Marine Electronics

Testers evaluated handheld VHF radios from three leading marine electronics makers. From Icom, we tested the M92D and M24. Standard Horizon submitted the HX290, HX300, and HX400, and from Midland Radio, we reviewed the Nautico 2. The VHFs in our test group ranged in price and features from a $50 basic, budget-friendly model to a $299, feature-rich handheld with DSC and GPS capabilities. All offered channel scanning, channel 16 quick select, NOAA weather radio, and weather alert. Unique features among the group included scrambler capabilities and remote microphone options.

There are still not as many marine navigation programs for Mac computers as for there are for PCs, but their quality often matches that of PC software, and their cost tends to be lower. The Mac software programs we tested were MacEnc, GPSNavX, Polar View, and OpenCPN. Testers have used MacEnc and GPSNavX extensively while cruising, and we evaluated OpenCPN during two three-month cruises and Polar View for a little over a month during another cruise. Prices range from $180 for MacEnc, to free for OpenCPN, an open-source, non-commercial software created by volunteers.

Sailing and tactical software has long been B&Gs strong suit. The Zeus Touch is the first time the Navico companys high-end racing software has been tweaked for mainstream use and bundled along with normal chartplotter and GPS functions. At first blush, it appears to be a dressed-up version of the Simrad NSS. The big difference between the two is the software. It uses the boats set sailing characteristics to calculate tacking or jibing points to most efficiently reach a given destination. Many of these functions are simple measurements that any skipper can predict or calculate using a paper chart and simple arithmetic, but the Zeus Touch delivers this information instantaneously and continuously, and removes the chance of human error.

After reading your article, A Sailor's Guide to Marine Insurance, I wanted to give a shout-out to Progressive Insurance (www.progressive.com), which has insured our Stiletto catamaran and our dinghy, outboard motors, and trailers. Customer service is extremely friendly and efficient on the phone any time we want to check or change our policy. And when lightning struck the mast of our catamaran, they sent an adjuster out within two days, took care of the paper work, and had a payment sent to us within two weeks. Thats an incredible turn-around time.

A few issues ago, you had a short article on deck hardware (blocks, traveler, cars, etc.) that included Garhauer, and you mentioned that the manufacturer offered individual parts and complete systems that allow conversion from on deck to cockpit adjustment of the car position. We recently installed the EZ adjustable genoa car system from Garhauer and are very pleased with the results. This equipment fits on existing traveler tracks, is easy to install, and performs as advertised.

Weve been following man-overboard (MOB) beacons, flags, and lights for more than 30 years now. In our testing, weve found that a major shortcoming of many electronic MOB transmitters is their inability to track the person in the water; most simply alert the crew that someone has fallen overboard. But in the past two years, with the integration of the Automated Identification System (AIS) and Digital Selective Calling (DSC), MOB-recovery technology has changed dramatically. We recently put it to the test with field trials of the Kannad SafeLink, McMurdo Smartfind, and Mobilarm V100 MOB beacons.

The cheapest wind indicators are bestowed at birth: your nose, the back of your neck, and your fingers. Forget digital precision; these wind indicators are dialed in. They even sense changes in temperature that, in squally weather, can signal a sudden backing wind. Even the most sophisticated wind sensors can't compete with a direct skin-to-brain link. The next step up from our dermal cells is a bit of yarn in the shrouds-super light Angora wool, if youre a stickler. Here, the eyes intervene in the process, so the brain must do a bit more exercise. Well call this soft technology.

As a follow-up to our August 2012 evaluation of budget-friendly marine audio systems, we recently tested five mid-priced marine stereos, three of which came kitted with speakers. The products in this round of testing retail for $180 to $350 and are a step up in quality, water-resistance, and features from the stereo-speaker packages ($200 or less) we reviewed last year. A quality marine stereo should be corrosion resistant, with coated circuit boards and no ferrous parts. We limited this test field to stereos rated IPX5 or higher.

Since we last looked at iPad navigation apps, there have-not surprisingly-been a number of new developments. One of the most interesting developments is Garmins introduction of the Garmin BlueChart Mobile nav app, which is proving to be an important addition to the field. The app is usable on iPads, iPhones, and iPods with the iOS 6 operating system. Testers also recently looked at the latest versions of iNavX, iSailor, and Navionics, which we previously reviewed.

About six months ago, I bought a Raymarine Smart Controller remote for my autopilot. It is a great unit that I have come to depend on, especially when single-handing. The Smart Controller plugs into the SeaTalk system and serves as a wireless remote for the autopilot. The weak point in the system is the lightweight lanyard. Recently mine gave way, and the remote bounced twice toward the rail, hung in mid-air, then disappeared overboard. You can imagine my anguish after failing to retrieve it. I contacted Raymarine (www.raymarine.com) and told them my story. I guess it was my lucky day: Long story short, they sent me a new one! Im a huge Raymarine fan now.