New Gear
Rupert Holmes on the latest products & Christmas gifts
This is a present that, as the cliché
says, keeps on giving. Subscription-
based weather services were once
seen as primarily the preserve of keen
racing sailors, but many cruisers are
now also appreciating their value.
Indeed, if you want the easiest and
cheapest way to signifi cantly reduce
passage times, better weather data is
often the best place to start.
Important safety benefi ts also come
from having better information about
maximum wind strength and wave
prediction. We often don’t give the latter
enough emphasis, but accurate
forecast data is now available and seastate invariably has a greater effect on a
yacht and its crew than the force of the
wind alone. Earlier this year,
PredictWind added ECMWF’s global
WAM wave model to its forecasts. This
fi ne-grained, 14km-resolution model
calculates signifi cant wave heights after
taking primary swell, local wind, wave
height and ocean currents into account.
The latest upgrades include a swathe
of new or improved features, including
a complete rebuild of the Offshore app,
a new Android app, a weather-routing
animation and gust GRIB data. Price:
US$99 for three months or US$249 for
12 months Qwww.predictwind.comKeep dry when wet
This is another potentially perfect gift for
anyone who continues sailing through
the darkest winter months. It’s often
hardest to keep the cold at bay when
you’re tidying the boat up after sailing
and, on a short winter day, the sun is
already dipping below the horizon.
The long-fi tting jacket is designed for
exactly this situation, as it has a
waterproof and breathable shell fabric
on both the inside and outside. That
means the Kiama Coat can be put
directly on top of damp outer layers and
it will immediately start warming you up.
This is both a result of its insulating
properties and because water on your
moist gear is no longer causing heat
loss through evaporation.
It’s also ideal for coaches, race
committees, safety-boat crews and
fi shing enthusiasts, who are often
outside for long periods without moving
enough to keep warm. The jacket has
adjustable PU wrist seals, taped seams
in all the key areas, large fl eecy
side-entry zip pockets and inner
zipped pockets. It’s available in Black
or Ash and in unisex sizes from XS to
XXXL. Price: £245.00 Qwww.zhik.comPredictWind’s latest forecast data
Portable Class B AIS transponder
Voyage of rediscovery
This is a fascinating account of a voyage
around the UK on the last remaining
Merseyside pilot schooner, Spirit of Falmouth,
with a group of
ex-servicemen who
saw front-line action
in Afghanistan, Iraq,
Kosovo and Ireland.
All had endured
unimaginably
traumatic
experiences and
had trouble
readjusting to
civilian life.
For many, the
voyage was an
odyssey that offered
a chance to resolve
the issues they faced when returning to
normality. Sailing proved to be greatly
restorative, helping them fi nd purpose in their
lives and friendship after long periods of
isolation, as well as regain their sense of worth.
The story is dramatic, uplifting, moving and
told with the inevitable darkly hilarious humour
of those who have served. Price: £16.99
Qwww.adlardcoles.comDigital Yacht’s Nomad is a portable
black box Class B AIS transponder. It’s
designed to interface directly with
tablets, smartphones and PCs and has
been nominated for a DAME award for
innovation at METS. The idea behind
the product was to offer a low-cost AIS
system that’s easy to install and can, if
necessary, be moved between
different boats.
The interface with other
devices is either via
wireless or a
hardwired USB
connection, and
allows AIS
targets to be overlaid onto popular
charting apps. The unit can be powered
from any USB source and ships with a
compact, 25cm external VHF antenna
with sucker cup mount. It can also be
connected to any regular VHF antenna.
It’s a signifi cantly cheaper option than
most conventional Class B AIS
transponders, especially with our reader
offer this Christmas – when ordering
online, enter promo code XMAS20 to
get a 20 per cent discount. Price:
£475 (without discount)
Qwww.digitalyacht.co.ukReader
offer
20%
discount