Sail - July 2018

Gear

BY PETER NIELSEN

JULY 2018

SURVIVAL KITS

Mindful of the confusion that can

accompany shopping for survival

products, ACR has helpfully collected

the most important items that a prudent

sailor might need into a pair of “kits.”

The Globalfi x Pro kit includes a Globalfi x

Pro Category 2 EPIRB, a C-Strobe

rescue light, a signal mirror and

Hemilight. The V4 kit (pictured) includes

a Globalfi x V4 EPIRB, a ResQLink

personal locator beacon (PLB), Firefl y

Waterbug and Hemilight lights, and a

signal mirror. Both come packed in a

fl oating RapidDitch bag. $549 (Pro),

$799 (V4). ACR, acrartex.com

WATCH THIS

If you’re in the market for a high-end sailing timepiece with a few tricks up its electronic

sleeve, the Breitling Exospace B55 Yachting belongs on your wrist. Not only does it

tell the time with uncanny precision, it is equipped with a race timer system that has a

host of functions and can be connected to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. This

allows you to check the timer, control the functions from your phone and store or share

measurements. Clever, no? The rechargeable battery has a 10-year lifespan, and the

watch is water-resistant to 100 meters. $7,170. Breitling, breitling.com

A BETTER VISION

Vesper Marine’s Watchmate series has long been the gold standard for

user-friendly AIS displays, and the new Watchmate Vision2 transponder

improves an already fi ne product that not only displays AIS data, but can

be connected to up to eight devices, including smartphones, laptops

and MFDs, via its built-in Wi-Fi. The touchscreen

display is IPX7 waterproof and can

be mounted above or belowdeck.

It not only shows vessel data,

but warns you of possible

collision situations and acts

as an anchor alarm and (if the

crew wears AIS MOB devices)

man-overboard locator. In

short, it’s an ideal accessory

for both coastal cruising

and oceangoing boats.

$1,249. Vesper Marine,

vespermarine.com