New Gear
New Gear
Laura Hodgetts reports on the latest marine products
➜
SatSleeve+
and SatSleeve
Hotspot
SatSleeve+ and SatSleeve Hotspot,
from mobile satellite services
operator Thuraya, offer modern
solutions for sailors who want to
stay connected, however remote
their location. The new SatSleeve
Hotspot is a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, designed
to make it easier to check emails, make a phone call or post on social
media, whether you’re in the North Sea or Indian Ocean. SatSleeve+,
also new to the market, looks like a phone cover and clips easily onto
smartphones, turning them into satellite smartphones. Users can make
calls, send emails and messages, and use their apps directly on their
smartphone. Both devices have an SOS button that connects to a
pre-set number of your choice if you find yourself in trouble.
Both devices use Thuraya’s satellite network across 161 countries in
Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, and prices for both start from £400
(before shipping and local taxes). ■ http://www.expansys.comWABNET
mobile Wi-Fi
WABNET is a 3/4G transceiver
and Wi-Fi router built into an IP67
weatherproof enclosure. Designed
to fit to the top of your mast, it is
promised to extend connectivity
range by four times, with reliable
Wi-Fi within a 300ft radius. You
can use a duplicate of your SIM
card on your existing mobile
network subscription to achieve a
connectivity range of up to 30 miles
offshore. Alternatively, you can
use the private WABNET roaming
free network. The mounting arm
is adaptable to any boat, and a
12VDC power supply can be taken
from the mast headlight or any
other dedicated power line. Price
£519. ■ http://www.wabnetmarine.comPole Position rope
handling device
Wade Marine’s Pole Position is a specially-
designed extendable pole with both pole and
rope guide attachments, which can be used to
accurately place mooring lines at a distance
over a bollard or cleat. The rope guide should
be attached permanently onto the mooring
line, ready to connect with the telescopic pole.
Two prongs on the pole guide grasp the line
and enable it to slide into the rope guide.
Once clicked into place, the line can be moved
wherever is required and quickly released. It
can also be used on rescue devices. The PP1
pack (£71.99) includes two rope guides; the
PP2 pack (£59.99) includes one rope guide.
■ http://www.wademarine.comSaid to be the next stage
of evolution for a VHF/
DSC handheld, this
measures just 145mm tall
and weighs 310g. It features
a 2.4in high contrast dot
matrix and a backlit LCD
display, plus menu-driven
functionality. Active noise-
cancelling technology uses
a digital processor to reduce
background noise. The radio
is designed to float on its back
if it falls into the water, with the
LCD, backlit keypad and distress
button flashing, for easier retrieval.
A man overboard function allows
users to record the MOB time and
position. An Aquaquake draining
function clears water away from the
speaker grill. The IC-M93D will be
available later this year. Priced around
£269.99. ■ http://www.icomuk.co.ukIcom’s IC-M93D
VHF/DSC
marine radio
SoftScience
Fin shoe
The SoftScience Fin shoe
features a non-marking, slip-
resistant outsole and a
washable, odour-resistant,
removable insole. The upper
part of the shoe is made of
a breathable microfibre, with a
water flow system in the forefoot
for getting into and out of the
water without trailing water on your
deck. It also dries quickly. Priced
from £58 (t74.95), multiple colours
available. ■ http://www.soft-science.euLoad-bearing collar
Tru Design Load-Bearing Collars are designed for
use with their skin fittings and ball valves. With the
collar, the entire assembly is promised to withstand
a 500lb/227kg static force applied to the tail, for a
minimum of 30 seconds – complying with ABYC H-27
rating. The collar was designed to eliminate the need
for additional fasteners through the hull, and was a
category winner in last year’s DAME design
awards. The jury ‘appreciated this entry for its
design simplicity’. Prices start about £8.
■ http://www.bainbridgeint.com