Yachting Monthly – September 2019

DANIAMANT

LIFEJACKET LIGHT

The new GX1850GPS/E from Standard Horizon
follows the GX1700E. It carries many of the popular
features of the GX1700E as well as an intuitive
redesigned front panel for ease of use and updated
high resolution display. The GX1850GPS/E carries
NMEA 2000 protocol and has NMEA interfaces which
allow full connectivity with GPS and
DSC data between compatible devices.
To aid with use in the dark, it
features a new selectable night-
mode display on the 66mm x
36mm backlit dot matrix
screen. The illumination can be
softened to a muted white with
large black letters.
http://www.standardhorizon.co.uk

Leatherman is a pretty well-known brand to the
sailing enthusiast and most of us already have one of
their folding multitools nestled somewhere in our
sailing kit. This new T-Series ditches the brand’s
trademark folding pliers in favour of a multitool closer
to a Swiss Army Knife. Though this will necessarily
make the new tools a little less useful for sailors, there
is a signifi cant weight and size
reduction. Both have magnetic
closing for the
various tools with a
positive click when
stowed or released.
The T2 offers eight
tools, while the bigger
T4 offers 12.
http://www.Leatherman.co.uk

Daniamant’s W4-A is intelligently

designed to provide a ‘one light fi ts

all’ approach, with the device made

to be mounted in four different clip

types which can be selected to suit

the user’s lifejacket. The light uses

modern alkaline battery

technology, which removes the

issue of transport and disposal

restrictions and minimises the environmental

footprint of the product. The entire device

weighs in at only 42g making it super-light, and

can be stored at temperatures from -30°C to 60°C.

Currently the focus is on supplying manufacturers, so

no price is yet available. http://www.daniamant.com

STANDARD HORIZON

GX1850GPS/E VHF RADIO

LEATHERMAN T-SERIES

POCKET MULTI-TOOL

TESTED:

DRYROBE

NEW GEAR

£^26

9.^9

5

£^4

9.^9

5

£n

/a

£^7

0

NEW

GEAR

We pick the best of what’s

new to the sailing market

this month

We fi rst tested the dryrobe during our recent lifejacket

test (see YM Summer 2019). Jumping in and out of an

unheated pool 26 times can get a bit chilly, so this was

the perfect solution to keep us warm in between

‘infl ations’. It then struck us what a handy piece of kit

this might be onboard a yacht.

Anyone who swims in UK waters will be familiar with

the shivers that come afterwards – the ‘afterdrop’, as

your cooled peripheral blood returns to your core. The

trick is to warm up quickly, and this is where the

dryrobe comes in. It’s essentially a super-warm fl eecy

coat that doubles as a changing room. Stick it on over

your wet swimmers, and whilst your body’s warming up

you can change discreetly back into your clothes.

It’s perfect for swimming in anchorages. When you

climb back aboard, there’s no need for a towel as the

synthetic lambswool lining draws water away into the

pile of the fabric, whilst the outer shell is windproof and

waterproof and there’s a neat waterproof inner chest

pocket for valuables.

The main

drawback – apart

from ‘looking

ridiculous’ as one

amused colleague

pointed out – is

that the dryrobe

is pretty bulky.

At only 1.3kg,

though, it’s light,

and can squash

neatly into a drybag

• or its own 30-litre
  compression sack
  (30cm x 20cm x
  8cm), which the
  manufacturer
  sells separately.
  http://www.dryrobe.com

A quirky and effective

addition to the wardrobe