We first looked at Velocitek’s Prism compass in 2019 and found a lot to like: big, easy-to-read numbers, cut-acrylic lenses that allow the numbers to be easily seen in any daylight situation and not get wonky when viewed through polarized lenses, and at just under five ounces, probably the lightest small-boat compass out there.  So, when we learned a new version was in the wings, we had to see what could possibly have been improved.  

In appearance, the New Prism is identical to the original except for one detail—a USB port on the back, sealed with a half-inch diameter plug that can be screwed in or out with a coin. Out of juice after a long day on the water?  Plug it into your computer or a wall brick, and in about six hours you can go from zero to full charge. Most times, you don’t even need to be at 100 pecent since a full charge will last more than 48 hours, so you probably won’t even need six hours of charging. No more setting the compass out in the sun for hours after racing, hoping the clouds don’t roll in before it’s recharged. 

“The USB is more of a sure thing,” says Velocitek’s Charles Swanson. “Cloudy days don’t affect it, and it doesn’t matter if the compass is tucked up in the shade under the boom.”  With this setup, the solar panel is now just a battery-extending backup.  

The other big difference is inside. The New Prism now houses the same, patented, solid-state geomagnetic sensor found in Velocitek’s top-of-the-line ProStart instrument. Two big advantages of this upgrade, says Swanson. “This magneto-inductive sensor is not influenced by temperature changes and is inherently free from offset drift. This means that the factory calibration remains valid indefinitely and in all conditions. ”

More importantly, the new sensor, combined with the more powerful charging supplied by the USB connection, allows a dramatically improved refresh rate—the number of times the screen is updated—going from the earlier Prism’s once a second to four times a second. Want to see it in action? Go through a tack and watch the numbers change. Undetectable lag time.  

Ease of use?  One button positioned on top of the compass does everything. That should put a big smile on the faces of those who have struggled with multi-button processes on various other electronic devices. Press the button and the left screen says “BAT” and displays the battery level on the right screen. Shortly after, it automatically switches to compass mode. And that’s all there is to it, unless you want to set the damping mode, done by briefly pressing the button again.  Toggle through one of three damping levels by tilting the compass. This was the trickiest part of the compass to use, as you have to press the button again at the exact moment the desired damping level appears. Miss that moment and you’re probably onto another damping level. Not a big deal though, as this is something few would often adjust. Turn off the power by holding the button down for about three seconds. Easy-peasy.

For some, the one hesitation about the New Prism is the lack of a timer. The folks at Velocitek don’t apologize for that. After all, their goal was to create a straightforward, easy-to-operate, top-level compass—nothing more. Perfection embodied. And that’s just fine with a lot of sailors. For instance, in some classes, it’s impractical to have a timer and compass in one unit, such as Nacra catamarans, which mount the compass on the bowsprit, or 49ers, which carry the compass forward of the mast. That’s a pretty inconvenient reach to change modes. Others gravitate to a single-use instrument because of a reluctance to be without compass readings in the starting sequence. Yes, you can toggle between modes, but how many of us have found ourselves locked out of one mode or the other at that critical time, often because we accidentally pressed the wrong button or we held it down too long?  

This compass doesn’t meet the needs of everyone, but if you’re looking for a fail-safe instrument that will give you quick and precise readings as well as eliminate concerns about staying charged, it’s definitely worth considering. $579.

The post A Better Electronic Compass appeared first on Sailing World.

To expand the possibilities of life on the water, technology and electronics are essential. And once you choose your electronics, their potential can only be maximized through understanding. To help you on that journey, we have created a digital destination dedicated to this category. Best Marine Electronics & Technology (BMET) is a new comprehensive resource powered by the most respected media titles in the marine industry, including sailingworld.com. Not only does BMET provide reviews of 60+ products, but offers expert advice, DIY tips and how-to instruction from our team of editors. The world of marine electronics and technology can be complicated. BMET is here to inform, educate and empower. 

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Every now and then something very cool and helpful comes along to help take some of the guesswork out of our sailing. Enter Cyclops Marine’s Smarttune turnscrew and Smartlink load sensors. Smarttune sensors are used exclusively for standing rigging applications, but the Smartlink sensor can be used just about anywhere. What’s especially cool is that you can see the data they provide in real time, and you can download all of it to a smart phone to view it on a graph or in other formats. While these sensors might not be race legal in your class (they’re not in the J/70), they are immensely useful for training. I used them on the J/70 Midlife Crisis in preparation for the 2021 World Championships in Los Angeles, California.

To display the sensor information on our J/70, we used a B&G Triton2 display, which requires the addition of Cyclops’ wireless gateway to the NMEA2000 backbone of the B&G instruments. The data is compatible with many other instrument brands and can also be viewed using the Cyclops Marine “Smart Fittings Manager” App, communicating via Bluetooth. The App allows you to review, record, graph, and save the data in multiple formats. The graphing function is especially revealing as it shows what’s happening with the rig tension, etc. as you go through settings on the dock or sailing upwind through different conditions.

For example, we always wondered what happened to the headstay load as we tightened our shrouds, so we put a Smarttune turnscrew sensor on our headstay. We thought if we were to plot the headstay load relative to the number of turnscrew turns above our base setting, the headstay load would graph as a curve. At some upper end in shroud tensioning, however, the forestay would stop getting much tighter. To our surprise, the graph was very linear—the forestay just got tighter and tighter. So, in heavy air, within the safety tolerances of the mast, we learned we could go with tighter turnscrew settings, producing a gradually tighter headstay.

The Cyclops Smarttune also reinforced the importance of getting shroud settings correct before the start so that our other settings—backstay, vang, inhaul, etc.—stay consistent. Another example: the graph clearly showed that the amount of backstay used is relative to how much shroud tension we are carrying. Not enough shroud tension and we had to carry too much backstay to hold the forestay load. Too much backstay and our mainsail got too flat, and so forth. That’s essential stuff to know.

We also used the Smartlink to help confirm and quantify what we already knew. When it’s windy, a J/70 vang is often tight when sailing upwind, so we installed a Smartlink Nano (the smallest sensor in the line) on the vang.  As we ease the main in big puffs, the downward load on the leech is transferred from the mainsheet to the vang, which bends the mast more. That, in turn, affects forestay tension. How much? The sensor quantified that for us. It also quantified how much additional headstay load we could achieve by sheeting the mainsheet harder. All told, that data helped us balance settings and sheet loads as the wind speed went up and down.

The crew of past J/70 world champions, Eat, Sleep, J, Repeat took the system a step further by adding wind instrument data into the mix, which allowed them to figure out which settings worked best in certain wind conditions. They were still able to train themselves as to what 8 knots of wind feels and looks like and duplicate proven settings for that wind range.

What would be some applications for other boats? World champion sailor Andrew Palfrey has been using these products on Etchells and 5.5 Meters to help develop accurate instincts for the trimmers on the water. “On the Etchells, the jibs have to go through such a wide wind range that headstay sag, especially in light to medium winds, is critical,” Palfrey says. “With the Cyclops sensors, we now have a reliable tool to accurately measure headstay load. It is a training tool, as they are not legal for racing in the Etchells. But they do provide factual information and help develop your eye for determining headstay sag by comparing the sag amount and luff entry angle to a given load. It’s also a great learning tool for seeing the factual effect of differing backstay and mainsheet loads on the headstay.”

The Cyclops products offer the potential of further equalizing performance between professional and amateur teams. With the Cyclops Smarttune and Smartlink and a little time sailing, it could be far easier for amateur teams to match the settings and loads of the professional teams. Top sailmakers share settings and many one-design classes have round table discussions after sailing about what top boats were doing, and with the Smarttune, especially, mid-fleet teams could learn how to achieve proper headstay tension throughout wind ranges, thus ratcheting up their performance.

The Cyclops products also have applications aboard bigger boats, since you can put them between just about anything. They are often used on blocks and lines to make sure that safe working loads aren’t exceeded. In the 2021 Transpac Race, Pyewacket, first-to-finish and new 24-hour course record holder, was equipped for this race with outriggers to optimize sheeting angles for their large downwind sails. They didn’t want to go beyond the safe working load for the outriggers, but they also wanted to be pushing the boat as hard as possible and not break anything. Adding a Smartlink to the outrigger down line allowed them to monitor the load in real time, displayed on their B&G instruments. The outriggers never failed. The Smarttune comes in five sizes (from 5/16 to 3/4″ thread diameter).  The Smartlink also comes in five sizes (from 600kg to 20 tons). The smallest in the line, the Smartlink Nano, is accurate to within ±6kg. Both Smarttune and Smartlink are factory calibrated and accurate up to ±1 percent of the sensor maximum working load. Check out Cyclops Marine for current pricing.

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Having a modern autopilot—and ­knowing how to use it—can really expand what you can do with your boat. I have a 44-foot racer/cruiser named Dark Star. A few years ago, I did a solo sailing delivery from Desolation Sound in central British Columbia to Seattle, a distance of 200 miles. This would normally be a three-day trip, but with extensive use of my B&G pilot, I was able to make the passage in 24 hours by myself. This kind of trip is not for everyone, but it was a cool experience for me, made possible because I had a good autopilot and I know how to control it reasonably well.

I use the pilot a lot on Dark Star, both for cruising and shorthanded racing. When motoring, I employ the pilot most of the time, only hand-steering in crowded locations. Of course, it is critical to maintain a proper lookout at all times. The boat will go straight, but we’re still responsible for knowing what is in our path, be it land, logs, whales or other boats. I find not having to constantly steer makes the deliveries less tiring and more fun. Plus, it allows me to get some projects done while underway. I still keep a close watch for logs and kelp, two perennial hazards in Puget Sound, typically steering around the hazard using the +10 or -10 course-change keys.

For shorthanded racing, I use the pilot mostly when sailing singlehanded and during maneuvers when I’m racing doublehanded. For example, it is far easier to hoist the main with the pilot on, so you can use all your energy to pull up the sail. The pilot is also helpful for sail changes. Use the pilot to go straight (or maintain a constant wind angle) while you prepare for the maneuver, then use the pilot to assume the correct course during and after the maneuver. Let’s say I’m hoisting the spinnaker with two people aboard. Once I have the kite rigged and ready, I will set the pilot to steer 160 degrees true-wind angle. Then the two of us can pull out the tack at our leisure and hoist the sail carefully, with one person jumping at the mast and the second tailing. Once the new sail is up, one person can go the helm, heading up to the desired angle while the second crew trims the sheet.

The pilot works best in steady conditions, although modern pilots are capable of dealing with shifty wind as well. If I am cruising or racing with a small crew, I will switch on the pilot every time I want to make an adjustment to the sails, check the chart, eat a snack, etc. Normally, I use my remote to control the pilot, which I have on a lanyard around my neck. I can control the boat’s course no matter where I am on the boat while also remembering to keep a good lookout, exercise good seamanship, and not get lazy.

I also use the pilot extensively when racing at night or when I am tired. I find I can still keep a good watch while using less energy than if I was hand-steering. Sometimes I will set an alarm just in case I nod off.

I recently upgraded my autopilot ­system on Dark Star to a B&G H5000, and man, what a difference. The pilot is now much more accurate and responsive, and capable of steering well in a lot more conditions, including under spinnaker and in shifting winds. Lately, I have been racing my boat exclusively doublehanded, so having a modern pilot is a huge benefit, and it makes racing more fun and less work. It would be really hard to race my boat well doublehanded without it. I have used my new system for about a year, so I am no expert with it, but there are a few settings and controls that I currently use. (Remember, these settings are for the B&G H5000, but other brands will offer similar functionality.)

Pilot Mode: Push “Auto” on the controller or remote to engage (pilot steering to course), then push “Mode” to toggle between compass, true-wind angle and apparent-wind angle (pilot steering to wind angle). Push “Standby” to disengage.

Change Course in Compass Mode: From the controller or remote, push +1 for a 1-degree right turn, push +10 for a 10-degree right turn, push -1 for a 1-degree left turn, and push -10 for a 10-degree left turn.

Change Course in AWA or TWA Mode: From the controller or remote, push +1 for a 1-degree bear away, push +10 for a 10-degree bear away, push -1 for a 1-degree head up, and push -10 for a 10-degree head up. For 95 percent of situations, that is all I need, but using the pilot to help with tacking and jibing is incredibly helpful, and there are ­several modes to use.

Tacking in Compass Mode: First prepare the boat to tack. When ready, push +1 and +10 together to turn right, or -1 and -10 together to turn left. The boat will start to tack. The change of course is set in Setup>Sailing>Tack Angle>80 degrees. The rate of turn can be controlled in the “Tack Time” parameter: Setup>Sailing>Tack Time>8 sec.

Tacking in Wind Mode (Either TWA or AWA): Prepare the boat and sails to tack. When everything is ready, push +1d and -1d together for a couple of seconds. When you see the confirmation box, push +1d to confirm. The boat will start to tack. The new final course will mirror the wind angle before the tack.

Jibing: The procedure is the same as tacking. If the TWA is greater than 70 degrees, the boat will jibe instead of tack.

Another important control is the Pilot Response. This is my most often-used ­control. It manages the overall response of the pilot steering. There are five settings between Perf 1 (low response, low power use) and Perf 5 (high response, high power use). The keystrokes from any display are as follows: Main Menu>Response>Perf 3. You want to start with a lower setting, then increase it if the boat can’t keep course, either because of sea state or variable wind. So, use Perf 1 for flat water and steady wind, but Perf 4 for shifty wind or big waves.

Another control that is adjusted less often is Auto Response. This controls the rate the pilot reacts to any environmental influences on the boat’s desired course. For this, go to Menu>Steering>Auto Response>Economy, Normal or Sport. Recovery Function allows the user to set the sensitivity to course errors, and how the pilot reacts to unexpected events. If this is enabled, the pilot will switch to Perf 5 for a short period to correct course. The path here is: Menu>Steering>Recovery>Narrow (most responsive), Medium or Wide.

Heel Compensation applies a preemptive rudder correction in response to heel. The path here is: Sailing>Heel Compensation>Enable, then Sailing>Heel Compensation>1 through 10.

Rudder Gain controls the amount of rudder used for a given course error, especially at low response levels. The path here is: Installation>Commissioning>Sea Trial>Rudder Gain>3.

Cruising Speed sets the baseline speed, usually close to the hull speed of your boat. The path here is: Steering>Limits>Cruising Speed>7 knots.

Auto Trim corrects for persistent course errors by looking at the rudder offset. To set this up, follow: Installation>Commissioning>Sea Trial> Auto Trim>60 seconds.

Adapt is a cool steering algorithm that continues to learn variables that are essential for steering performance. To get to this function: Installation>Commissioning>Sea Trial>Adapt>Enable.

If Wind Mode is enabled, the pilot will automatically switch from apparent-wind angle upwind to true-wind angle downwind (at 70 degrees TWA). I like to enable this because I prefer AWA upwind and TWA downwind. To set this: Sailing>Wind Mode>Auto.

One other tip I’ll share is to wait to engage the pilot until the boat is stable and going straight. Then push the Auto button on either the remote or the controller. Wait a few seconds to make sure the pilot is engaged and doing well before you walk away. I often start out in Compass Mode, then shift to Wind Mode when I am happy with the course. I always carry the remote with me as I move around the boat so I can make course adjustments at any time.

I am most familiar with the B&G ­system, but whatever system you use, make sure your calibrations and setup are done carefully and correctly. Then take the time to really learn how your pilot works, get comfortable with the main controls, and practice using it until it is familiar. For me, effective use of a modern autopilot has made sailing and delivering more fun and allowed me to use my boat in different ways, especially over long distances and shorthanded. By the way, the Vendée Globe first-to-finish skipper Charlie Dalin used the pilot on his foiling IMOCA 60 for every minute of his 80-day trip around the planet, never once hand-steering the boat. I don’t suggest this for the rank-and-file shorthanded sailor, but it sure shows the potential of this great tool.

The post How to Use a B&G Autopilot system appeared first on Sailing World.

Autopilots aren’t new, but modern technology has made today’s autopilots considerably better than previous-generation offerings. Moreover, the utility that contemporary autopilots offer make them must-have equipment for doublehanded sailors racing aboard 30- to 50-footers. Here’s a look at how they work, the hardware and software involved, and the performance and safety benefits that they deliver, both for ground-up installations and refits.

Autopilots are electro­mechanical systems that—as their name implies—can steer a boat to a specified compass course, wind angle, waypoint or route. Unlike human drivers, autopilots never suffer concentration gaps, or get tired or scared, so long as they’re fed a steady diet of information and DC power.

While each manufacturer has its own approach to hardware and software, autopilot hardware generally consists of a processor (sometimes also called an autopilot computer), a power-supply unit, a control head, a rudder-angle sensor, networked sensors (e.g., wind, speed and depth), a drive system and—optionally—one or more remote controls. Additionally, some autopilots employ advanced sensors that are used to clean or stabilize networked sensor data to give the pilot better, more reliable information. We’ll get to that later.

Most autopilot processors and power-supply units are black boxes. The processors pull information from the system’s networked sensors and rapidly crunch the numbers needed to efficiently drive the boat. They’re networked to the control head(s) and/or the boat’s multifunction display, which serves as the system’s user interface. Power-supply units draw DC power from the boat’s battery banks and send it—as needed and as dictated by the processor—to the system’s hydraulic- or mechanical-drive system (i.e., the system’s muscle; this typically consists of a hydraulic cylinder or mechanical arm that attaches to the hull on one side and the rudder quadrant on its business end, plus a rudder-angle indicator), which actuates the rudder.

Unlike human helmsmen, autopilots can’t see what’s ahead of or behind the boat, so they leverage networked instrument data to keep the boat sailing to its specified course, wind angle or waypoint. Because of this, all autopilot systems require at a minimum a heading sensor, wind sensor and boatspeed sensor. Years ago, autopilots used fluxgate compasses for heading information. While these worked, their analog nature and sluggish reporting rates (ballpark is once per second, or 1 hertz) yielded jumpy numbers when sailing in big seas. Their inherent latency doesn’t mix well with modern processors either. Because of this, most auto­pilot manufacturers switched to employing solid-state, nine-axis compasses for heading sensors several years ago. These compasses provide accurate pitch, yaw and roll information (typically accurate to plus or minus 2 degrees), which they report at a rate of 10 hertz (ballpark).

Wind data is obviously critical to performance sailing, and autopilot driving is no exception. “You need a masthead unit for wind angle and windspeed,” says Mike Vellucci of EuroMarine Trading, which imports and distributes NKE marine electronics. Vellucci says this information comes in the form of apparent wind angle and apparent windspeed data. Most modern systems also use heading data from their networked compass and boatspeed from either a ­networked through-hull transducer to measure speed over water or their networked GPS antenna to measure speed over ground to calculate true-wind data. The autopilot system then uses this data to calculate the true wind angle, true windspeed and true wind direction. Once networked and installed, an autopilot will sail to the [wind] angle you tell it, Vellucci says. “It will do everything in its power to [hold] that [angle].”

Critically, autopilots can steer to AWAs or TWAs, depending on the situation and point of sail. Apparent wind angle is generally used when sailing upwind, when the angle is stable, Garmin’s Jon Josephson says, adding that TWA is generally preferred when autopilots are sailing downwind, both to avoid accidental jibes and to yield better performance should the wind get shifty.

Additionally, autopilots require speed-over-water ­sensors and a networked GPS. “The more data we can feed the pilot, the more it can do for us,” Raymarine’s Jim McGowan says.

Unlike autopilot systems of yore, most contemporary autopilot manufacturers offer high-performance sensors that can be used to remove vessel motion from heading and wind-angle information. “Pitch and roll can induce AWS,” B&G’s Matt Eeles says. “It’s noisy data.” For example, B&G’s H5000 CPU can integrate the boat’s motion and heel angle, and deliver gyro-compensated wind information, yielding stable apparent-wind readings. Likewise, Garmin, NKE and Raymarine autopilots also have the ability to scrub data for vessel movement. “When the masthead [wind] sensor moves, it throws error into the wind calculations,” McGowan says. “[Raymarine’s] EV1 sensor delivers real-time filtering and stabilization so that oscillations are removed and clean information is fed into the autopilot’s processor.”

The other significant advantage of cleaner data is reduced rudder articulation, which reduces electrical consumption and bolsters VMG. “If you put raw sensor data [into the autopilot], it will be all over the place and it will burn lots of power,” Eeles says. “You don’t want the pilot to react to every little puff or change…it risks the pilot being out of control. You also don’t want to dampen the data because this creates a lot of latency.”

Modern autopilots can also employ software to introduce some level of intelligence to automated driving. For example, most contemporary autopilots have the ability to deal with gusts and wind shifts to prevent the boat from accidentally rounding up or jibing.

“If an autopilot is sailing to a wind angle and a 5-knot gust comes, you want it to do what you’d do as a helmsman: Bear away and take the sting out,” Eeles says. While this is a great feature, Josephson reminds users to build a certain amount of margin into their user-selected parameters. “Don’t set the jibe alarm at 178 degrees,” he says. “If the wind gets behind the sail, the boom will go over.”

Josephson recommends setting the alarm at 160 degrees. “Make sure the parameter is set so it’s not on the edge,” he says.

Remote controls are the final important consideration, especially for shorthanded sailors, because they enable course changes or corrections to be made from anywhere on board rather than from a multi­function display or a control head. “It’s [my] primary pilot controller,” Eeles says.

“There are tasks that require all hands on deck,” McGowan says. “It’s not always an option to run back to the cockpit. Plus, there are also some safety considerations.”

These remotes can also provide an additional safety margin for doublehanded sailing, where man-overboard scenarios can be a true ­nightmare. Vellucci explains that NKE autopilots have two modes: solo and fully crewed. Sailors carry remote controls that are electronically linked to the autopilot (think geofencing); should a remote break contact with the autopilot, one of its MOB modes activates, creating an audible alarm and automatically switching the system’s graphic display(s) to a dedicated MOB page. “In solo mode, it puts the boat head-to-wind,” Vellucci says. “In crewed mode, the system displays a bearing and distance to where the MOB event occurred, [and it also] starts a timer.” (Note: The waypoint marks the latitude and longitude of where electronic contact with the remote was lost, not the MOB’s real-time location.)

These advancements offer huge benefits to doublehanded crews, but it’s critical to properly spec the system for the boat. For example, if you’re ­taking a J/105 that’s mostly been used for round-the-buoy racing and are adding a complete autopilot system, Josephson and McGowan both advise using vessel weight as a guide for what system to purchase. “It doesn’t matter if the boat is tiller- or wheel-driven,” McGowan says, adding that Raymarine (and other manufacturers) make autopilots for both.

You need a drive unit that works with your quadrant and the boat’s displacement, McGowan says. He also notes that most boatbuilders list the dry weight of their steeds, which doesn’t account for sails, crew, provisions or additional safety gear. In the case of a J/105, the dry displacement weight is 7,750 pounds. “We always add 20 percent, so 9,300 pounds,” McGowan says.

Josephson agrees, adding that if the boat’s racing weight is close to the maximum a drive can handle, it’s usually ­better to step up to a bigger drive ­system. Another consideration involves the number of rudders. “One drive is enough [to control a boat with two rudders],” Josephson says, adding that these boats—for example, Class 40s—typically have dual rudder quadrants and a connecting tie bar, so the autopilot drive needs to be attached to only one of the quadrants. “But the second rudder might add 50 percent of the load of the first rudder.”

Conversely, if you’re ­refitting a new autopilot into a boat that’s already equipped with an older autopilot system, even if it’s built by a different manufacturer, odds are good that you’ll be able to reuse pumps and drives. This is because most marine-electronics ­companies source their drive units from the same manufacturers, so they’re not typically proprietary. “If there’s a nameplate on the drive, take a photo of it and talk to your dealer,” McGowan says. “This can be a big money saver because drive units can be many thousands of dollars.”

While it’s theoretically ­possible to add—for example—a Raymarine autopilot to a B&G-, Garmin- or NKE-equipped boat, most sailors will find that it’s best to stay within the same electronics manufacturer’s (semi)walled garden because this usually allows the boat’s multifunction display to talk to—and control—the autopilot.

Another important consideration involves where the drive system is physically located. As mentioned, most autopilot drives are situated belowdecks; however, some systems are cockpit-mounted. While these systems work fine, some cockpit-­mounted, tiller-driven systems can present a tripping hazard to a doublehanded team that is constantly scurrying around the boat. Because of this, below-deck drives are considered the optimal installation for doublehanded or ­shorthanded crews.

Irrespective of how or where your autopilot is installed, it’s critical to spend time practicing with your system and dialing in its user-configured parameters prior to hitting the racecourse. “I think the key is using it so that you understand how it works,” Josephson says. “Understanding the [user-selected] inputs can greatly affect the performance of the pilot…. [Sailors] really need to use [their autopilot], understand what it’s doing and how [parameter] changes affect its performance.”

So, if you’re interested in shorthanded racing and considering adding a modern autopilot, not only will it drive your boat with far more precision than an old-school system, but it will also do so while consuming less DC power and exerting less ­rudder as well.

The post Autopilots for Racing Sailors appeared first on Sailing World.

I tried out the new Velocitek ProStart at a recent J/70 practice session and I was quite impressed. Like the original ProStart, the new unit is easy to use, easy to understand and overall very intuitive. It still records your tracks for later viewing, still records your high speed so you can reflect on the best part of the day, and still has an easy to use and adjust timer.But wait, there’s more: I can’t wait to sail with the unit again and try out the “Pacing Guides.” In the final minute of the start the bar graph on the side of the display indicates if you are late or early to the start line at your current approach rate. In the meantime, let’s take a look at the mix of new and improved functions.

Battery: No more throwing away three AA batteries every day. The new ProStart has a built-in rechargeable battery. It comes with a standard micro USB cord that will plug into most any USB charger. Battery life can be over 75 hours depending on the backlight options with plenty of warning if the battery gets low.

COG vs. magnetic heading: In the case of the original ProStart you only had GPS based COG (Course Over Ground). That worked for some boats, but not all. Boats without other complimentary instruments would be better off tactically with magnetic heading—think Star class, etc. Well now you can choose magnetic or COG depending on your boat, your class, or your preferences.

Processing and refreshing speeds: The data output as a whole is faster yet seemingly less jumpy, leaving you with a confident feeling that the data you see is accurate and timely. In addition, the distance to the line is now displayed in tenths of meters rather than whole numbers. This allows you to get a better feeling of your rate of approach to the start line in addition to a less jumpy readout.

Heel angle: When using the magnetic compass function, you also get the added benefit of heel angle displayed in a bar format. One bar is 2.5 degrees. This is very helpful for boats with limited instruments or tight class rules.

Display: Another improvement is the display with the super strong Gorilla Glass. Even more importantly than the strength, however, is the visually crisp and clear optics even when using polarized glasses.

Menu options: Like the original ProStart, the menu options are very simple. Cycling through the various options and setting my preferences took less than three minutes: +12 degrees declination for Los Angeles California, check, Zero-feet bow offset (my preference), check, COG rather then magnetic, check, Dampening at 1 (also my preference), check.

Bonus data: After accurately pinging both ends of the start line, you can push two buttons and the unit will automatically display the wind direction that would be square to the start line. This helps verify your own findings and gives you confidence for finding the favored end.

The post The Much-Improved Tactical Tool appeared first on Sailing World.

GPS-powered devices are now ubiquitous in the racing sailor’s daily life; it’s there to guide us to our destinations on our smartphones, to our fitness goals on our smart watches, and most certainly to better starts and strategies on the racecourse. Now universally allowed by most one-design classes, these basic GPS units improve our starts (while also reducing annoying general recalls).

Velocitek’s ProStart has been the go-to unit for more than a decade because of its reliability, simplicity and cost. Even with software improvements over the years, the unit wasn’t perfect, so it was due for an upgrade, long overdue. 

The California-based manufacturer released today it’s 2.0, citing design improvements driven by customers: “We kept the intuitive start-specific user interface that you know and love, and added a Gorilla Glass display, rechargeable battery, high-speed GPS, and a groundbreaking new magnetic compass,” they say, stating that the backlit and bonded display has “the best visibility of any self-contained instrument, in all conditions.”

We’ll have to confirm that as soon as we can get our hands on one, but there’s other improvements as well including a faster 18Hz multi-constellation GPS receiver with a “72-channel, tactical-grade 3-axis magnetic sensor and a 100Hz, 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU).” Translation: better accuracy for precision starts and legit boatspeed reporting.

There’s also said to be a more robust “tilt-compensated compass,” which “precisely accounts for the angle of your bow relative to the startline” and “after the start, the unrivalled accuracy will also help you track shifts with single-degree repeatability.” That’s all fine and good, but don’t forget to keep your head out of the boat. 

A rechargeable 75-hour lithium-ion battery is re-juiced using micro-USB, and the unit records position, time, course over ground, speed over ground, magnetic heading and heel angle four times per second. The 8GB onboard flash memory, they say, is enough room for 1000 hours of sailing data. And speaking of data, you can simply plug the unit into your computer and analyze where your race when right and wrong using third-party software (the popular one today is Njord Analytics). For $895, you get a unit with a mounting cradle and neoprene storage pouch. It’s plug and play, or rather: plug, play and win the start.

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There are plenty of things we take for granted on our raceboats, and one of them is certainly the handheld VHF. You know…the one you need in times of distress, the one you use to check in with your race committee, the one you rely on when someone’s OCS, the one you use to call the launch because the beer cooler is depleted. That’s the same VHF that gets tossed around the boat with the same care of a crushed 12-ounce can.

Yes, your trusty handheld VHF demands more respect because it is one of the most important pieces of equipment on your boat. And maybe, just maybe, you might respect it more if was like the Cobra Marine H600. This pint-sized comms device is packed with features that take it well beyond your trusty old-school handheld.Where do we start? How about the built-in GPS receiver and Digital Select Calling. Should you find yourself in distress or in need of finding, your coordinates displayed and sent automatically when making DSC calls. When paired with your phone, Bluetooth connectivity allows you take and make phone calls between races, so there’s no need to dig your phone out of the drybag for nav station desk. The noise-canceling microphone cuts back wind noise and background chatter, and a few recent tests (calling home to check on the kids) confirmed outstanding clarity on both ends (plus…it’s fun to annoy with the teenagers by finishing each sentence with “over.”)

And, if you didn’t catch that last broadcast from the race committee after the start, you simply say, “Say Again,” and it replays the last 20 seconds of the previous VHF call. Yep…that’s our bow number. Talk about a race saver. And on the topic of saving, it has an easy-access distress button on the side, a dedicated man-overboard key, and a flashlight/S.O.S. light.

The HH600 is submersible, and thankfully, colored bright orange so you can back and find it (the light also flashes if it’s dropped in the water), and at only about 5 inches tall, 3 inches wide and 12 ounces, it’s small enough to tuck inside a PFD or sheet bag.

Paging through its menu to set up your unique Maritime Mobile Service Identity number (for DSC calling) is easy, as is setting up the Bluetooth and other functions.

All in all, for $209, this is one of the most feature-packed handheld VHFs we’ve ever used, which some might say is the best bang-for-your-buck, but it’s more than that. It’s the one VHF you’ll come to appreciate after you win the race, hail the race committee to thank them, and then call home to share the news, without ever having to touch your phone.

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Have you ever gone from compass mode to starting mode and then wanted to go back to compass mode to do a final wind check but hesitated for fear of messing up the countdown timer? Do I press the left button once or twice to get there? Or is it the right button I’m supposed to press? Where’s the manual?

Sometimes I just want a basic compass and nothing else—a device that won’t require me to toggle through a host of options (or even provide that temptation). So when I got a chance to try Velocitek’s single-purpose Prism compass for the summer, I was eager to find out whether indeed, back to basics would improve my starting routine.

When Velocitek came out with its stripped-down, single-purpose Prism compass in early 2018, skeptics looked at it as an aberration. After all, when it comes to electronic devices, isn’t the mantra the more features the better? Maybe not for everyone.

The first thing I noticed was how lightweight it was, weighing in at 4.8 ounces, making it the lightest digital compass on the market. I pressed the on button, and up pop the biggest digits I’ve seen on this size compass—29.8 mm high (just over an inch high). I’ve since used it on an Etchells and an RS Aero, and I suspect most of the boats around me could read it just as well as I could. Mast-mounted on a larger sportboat, the number can be easily read from the helm. It would certainly be no problem reading it from a trapeze wire. I also found the compass display easy to read, regardless of bright daylight or polarized sunglasses. According to Charles Swanson, from Velocitek, this visibility is a function of the materials used in the lenses. “The Prism has a pair of cut acrylic lenses, which are then over-molded into the outer white housing. Some lenses are a polycarbonate front housing, which is one of the most durable plastics out there, but can produce a kind of oily or rainbow pattern, which might be especially evident when viewed with polarized sunglasses.”

Been there, done that.

The compass has a fast response rate to course changes, updating about four times per second, which means it’s always on point. For heading reference, it uses only magnetic input.

But why no additional features, maybe even a timer?

“When we talked to Olympic and other high-level sailors and asked them what they were looking for, nobody really said a timer,” says Swanson. “To take a sophisticated device and use it as a countdown timer didn’t make sense. Etchells and 470 teams are all mounting watches below their compasses, anyway. We wanted to make the easiest electronic compass to use.”

The Prism isn’t inexpensive, but, according to Swanson, that’s because of the use of costly plastics, sensors, solar panels and batteries. Plus, he says, it has twice as many LCDs as similar-sized compasses. If you’re looking for a top-level single-purpose electronic compass, with numbers that are easy to read in all conditions, and no risk of losing what’s on the screen due to operator error, the Prism deserves serious consideration. It may prove well worth the $500.

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Face it, if you’re going to get wet, you might as well be ready for it with a proper wetsuit. Don’t worry about how much that snug suit reveals because victory has no vanity. Performance on the water starts and ends with comfort, and for that we have Gill’s new FireCell Skiff Suit and Top. They’re slick looking on the outside, but turn them inside out to see the magic and intricacy of these 3.5mm made-for-sailing wetsuits. “FireCell” neoprene panels have a soft waffle construction that retains body heat in miniature pockets. Flexible panels are in every critical area, and all the seams are glued and blindstitched to prevent water entry and chafe. On the outside, abrasion-resistant panels on the knees and seat will take the abuse of kinetic dinghy sailing. The Race FireCell Top, with high-stretch neoprene that’s backed with a soft wicking liner, pairs perfectly with the Skiff Suit. Early season Frostbite Laser sailing in Newport, with 50-degree water and 40-degree air temps, confirms one thing: the FireCell creates an oven by the time you reach the weather mark. As the mercury drops, add a spray top and you’re good to go all season. $169-269 • gillmarine.com

MTI Lifejackets is a major player in recreational paddle sports and their foray into the sailing market is with the Vibe PFD. The Vibe is U.S. Coast Guard Type III, and while it’s designed primarily for whitewater standup paddle boarding, it’s a proper fit for sailing because the foam panels are sculpted in way that the bulk is low and focused around the side and back, not high on the chest. In other words, when tacking, jibing or ducking under the boom, there’s no battle of the bulge. The “Z-strap” system, as well as waist and shoulder adjustments provide excellent custom fit, although, the shoulder adjustment points should be covered to prevent snags. The straps need to be trimmed of excess tails as well. A large mesh front pocket will hold a lot (bars, tape, sunblock), and includes a tethered whistle. With reflective detailing, the Vibe is available in safety orange or blue, which makes this PFD perfect for the Opti kid to the sportboat stud. $95 • mtilifejackets.com Find a Retailer

Sperry’s 7 Seas deck shoe is the perfect footwear for any size boat. Water runs straight out through the vented soles, and the woven mesh is hydrophobic so it dries quickly. The heel offers excellent support,for running around the pointy-end, or roll tacking a dinghy. Slip on a neoprene sock and you’ll even be able to wear them with your drysuit when the weather takes a turn. You don’t need to sacrifice style for performance either, so go ahead and wear them straight to the regatta party after racing. $89.95 • www.sperry.com

What sets Henri Lloyd’s Freedom Jacket apart from its competitors is clear, literally. The jacket’s hood features the Optivision system with clear panels allowing sailors full visibility. Windproof and waterproof from the hem to the hood, the jacket has a thick and high fleece collar for warmth and a visor for full-face protection. Henri Lloyd Photoluminescent Reflectors absorb UV light (sunlight or artificial) and after dark they release energy to increase illumination. Snug cuffs and draining pockets ensure a dry experience. $295.00 • www.henrilloydonline.com

Whether you’re foiling at 40 knots or just know all too well why it’s called the boom, a sailing helmet offers crucial head protection. Zhik’s H1 helmet is a thin profile helmet that won’t make ducking under spars a challenge. Half-inch foam lining protects your most valuable asset, and internal channels allow for airflow to keep you cool, even on hot days. We put it to the test and found that of all the helmets we tried, the H1 came out ahead. $119 • www.zhik.com

It’s hard to go wrong with anything from Helly Hansen, and these salopettes are no exception. The number one feature these bibs offer is breathability, despite being completely waterproof. No matter how hard you are on deck, or how far you are over the rail on a choppy day, sailors will stay warm and dry without sweating through them. While some salopettes have an overwhelming amount of fabric, the fit and cut of these pants are perfect. It’s also notable they have an adjustable hem, so whether you’re tall and lanky or petite, they can be adjusted to not drag the deck. $275 • www.hellyhansen.com

All the offshore personal safety gear you’ll have onboard for your next race is secondary to your tether. “Stay attached to stay alive,” is a motto to live by… World Sailing recently updated its offshore regulations for 2018 where all crew must now have a three-point safety line. Spinlock’s DW-STR/03 and DW-STR/3L safety lines both meet the new standard. They’ll be in high demand before next year’s Bermuda Race, so get one now. $160 • www.spinlock.co.uk

Accessories

Take it from Terry Hutchinson, hydration is critically important. Drinking enough water during a day of racing often goes overlooked, but can have a big impact on your energy levels. Hydroflask’s rugged, vacuum-sealed, stainless steel water bottles will keep your favorite race day drink cold and stand up to the beating of rolling around down below. Hydroflasks range in size from 12 to 64 oz, but our favorite is the 32oz – enough water to keep you quenched all day, and it won’t take up too much space. $39.95 • www.hydroflask.com

Every sailor should own a pair of Kaenon sunglasses. They’re rugged, stylish and come with an unbeatable warranty for when the saltwater takes its toll on your lenses. The Burnets – favorites of college sailors everywhere – are a top choice, with wide lenses that offer maximum protection, even for your peripherals. Pick from a variety of lenses to suit your needs (or style) and get out on the water. $239 • www.kaenon.com

If you’re looking for a great pair of sunglasses for that sailor that’s accident-prone, Smith’s Lowdowns will give you top quality performance without breaking the bank. The Lowdowns offer great protection, a wide field of vision, and won’t slip off your face; perfect for when you need to scan for puffs, or get caught off guard by the jibe. Smith has a variety of lens colors and styles for any condition. (Croakies sold separately) $69 – 169 • www.smithoptics.com

There are coolers, soft and hard, big and small, but for the cramped confines of a sportboat, the Yeti Hopper Flip 12 is the one you want. Yes, it’s $250 retail, which its critics say is overpriced for a soft cooler, but this thing is anything but soft. Built with rugged waterproof PVC and welded seams, it could very well be the last cooler you ever buy for your raceboat. Our test unit has endured a year of abuse, stored haphazardly in bilges, regatta after regatta and it’s no worse for the wear. Durable? Yes. Easy to open? Nope. But that’s the point. As advertised, the 10 x 11 x 12-inch Hopper kept our contents chilled from dock-off to post-race chilling, but the beefy leak-proof zipper isn’t meant to be opened and closed all day long. Fill the Hopper Flip before the race, using one frozen water bottle, open it once for a mid-day sandwich break, and again for the sail in to enjoy a six-pack of 12-ounce cold ones. $250 • www.yeti.com

For sailors that don’t take themselves too seriously during a night of beer can racing, having music on the boat is an essential part of practice, or racing around the buoys for fun. If you’re looking for a waterproof speaker that you’re guaranteed not to lose if you capsize, then the UE Boom 2 is ideal. The rechargeable speaker is about the size of a tall-boy beer can and has a metal ring on the top of it to clip or tie into the boat. While some speakers get muffled by wind and spray, the UE Boom 2 is loud enough. It has a durable exterior that even the most accident-prone sailor would take effort to break. It holds a charge for up to 15 hours and connects to any device via bluetooth. $180-200 • www.ultimateears.com

If you’re looking for book recommendations for your America’s Cup fanatic, we’ve got two that have passed our desks of late. First, Chasing the Cup: My America’s Cup Journey by Jimmy Spithill. If you’ve ever wondered what makes the talented ginger from Down Under so driven to win the America’s Cup (and then lose it to Team New Zealand in Bermuda), the revelation is in this memoir: he is a product of his upbringing: free-wheeling, rough and reckless, and always out to prove himself. The book journeys through his youth, his rise in the sport, and those who’ve opened doors for him. The narrative’s only shortcoming, however, the mere glimpses into the tight-knit inner world of his Cup campaigns. For this, there is Alan Sefton and Larry Keating’s new release: Exposed, the Dark Side of the America’s Cup. Two others currently on the editor’s nightstand: the fascinating and in depth The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst, and Second Wind: A Sunfish Sailor, an Island, and the Voyage That Brought a Family Together by acclaimed author and Sailing World alum Nathaniel Philbrick.

The VIRB Ultra 30 shoots video in 4k at 30fps. But the video alone isn’t the most amazing feature the VIRB has to offer. On par with Garmin’s other products, the G-Metrix allows athletes to overlay gauges and graphs with race data, allow sailors to analyze angle, speed, boat drift, water depth, wind speed and acceleration.With the VIRB taking high-action video is easier than ever. The Garmin VIRB boasts a 1.75 inch display, and voice controls to start and stop recording or even take a picture. Without taking hands off the sheets or tiller, the VIRB does its thing while you do yours. Show off real time stats by having VIRB livestream your race or practice data to YouTube, for coaches, spectators and fans to stay in the moment. The VIRB has a range of accessories do you can mount the camera virtually anywhere, including on a drone. It is compatible with a variety of Garmin watches and GPS devices to maximize data input. Garmin also offers a 360 camera if you want to take your capture to the next level. $399.99 • www.garmin.com

This case first caught our eye when a teammate jumped into the pool after a day of sailing with her phone without hesitation. There are a lot of waterproof cases for iPhones on the market, but none as trustworthy as the Pelican Marine Case. Just like their line of hard cases, the Pelican iPhone case is sturdy and tough. There are no soft jelly pieces to rub off, or flimsy seals, it’s made up of five layers of protection that withstand more than six feet of water for 30 minutes. With a long history of creating military equipment, there’s no doubt Pelican can deliver to sailors too. $22-70 • www.pelican.com

Watches

Nixon has made a smart watch for people who want to get away from their tech and get on the water with more ease. The Ultratide goes beyond just the tides, offering current conditions like wave height, wind direction and speed, swell direction, and the temperatures of both the air and water. You also get Surfline’s general assessment in a tidy one-word note, like “Fair” or “Good”. Powered from the Ultratide/Surfline app on your iPhone, pick your forecast locations sync it once and you’re done. Surfline collects live data for over 2,700 locations around the world, so it’s rare they don’t have the spot you are looking for. Good look trying to smash this watch too, the stainless steel case and rubber coating are sporty and tough and it’s guaranteed to stay in place. The best part? Throw away your cables! You don’t have to charge it, for at least a year, then when it tells you the battery is low, send it to Nixon and they’ll replace the battery for free and service it to make sure the watch stays water-tight. $300 • www.nixon.com

If your tactician is numerically challenged, tackle the issue “header” on with the handy Tacking Master, a wrist-worn navigational organizer that helps visualize wind trends, tacking angles, and starting-line bias. This is no gimmicky device, but rather a useful tool used by pros and amateurs alike. In the pre-start, take a wind reading off your compass and rotate the top dial (it’s like writing the bearing on your deck), and the move the mark dial (small orange triangles) to the location given by the race committee. Then, turn the lock-down dial keep them in place. Color-coded guides then show starting line bias (after taking a bearing). As you sail the course, make adjustments to the dial to track wind shifts and mark locations. $75 • www.tackingmaster.com Buy It Now on Amazon

Hardware

Opening a Ropeye catalogue or browsing their inventory of rigging “gadgets” is like walking through the front door of the brand’s creator Jaanus Tamme’s brain. Hailed as one the most innovating and creative individuals in the sailing hardware business today, the Estonian engineer and his R&D team deliver clever pieces of kit that make you rethink your control systems and attachments. Ropeeye’s earliest offering is the through-deck carbon and Dyneema Loop padeye, but they’ve expanded into stunningly simple low-friction bearing-free blocks. Start at the small end with a 1,000-kilogram safe-working load U1 block (shown), recommended for sheets, runners or halyard turning blocks. $165 • www.ropeye.com

Ready to finally convert those fatigued metal shackles with the more modern “soft” variety? (Yes, it’s a good idea). Option No. 1: Go to the chandlery, buy a splicing kit and a few feet of Dyneema SK78, launch YouTube on the computer to learn how, and fumble for an hour perfecting your first few diamond knots. Option No. 2: type fisheriessupply.com into your browser and order a pair of factory-spliced D12 Soft Shackles (7mm). Trust us, option two is much easier. $35 • www.fisheriessupply.com

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