Sandra has this item at the SmartPlug blog. Somehow, I feel confident she won’t mind me republishing it in its entirety here at Navagear!

Let me “add value” a bit by saying that I’ve been using my SmartPlug for a few months now, and I LOVE IT! Because of the fires it’s prevented? Um…not really. I never had a fire with the old plug, so who’s to say? No, my satisfaction with the SmartPlug design is based on pure everyday ergonomics. I’ve written about this before, so suffice to say I have not been disappointed.

On with Sandra’s post:

The SmartPlug Dual Configuration 30 Amp Cordsets [C30503 & C30253] are arriving soon (July 2010) and are packed full of new features to protect your boat and provide you with that extra piece of mind!  Anticipated to hit the shelves in July 2010, the SmartPlug cordset offers a new solution to the problems of marine shore power.  It’s safer, easier to use and much more reliable than any marine cordset available today.  We’ve put a lot of time and thought into how best to improve upon the existing problematic standard and make a product that you can feel good about purchasing.  Here are some of the key features:

• No Adapters Needed
  • The SmartPlug Dual Configuration cordset was designed to protect the boatside end of the shore power connection first, while allowing for integration with older twist-type connections on the marina end.   Simply install a SmartPlug 30 Amp Inlet on your boat and plug the SmartPlug end of the cordset into it.  The dockside end of the cord connects directly to the older twist-type marina connections.

SmartPlug 30A Dual Configuration cordset with SmartPlug Inlet

• It’s Weatherproof
  • Water intrusion leads to corrosion, and corrosion leads to electrical arcing and overheating.  SmartPlug’s fully molded cordset – along with its weatherproof face seal on the boatside end – eliminates moisture intrusion.

Weatherproof face seal

• Tinned Copper Wire
  • SmartPlug Cordsets are the first to use tinned copper wire (10/3) for the ultimate in corrosion resistance and durability.  Tinned wire is considered the premium choice for the marine environment as it lasts up to 10 times longer than non-tinned wire.  In fact, marine industry experts recommend the use of tinned wiring throughout the boat for these same reasons.

SmartPlug cord with tinned copper wire

• Sleeved Design
  • One of the primary causes of failure in the old twist-type design is that the electrical pins bear any weight or tension on the cord.  This is of greatest concern on the boatside end of the shore power cable where most of the movement occurs.  The SmartPlug’s sleeve design means that the body of the connector bears that tension, rather than the electrical pins, keeping those points of electrical contact secure.

Sleeved Design

• Multi-Point Locking System
  • Locking side levers on the connector – along with the SmartPlug Inlet’s locking cap – ensure a rock solid connection on the boatside end.

Multi-Point Locking System

Ben Ellison has this item at Panbo:

Today I added a new Panbo category for gear I try which is not electronics related, but which is good enough that you might want to know about it.  Like the Moonlite Marine rail cleat above.  I’d never seen one in the aluminum and stainless flesh before taking a $20 chance online, but now I think they’re well-designed and built, and darn effective…

Read more

I’m intrigued… Let’s read the press release, shall we?

Removing a trailer from beneath a boat no longer requires backbreaking labor.  Brownell Boat Stands‘ new Manual Boat Lifting System is the safest, fastest and most affordable way to take out the trailer, allowing owners to paint, repair or store the craft.

Boat owners simply assemble the system, lift the vessel and pull out the trailer.  The craft is then ready to be lowered onto stands or worked on.

The Manual Boat Lifting System can lift boats up to 20′ or 5,000 lbs. and can accommodate trailers up to 96" wide.  The system has a lifting range of 19-37" and weighs 190 lbs.  Featuring a heavy-duty construction, the built-to-last system is proudly made in the US.

Each Manual Boat Lifting System includes two adjustable stern stands, a steel lifting beam, two adapters to fit most hull shapes and two boat lifting stands.  It’s available from leading marine supply retailers for about $699.  Owners can contact Brownell Boat Stands for more information.

Brownell Boat Stands offers an extensive line of high-quality boat stands, jack systems, staging stands and related equipment.  It’s been the choice of yards, marinas and dealers since 1954.

This is a very cool bit of news. Because why? Because it means that some of the best navigation suites on the market, which tend to be PC-based, might now make use of some of the best radar hardware on the market. On with the press release!

Marine Electronics Leader Introduces PC-Based FMCW Radar Technology for the Commercial, Marine, Military and Surveillance Markets

Nashua, N.H. – Simrad Yachting, a leader in the design and manufacture of world-class marine navigation, autopilots, communications and fishfinding systems, has announced today its BR24PC Software Development Kit (SDK) for the commercial, military, marine and surveillance markets. Giving developers access to the Simrad BR24 Broadband Radar™ opens a wide spectrum of applications for land and sea. Approved third parties can obtain a license to the BR24PC SDK and create PC-based software that utilizes Simrad Yachting’s award-winning Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radome technology. Potential applications include on- and offshore security, unmanned vessels, military (stationary and moving), river navigation, boundary surveillance, fish-farm monitoring and oilrig ship-docking management. Providing the opportunity for a user-friendly, real-time, fully-automated and integrated PC-based radar system, the BR24PC SDK is compatible with any off-the-shelf Simrad BR24 Broadband Radar.

“The Simrad BR24PC Software Development Kit allows integration of our revolutionary radar technology to a nearly unlimited range of new possibilities in custom marine and on-shore applications,” said Louis Chemi, chief operating officer, Navico Americas. “Not only is the technology the future of navigation, security and surveillance, our BR24PC SDK makes commercial-grade radar available at a competitive price.”

Keep reading →

I’m still happy with the Coleman Fold-N-Go stove I wrote about (here and here) earlier this spring. But shoppers should be aware that its open design does make it more sensitive to wind. It’s blowing a steady 5 knots or more on Lake Union today, even between the boathouses. That’s enough to carry a lot of the heat away before it can go to work on the bottom of a saucepan or teakettle.

We were obliged to relocate the Fold-N-Go to the cockpit floor this afternoon, and once we did that we were able to get the water boiling!

Another Things That Work entry over at Captain Richard Ridriguez’s BitterEnd blog:

I was impressed with the ease and speed of this product made in good old Bellingham WA.

As used aboard Diligence.

This natural, plant based cleaner and degreaser is specifically formulated for safe removal of the toughest BBQ grime without phosphates or harsh fumes. Made from sustainable and renewable ingredients, the All Natural Grill Cleaner will effectively remove particles without harsh scrubbing. For use on cast iron, stainless steel, baked-on porcelain, enamel, cooking grates and drip pans.

Removes Grease, Carbon, Baked-On Deposits & Tree Sap From:
• Exterior Grill Surfaces
• Gill Grates
• Cooking Plates

Product Link page HERE.

Read more

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL— With two levels of integrated signal technology—a powerful 406 MHZ signal and 121.5 MHz homing capacity plus the option to upgrade to GPS positioning with a cable interface— the new SATELLITE₃ 406™ introduced by Cobham Life Support-ACR Products offers a cost-effective, hard working EPIRB for users in both the commercial and recreational marine industries.

The SATELLITE₃ 406™ has received FCC, IC and MED approvals and is now available in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Using the same reliable Search and Rescue satellite technology that has saved more than 27,000 lives worldwide since 1982, the SATELLITE₃ 406™ is a small and rugged lifesaver with over 53 years of ACR ingenuity and engineering built-in as standard features.

The ACR SATELLITE series has well served commercial mariners and recreational boaters for more than 17 years. The newest generation in this workhorse series of EPIRBs, the SATELLITE₃ 406™ utilizes a proprietary electronics package for faster, more stable 406 MHz emergency transmissions to low-earth orbiting LEOSAR satellites. In an emergency, the user’s registered, digitally coded distress message is broadcast via a powerful 6-watt, 406 MHz signal (SAR notification typically within one hour). An integrated 121.5 MHz homing signal then guides local Search and Rescue efforts.

As an option, SATELLITE₃ 406™ users can pinpoint their location within 100 meters and reduce SAR notification to fifteen minutes by purchasing a GPS interface cable, which can connect the SATELLITE₃ 406™ directly to the vessel’s GPS receiver to continuously update and store precise GPS data. As another option, SATELLITE₃ 406™ users can send non-emergency “I’m OK” messages through the beacon’s self-test protocol when they are subscribers to the new 406Link program offered to all owners of EPIRBs and PLBs.

Available in two categories, the SATELLITE₃ 406™ Cat. I EPIRB comes with the Sea Shelter₃™ bracket, which is fully enclosed and made of high density, UV-stabilized polyethylene for years of extreme abuse. The Cat. II EPIRB comes with a standard QuickDraw™ low profile bracket and is easy to install on a bulkhead.

The SATELLITE₃ 406™ is loaded with high efficiency electronics that offer reliable performance, responsiveness and accuracy. It carries Class II non-Hazmat batteries, which will allow the beacon to transmit for a minimum of 48 hours at -20ºC (-4ºF). The EPIRB weighs 1.3 lbs (586 g) measures 7.0 x 4.2 x 3.6” (17.7 x 10.7 x 9.1 cm)

An EPIRB is a satellite-signalling device of last resort, for use when all other means of self-rescue have been exhausted and where the situation is deemed to be grave and imminent, and the loss of life, limb, eyesight or valuable property will occur without assistance. All beacons must be registered online at www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov following purchase. There are no monthly service fees for 406 MHz beacons.

MSRP for the Category I SATELLITE₃ 406™ is $950 and $890 for the Category II. MSRP for the optional GPS interface cable is $125.

I wrote about the Feathercraft BayLee inflatable dinghies during the 2009 Seattle Boat Show, and now that I’ve had a chance to use my own BayLee 3 HD (the “flagship” of this diminutive fleet) a bit during the early part of the 2010 cruising season, I can report that it’s living up to my expectations.

Read my earlier review for the full story. Suffice to say this inflatable boat is designed to do one thing extremely well: It’s a tender for boats or float planes with limited storage space or strict weight restrictions.

Oh, it does one other thing extremely well, too: The kids love paddling around the marina in it! (I like the fact that there’s almost no chance they can damage anybody else’s boat with it.)

[Good news for those who have opted NOT to jump on the iPhone bandwagon. It’s a press release, so you should forgive the exclamation points and hyperbole. —Tim]

Discover the value of Navionics renowned marine charts and lake maps!

Ideal for water sport enthusiasts of all kinds. Create a virtual travelogue to share with friends via email or facebook.

The most comprehensive features available in 3.2:
• Record/Save tracks, routes
• Capture geo-tagged pictures of your adventures
• Access the largest database of specialty marine POIs available
• Search marinas and specialty marine POI, with just one click to call
• Check tides & currents, moon phase, sun/moon rise/set
• Share the fun with friends
• And so much more!

Offering the best marine and lake maps covering regions around the world.

Navionics certified compatible Android models:
Motorola Droid • Nexus One
HTC Tattoo • Acer Liquid

Operating system required: 1.6 or >

App prices are in Euro starting at 9.99€.

[It’s a press release, of course, but it only makes me lust for a FLIR thermal imaging camera of my own! —Tim]

Portland, OR – FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) announced that recent tests to determine how well its thermal imaging cameras could see oil on water had outstanding results, and that FLIR maritime thermal imagers are providing valuable assistance to oil recovery crews working in the Gulf Oil Spill.

In early April of 2010, FLIR conducted a series of experiments at the OHMSETT oil recovery test facility in coastal New Jersey to determine if FLIR maritime thermal imagers see petrochemicals floating on seawater, and if so, which cameras do it the best.

In the experiment, FLIR tested a variety of thermal imagers, observing five different kinds of oil and diesel in a variety of sea states and from three different viewing angles, and under a variety of lighting conditions.

The Result:  FLIR maritime thermal longwave imaging cameras succeed at providing crisp, clear real-time video and photos of any temperature oil in all types of seas, in glaring sunlight, with no light at all, and from just about any angle.

FLIR thermal imagers can see oil on water extremely well—day or night, in all types of lighting conditions—because oil emits infrared energy quite differently from water, giving floating films a distinct appearance. In addition, infrared imaging requires no visible light to make a clear image and is not affected by reflections caused by wave action or solar interference.

Just a few weeks after this initial test,  FLIR’s M-Series and First Mate maritime imagers are currently proving their worth to oil containment and recovery crews in the recent Gulf oil spill,  providing valuable aid and assistance in this time of national emergency. You can see footage of our cameras at work at http://www.youtube.com/user/FLIRNightVision.