The Navico giant (which brings together the Lowrance, Simrad, and B&G brands, as well as the recently acquired C-Map) never stops investing in innovation, and this season, too, it has launched many interesting new products on the market. Here they are in detail.
C-MAP AND NAVICO WORK HARD: HERE’S EMBARK
Let’s turn to cartography. News is beginning to arrive following the acquisition of C-MAP, one of the leading companies in the industry. C-MAP Embark is a navigation app that reinterprets trip planning, navigation, and fishing info in a simple and intuitive way. Uses C-MAP mapping, with data exclusively from Hydrographic Institutes and official sources. Updated on a monthly basis, the maps are available and searchable at the same time on different devices, so you always have the most up-to-date maps at your fingertips whether on a smartphone, tablet or PC. The maps calibrate colors and contrasts automatically according to the light, so they are always readable in all conditions. For fishing enthusiasts, there is also the special “contours mode” that displays ultra-high definition bathymetry. Finally, with C-MAP Embark, users can connect with other navigators and help each other, they can share their favorite routes or new places for upcoming adventures-just create a route and share it via the “share” icon. C-MAP Embark offers users a 2-week free trial and is available on Google Play and the App Store.
FISHFINDER/CHARTPLOTTER
For fishermen, then there are two important innovations in the world of multifunction fishfinders. The first is the new Elite Ti2 series. In addition to enhancing the fishfinder with advanced sonar capabilities, WiFi connectivity, and SMS/call display via Bluetooth, Lowrance has extended advanced features of the top-of-the-line HDS family to the Elite Ti2 series. Available in 7-, 9- and 12-inch sizes.
The second “news” is the HDS Live range, the fishfinders/fishfinders that redefine the way we fish and interact with our surroundings. In addition to representing a major step forward in fishing technology, HDS Live models offer new sonar, charting, and real-time connectivity features, including Active Imaging, LiveSight, Genesis Live, and LiveCast smartphone integration, all in a revamped low-profile design with edge-to-edge glass. Again, 7-, 9-, 12-, and 16-inch displays. www.lowrance.com
VHF “ALL INCLUSIVE”
Moving on to the world of VHF, also new here: the Simrad RS40, which is a fixed installation DSC VHF radio with built-in AIS receiver, GPS and wireless handset support. A two-channel AIS receiver monitors the position of nearby AIS-equipped vessels, helping to avoid possible collisions in crowded ports and inland waterways. AIS information can be displayed on the RS40 radio’s built-in screen or overlayed on the chart or radar screen using a compatible multifunction display.
A built-in GPS receiver ensures that the position of the boat or yacht can be sent during DSC distress calls, even if the remaining electronic equipment on board is down. You can add an optional wireless handset to take the radio anywhere on the boat. The Handset is designed as an intuitive portable companion to the radio. Each handset duplicates the radio’s display and controls, allowing remote access to all major functions. Up to two wireless handsets can be connected to a single base station. With multiple handsets connected, the radio also becomes a practical on-board intercom. www.simrad-yachting.com
HALO24, WHAT A RADAR!
We close with the Radar universe. The new Halo24 Lowrance, Simrad and B&G radomes are available: an innovation in pulse compression radars. Halo24 can provide a real-time view in front of the vessel, thanks to its rotational speed, 60rpm, over distances up to 2 nautical miles. Halo24 can process multiple distances simultaneously, ensuring high performance, in Dual Range mode. The new radome radar combines state-of-the-art technology in a lightweight design with a detection capability of up to 48 nautical miles. But the news does not end there. VelocityTrack Doppler technology can provide instantaneous visual feedback on the movement of targets, assigning different colorations to approaching vessels so as to ensure high visibility while reducing the illumination of receding targets. MARPA functionality, on the other hand, improves knowledge of the surrounding environment, eliminating any risk of collision. Easy to use, the radar restarts in seconds from standby to full functionality in any mode: Harbor, Open Sea, Weather and Bird. It also optimizes up to 18 different parameters for each default mode, ensuring excellent visualization. To operate, Halo24 requires a radar control unit or a Lowrance, Simrad, or B&G multifunction display with an Ethernet connection while MARPA target detection requires a compass sensor and GPS receiver.
www.simrad-yachting.com, www.lowrance.com, www.bandg.com
