The author Thomas Friedman is making waves with his notion that our world has gotten so small that it seems flat again. I certainly see it in my little marine electronics world. One day I’m watching AIS equipped ships in Amsterdam Harbor, another I’m following scullers as they glide by a marina in Vancouver, Canada. All from my desk in Maine. And when I say “following”, I mean I’m actually operating a pan, tilt, and zoom camera with my Web browser. The camera is mounted in the cockpit of a test vessel belonging to a company called EyeOnBoard, which is using marina WiFi to give yacht owners (and its own 24/7 response center) amazing Web access to their vessels. The cameras are cool, but more important are all the sensors distributed around the boat. Take a look at this screen in the live demo (which understandably does not include the camera control). EyeOnBoard customers also benefit from the monitoring, and WiFi Internet access, when they’re aboard.
This is the first NMEA 0183 multiplexor I know of that can automatically switch to a back up input for any one of three reasons — “a failure to send any NMEA data, an invalid NMEA sentence checksum, or if the validity flag(s) contained within the NMEA sentence indicate that this data is not valid and should only be used with caution (for GPS and Depth data)”. In other words, you could have 4 GPSs (or, more likely 2 GPSs and 2 sounders) feeding the best available data to, say, a plotter and a PC…no manual backup switches needed. Very slick. Actisense’s site has lots of good information on the NSW-1, and it’s available for 260 pounds from at least one English online retailer (the U.S. distributor is Gem Electronics, 843–394–3565).
ConnectFest was one especially notable electronics event at a 2005 Miami Boat Show chock-a-block with the new and notable. NMEA rented a side room where something like 40 devices made by 12 different manufacturers were all connected into one NMEA 2000 backbone…and talking to each other. Members of the trade, press, and public all seemed dazzled by the possibilities. My photo shows a Raymarine E120 displaying data from multiple sources (I’m not even sure which engine, as there were several on line, but you’d know on your own boat). ConnectFest will make another appearance at the upcoming annual meeting of the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM). I suspect that 2005 is the year that the unfortunately named NMEA 2000 standard really gets rolling.
Brunswick's SmartCraft system is moving slowly from PR to products.
"That is why we designed SmartCraft with three independent CAN communication lines. It allows cross communication among these three CAN lines without risk of compromising the system's integrity and safety. In addition to the multi-bus design of SmartCraft, early on we also partnered with Swedish-based Kvaser AB on the use of 'CAN Kingdom' technology."
Airmar's new retractable triducer is featured by Motor Boating Magazine.
"The real advantage of this triducer is its ability to work with either analog or digital instruments that digitize data in a main housing or simply use NMEA 1083 or 2000 data. The digital triducer works with networking systems from Simrad, Furuno and Raymarine. This unit can span 45 degrees horizontally, making it perfect for use in a hull with a 22-degree deadrise. It also supports a 235-kHz frequency, so it doesn't compete with the standard 50/200-kHz frequency of fishfinders that may already be on board."
So you would like to have a system onboard that integrates virtually every electrical and digital element that can be found on a typical megayacht so that you will be able to control it from various touchscreens? Superyacht reviews a solution developed by Naviops and Romagna.
"Imagine a central system that receives data from all the on-board sensors and systems, from those in the engine room for checking working status and engine efficiency to video cameras, intrusion sensors, fuel and water tank level sensors, radar, GPS, wind station, depth-finder, electrical switchboard, bilge pump alarms, air conditioning etc.. Well, all these data arrive at a central unit where, by means of touchscreen technology monitors, they are not only visible but can be controlled: this means that if we want to switch on the air conditioning for example we can do it from a monitor, just as we can modify the lighting conditions in each environment or carry out navigation by integrating the system with the plotter."
In their own journal, NMEA is again promoting the NMEA 2000 standard. Not surprising of course, but just publishing these press-releases won't do much good. Companies involved in developing this standard will have to push new products onto the market, and they will have to balance the future of their proprietary systems against NMEA 2000. I've highlighted this before...
"The development of NMEA 2000 has been a collaborative effort within the marine electronics industry. The work done since 1999 has included 12 companies, Furuno, Kvaser, Litton, Navionics, Northstar, Raymarine, Simrad, Teleflex, Metal Marine, Trimble, Vector CANtech, Airmar and Japan Radio Corporation. By early 2004, Airmar, Raymarine, Kvaser, Simard and Teleflex have certified products using NMEA 2000."
ComNav has renewed its NX2 instrument package. Go here to see what's new about it and whether there's something in it for you...
"By displaying 40 different functions, the Multi Control is the most versatile NX2 instrument. Using the Copy and Paste feature, sailors can customize their data readouts. The Ocean Racing Pack also includes a Compass Transducer, Wind Data display, Wind Transducer, Log Transducer and Depth Transducer."
Active Research Limited claims to have a new NMEA combiner concept, with 4 NMEA inputs, one output, one RS232 in/output and a CAN interface. Judge for yourself...
"The Actisense NMEA combiner combines up to four variable baud rate NMEA channels (4800 baud default) into one standard NMEA output. In addition, it has an RS232 interface to connect to a PC, with variable baud rate, along with diagnostic and setup software, which allows the configuration of which sentences are allowed to pass through the unit, thus allowing the unit to act as a filter on overloaded data streams. The unit also has a CAN interface, to allow future compatibility with the forthcoming NMEA 2000 standard."
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."
This is the first NMEA 0183 multiplexor I know of that can automatically switch to a back up input for any one of three reasons — “a failure to send any NMEA data, an invalid NMEA sentence checksum, or if the validity flag(s) contained within the NMEA sentence indicate that this data is not valid and should only be used with caution (for GPS and Depth data)”. In other words, you could have 4 GPSs (or, more likely 2 GPSs and 2 sounders) feeding the best available data to, say, a plotter and a PC…no manual backup switches needed. Very slick. Actisense’s site has lots of good information on the 
ConnectFest was one especially notable electronics event at a 2005 Miami Boat Show chock-a-block with the new and notable. NMEA rented a side room where something like 40 devices made by 12 different manufacturers were all connected into one NMEA 2000 backbone…and talking to each other. Members of the trade, press, and public all seemed dazzled by the possibilities. My photo shows a Raymarine 
Brunswick's SmartCraft 
Airmar's new retractable triducer is 
Companies involved in developing this standard will have to push new products onto the market, and they will have to balance the future of their proprietary systems against NMEA 2000. I've highlighted this 
ComNav has renewed its NX2 instrument package. Go 
"The Actisense NMEA combiner combines up to four variable baud rate NMEA channels (4800 baud default) into one standard NMEA output. In addition, it has an RS232 interface to connect to a PC, with variable baud rate, along with diagnostic and setup software, which allows the configuration of which sentences are allowed to pass through the unit, thus allowing the unit to act as a filter on overloaded data streams. The unit also has a CAN interface, to allow future compatibility with the forthcoming NMEA 2000 standard."
"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."