer to sail the coastal waters, since it won't work if you are to far away from land... Apparently they have some special marine features as well, but it was originally developed with land based applications in mind.
"Special features will be available for marine use including marine charts for the U.S. and surrounding coastal waters, and reports on wave height, buoy observations, high surf advisories and tide data tables. A future version of Storm Hawk will also offer predicted radar that includes the location of storms ten to 30 minutes into the future and will provide the location and prediction of cloud-to-ground lightning with up to 97 percent accuracy, a WeatherData exclusive service."
Engadget discusses Garmin's new plug-and-play systems (GPSMAP 3010C & 3006C) that put GPS, weather, sonar, radar, and other important data at boaters� fingertips. It also highlights Garmin's proprietary Marine Network, yet another alternative to NMEA 2000, the standard that somehow takes a long time to mature. One of the advantages of the Garmin approach is that it uses ethernet as a backbone. Since ethernet cables can be used for powering devices as well, this will make a supposedly plug and play boat network a lot less complicated in terms of wiring...
"From Garmin, a couple of new waterproof GPS handhelds designed specifically for seafarers. The GPSMAP 3010C (pictured above) has a 10.4-inch color LCD screen, while the GPSMAP 3006C has a smaller 6.4-inch screen. Both of them work with the Garmin Marine Network, Garmin's new line of peripherals that you can attach to the handhelds. The first two to be available will be the GDL 30, which connects to XM's satellite weather service and can download real-time graphical weather data (there's another version, the GDL 30A, if you want to tune into satellite radio, too), and the the GSD 20, for adding sonar. A marine radar attachment should be ready sometime next year."
Through Naval Technology I found some interesting rugged hardware. Some of the highlights:
This one looks like it could have been a good case modding project from a navy adept. But the specs will show that, if you require a PC on board, this one is built for it. It can be shock mounted and is sort of mobile as well...
Israeli BES System's"RCS-PC, and Mini RCS-PCs are rugged PC compatible computers specially designed and qualified for use in harsh Naval, Airborne and Ground mobile military environment. RCS-PC is built for full size ISA and/or PCI cards."
Miltope's Centrino laptop doesn't require a laptop bag, for that reason alone I've listed it here. Although not submersible like Itronix GoBook MAX, it's easy to carry around and definitely looks tough.
"The Miltope TSC-750M, featuring the new Intel� CentrinoTM Mobile Technology is the most versatile and compact rugged-militarized laptop computer available today. Designed and manufactured in the USA, the TSC-750M has been successfully qualified to MIL-STD-810/461/464. The TSC-750M also delivers the fastest-yet 3D video thanks to its ATI MOBILITYTM RADEONTM 9000 graphics accelerator � dramatically enhancing all aspects of the visual experience in every application."
My personal favorite is the GDC4S Mission Data Tool (MDT). It is a ruggedized PDA with a 400MHz Xscale Processor, BlueTooth, GPS and embedded radio interface. But the MDT's looks and form factor somehow really caught me.
"Mission Data Tool (MDT) - The Mission Data Tool (MDT), the latest product in the CHS-2 arsenal of rugged computing devices. The MDT is a ruggedized PDA that hosts Pocket PC 2002 as an operating system. Additionally, it can support a customer-ported LINUX environment. The MDT has been engineered to survive the rigors of the tactical battlefield, and has incorporated extensive soldier feedback into its design. The resulting product is a computing device that will be readily accepted by the deployed warfighter and homeland defenders."
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."
Great to see that more and more marine electronics and communications functions are being integrated. Not only on a hardware level, but definitely also on a software level. What I really like about Uniden's MYSTIC, a full VHF/GPS Mapping Marine Radio, are simple functions like having a buddy list. Product design that starts with user needs is something we don't see often enough.
"Uniden is making an emphatic comeback with its new Mystic, a strikingly original and well-executed marriage of a full-on Magellan hand-held WAAS-GPS plotter and the first portable DSC-VHF radio with advanced functions like buddy lists. The two work together, plotting the origin point of incoming DSC calls and including your position with your outgoing calls (for fun or in distress). In my testing, the submersible unit demonstrated long battery life and solid performance. It comes with U.S. street and buoy maps and supports Magellan's full-detail BlueNav charts. The Mystic, which is 13" tall and lists for $699, is not a trivial gizmo to clip on your belt, but -wow!- is it capable."
A couple of weeks a go I mentioned Ascend Marine's Deep Blue Marine's Anchor Alert, a wireless anchor monitoring system. To make the anchoring experience completely wireless (except for the anchor chain...), I got a tip from Carl Midson on Coastline Technology's Windlass Radio Remote. Carl claims it's brilliant if your shorthanded on board, so check out this review in Power & Motoryacht.
"Sometimes it�s easy to inadvertently activate foredeck-mounted windlass footswitches, and cabled remotes can restrict movement around the area and often need to be passed up through a hatch, which is inconvenient at best and can be dangerous under harsh conditions. The Windlass Radio Remote allows you to control your windlass from anywhere on your boat, no matter what you�re doing and regardless of the conditions."
"RemoteVision is smaller than a palm PC and features a full LCD graphical screen and simple four-button control. It utilises wireless technology to instantly send and receive signals from B&G's h2000 Hercules and Hydra pilots and instruments. All readings from the instruments can be viewed on the RemoteVision anywhere on a vessel, "be it at the top of a 60ft mast in torrential weather or down in the galley preparing a meal," said the company."
-�It�s the autopilot that�s the most important thing,� he says. And for autopilots, Kinney selected two Furuno NavPilot 500s and added a SC 60 GPS satellite compass."
The early adopters of marine electronics can be found in the competitive fishing scene. Here's a story on a guy who outfitted his boat to the fullest extend. Like the 
Humminbird's SmartCast Fish Finder Watch has been out for a while, and I've written about it 
A new 
This one looks like it could have been a good case modding project from a navy adept. But the specs will show that, if you require a PC on board, this one is built for it. It can be shock mounted and is sort of mobile as well...
Miltope's Centrino 
My personal 
Great to 
Carl claims it's brilliant if your shorthanded on board, so check out this