SailTimer Inc. made the first masthead anemometer that could transmit to smartphones and tablets. It can work with (A) all of the interesting new apps on Android/iOS and also (B) with NMEA marine electronics like MFDs.
Last month, Canadian based ZOLEO announced the launch the world’s first truly seamless global messaging and personal safety solution for smartphone users who venture beyond mobile coverage.
Since the days of the astrolabe, sailors have looked to the skies to determine the weather. If only those ancient mariners had Sirius XM service, the whole thing might have been a lot simpler.
We cruising boaters often go places we have never been. Cruisers and fishing enthusiasts sometimes arrive in the dark, get caught in the fog or find what looks like a good anchorage, but do not have recent chart information or survey data to know if the anchorage is safe.
As boaters we all have a very unique connection to the water and all the opportunities it presents. And for most taking care of our lakes and waterways is very important, both for our own use and future generations.
This past decade has been a real up-and-down ride for the companies who make boating equipment. When the recession hit in 2008/2009, new product development for most manufacturers ground to a sharp halt as they focused on more pressing issues, like simply keeping the lights on.
While the basics of boat hull design hasn’t changed that much over the years, the same cannot be said for marine electronics. Indeed, the explosive growth in this market has changed the way we go boating and it continues to do so at an accelerated pace.
We are all looking to gain a little more time these days, and technology is often the route we pursue to find solution that will grant us more time for other things, even if that is just sunning on the bow or getting in the next chapter of that book you can’t put down.
Last year when this column launched a good deal of time was spent understanding global satellite navigation systems and which systems Apple and Android devices were able to connect to.
For a gloomy February we look not only at how an app that works within your phone can be of benefit to mariners but take a look at an interesting ‘pocket gadget’ that connects...
Lifestyle
The Secret Salmon Recipe – Finally Revealed!
It was during our annual trip to Nova Scotia that I was made aware of the special recipe for cooking salmon that was being held very tightly by an individual in Chester Nova Scotia. It was said that for several years this individual would show up at parties with this cooked salmon that became the centre of attention. Several people tried to pry the recipe from him - or was it the secret ingredients - or maybe some magic dust - that made this salmon so sought after?
One of our Galley Guy associates, Jim Grove was also on this list of seekers wanting to pry the recipe from Robert Helms, but to no avail.
Read more about The Secret Salmon Recipe...............
DIY & How to
What’s a yacht and small craft marine surveyor worth?
By Mike Schwarz
Pause for a moment and ponder this question. How much is your life and your safety at sea worth? Most people would say priceless and impossible to put a value on. And yet many people seem to misunderstand the worth and principle role of a marine surveyor, whose very job it is to ensure your safety at sea by surveying, inspecting and reporting on your expensive, potential new purchase. Instructing a marine surveyor to work on your behalf should never be seen as a distress purchase where price is the all-important factor, rather it is an essential requirement.
Read more about Small Craft Marine Surveyors........................
Boat Reviews
Excess 12 and Excess 15
By Kieran Flatt
Catamarans have many advantages for cruising: more space, more speed, no heeling and a more comfortable motion. However, many experienced sailors find them less rewarding and engaging to sail than a monohull. That isn’t an inherent problem with multihulls, though. Rather, it reflects the fact that most cruising cats built in the last ten years have been aimed primarily at the charter market, designed above all to be docile and easy for novices to handle.
Read more about the Excess 12 and 15....................
Destinations
Looking for a boating adventure? set your course to Ucluelet
On the west coast of Vancouver Island Ucluelet is straddled between the famous Pacific Rim and the iconic Broken Islands.
The Ucluelet Boat Basin is steps away from the downtown core, and half-way between the iconic Long Beach and the Wild Pacific Trail
You are encouraged to take advantage of the untamed nature and sublime scenery while surfing, hiking, and enjoying the wildlife. Make the Ucluelet your base for exploration and adventure.
Read more about Ucluelet......................
See What You Cannot See
Electronic innovations that allow you to see in the dark, in the fog and in the depths
We cruising boaters often go places we have never been. Cruisers and fishing enthusiasts sometimes arrive in the dark, get caught in the fog or find what looks like a good anchorage, but do not have recent chart information or survey data to know if the anchorage is safe. We wander up rivers and into corners of small harbours in search of shelter or to pursue a particular finned prey.
Read more about Boating Electronic Innovations...............
