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Annapolis Boat Show 2008
At the show we looked at many boating products and equipment, some new and some not so new.
The products include Above deck; the Dax winch handle, mainsail furling systems, Deck mounting suction cups, Solar panels mounting stik, Garmin Shadow drive, Harken under deck Furler, Ronstan Boom tent, shock absorbing docklines.
Personal gear knee pads
below deck, dock water filter, pots and pans,
In safety and navigation, News is that AIS B is legal in the US, ACR iPro new EPIRB.
The Annapolis sailboat show has many racers and cruisers on show. We took the opportunity to see how each type, cruiser or racer, tackles mainsail reefing. The survey below is based on all boats over 28ft. The boats using in mast furlers are the larger production builders, Catalina, Hunter, Beneteau, Island packet etc.  The boats with roller furling Booms are typically high end and larger
boats and most used the
Leisure Furl from Forespar.
Boats in this category are the Trintella, Morris, Hylas, Friendship etc. The performance orientated boats including the racers tend to go with slides or bolt rope. The performance cruisers use systems to capture the mainsail when it drops, like the Dutchman and lazy Jacks systems. I was surprised to see so many lazy Jacks as IMHO the Dutchman system is the better system, as it flakes the sail as its drops, but it is also more expensive.
AIS Class B now legal in the US
The news was given a few weeks ago by the FCC, that AIS Class B transponders are now legal in the US. At the Annapolis show many booths were selling Class B AIS, some at discount prices. Prior to this AIS Class B was available in Europe and many other parts of the world but not the US.
FCC AIS order can be found here
To learn about AIS and how it works read this newsletter
Some of the AIS devices on show were;
ACR Nauticast B ($899) Nauticast is ACRs AIS receiver and transmitter, (class B) which allows you to pick up these signals and then display the data on your chartplotter. Still waiting approval for the class B AIS unit. ACR have a reputation for quality products.
MSRP $1,595
The first color AIS class B unit. This unit receives and transmits data (not in the USA) but is good in Europe. The daylight viewable color screen and easy interface with built in coastal maps make for simple watch keeping. Range rings allow for setting of alarms to warn of incoming traffic. The unit connects through NMEA 200 based SimNet marine network. For DSC capability connect to a SimNet equipped DSC radio and call via the MMSI number of the selected boat. Buddy tracking allows you to track 3 friends
The SR 161 AIS class B was shown here attached to a VHF aerial and a
Panasonic small laptop.
Lots more AIS offerings can be found here
MyBoatsgear.com webmaster bought the knee pads to use on a Mumm 30 and he loves them. In this picture you see Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck trying one on at the Annapolis Boat show. The knee pad has shape and is designed to stay in place
while kneeling down. Many other knee pads are hard to keep in place as they
ride up. Spinlock's Description Impact Range : Kneepads Working with a leading knee specialist, Deckware Knee Pads have been especially developed to provide patella support and protection, through high density moulded foam. Ergonomically shaped to maintain position and prevent slipping, the knee pads are covered in ultra tough IBQ Cordura fabric to resisit abrasion.
The Sea Sucker can be mounted anywhere and used to hold any number of devices. The sea sucker is a cool device that uses a vacuum to attach the sucker to any flat surface. The little priming pump is used to remove the air and form an attachment. There are two sizes one rated for 120 lbs, for $48, and the larger size can carry 210lbs, for $68. Once you have fixed the sea sucker to the surface you can add all sorts of gear to it. For fisherman you can add rod holders and a radio. For sailors you could add a winch handle pocket.
Solar panel support pole to capture the suns rays and keep ahead of energy requirements.
Solar Stik is nor just a marine product it provides
solar power to many applications including the military. The idea is to get
the solar panels in as much light as possible which dramatically increases
the solar panels output. One side advantage is that the panels get cooled as
they have air flowing around them. Solar Stik is a mounting system for 2 50 watt solar
panels. The panels can be lowered when not in use and positioned for optimum
exposure when opened. Mounting the Solar Stik is trough a deck fitting, or
transom mount. The legs are supplied over length so you can cut to the
correct length. Solar Stik has a web site that has lots of information
drawings diagrams and technical details. The panels and solar boost from
Blue Sky and the Stik will set you back around $4,000.  add the
optional wind generator.
Initial cost of the Solar Stik may be high but there are no costs after the initial investment. Plus you will not run out of fuel since the sun is always available. Well mostly available.
The solar stik site has comparison with generators and other forms of alternative energy. The comparison includes prices and storage. If you cruise for a long time and have a generator you will have to pay for the fuel and have to store it and you may run out. The comparison lets you figure out when the Stik will pay for itself.
Deck mount showing the connections which connect the solar cables to your deck gland fitting.
The shock absorbing dock lines come in Black only, in 12mm, 15, 18, and
26mm diameters, and 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12m lengths. Synergy marine is the
distributor in Canada and US. Cost are from the 3 m length and 12 mm
diameter which costs $ 38.00.
Dax locking Composite winch handle
The
Dax winch handle is made by the originator of the design
that Lewmar uses. The one touch handle has proven its ease of use one hand
operation top lock and unlock, with very simple operation. The Dax handle is
the composite version of the One Touch locking winch handle.
In the spring of 2003, Don Steiner was tacking in close quarters when his
locking winch handle jammed. The handle was the old square-plate locking
style prone to such jamming, usually at the most inopportune times. The
problem could not be repaired on board so the handle was taken ashore for
repairs.
Once apart on the workbench, the handle revealed its
fundamentally flawed design. Don realized that, even after repairs, it was
just a matter of time until the rotating square plate mechanism would jam
again. He could not help but feel there was a better solution to this common
problem. Shortly thereafter, the fundamentals of the OneTouch design began
to take shape. Garmin shadow drive  This is a very useful device. The shadow drive allows you to grab the
steering wheel even with the autopilot engaged and steer by hand. The Garmin
rep told me that you can just leave the autopilot on and steer out
of the slip, and then set your course and let go.Shadow drive from Garmin starts to make autopilot accidents less frequent. I had a situation backing into a slip when someone accidently hit auto on the pilot interface. The steering locked up and we lost steerage. Not knowing at the time what happened we were able to stop the boat and avoid some major damage. Shadow Drive promises to stop that by sensing you wanting to gain back control. The Garmin autopilot system is based on Nautamatic Marine systems TR1 Gladiator autopilot, which Garmin purchased to get into the pilot business. Shadow drive is an interface that uses a sensor in the hydraulic line to perform functions you would normally perform with conventional panel-mounted buttons. The Shadow drive is the bronze fitting in the image.General ecology Many know of or have a seagull water purifier in the galley for clean drinking water. This device is designed to house onboard with dock water coming in and being treated before going to the tank or point of use. SPARK-L-PURE® MICRO WATER FILTER 30,000 gallons water filter
Using General Ecology's
Aqua-Polish 7 cartridge modules, Spark-L-Pure systems provide a rated
flow of 26 GPM - more than enough for household total supply, and for
many commercial and industrial applications.
This set was the "Editor's Pick" in the July 2007 issue of RS Xtreme Magazine. 21 pcs. High quality 18/10 stainless steel cookware/serving/storage set with "DETACHABLE HANDLE. The
removable handle solves the biggest problem in cookware.........THE HANDLE!
Now you can have cookware that fits in the cabinet, sink, or dishwasher with
ease. ALL 21 PIECES STORE INSIDE EACH OTHER. TAKES UP LESS THAN 1 CUBIC FOOT OF
SPACE!! Ideal for "Motor homes", "Marine Galleys", "Apartments", "RV's",
"Camping Trips", "Picnics", and Home use. The set contains: 1 1/2 quart saucepan / strainer lid (stainless steel), 2
1/2 quart saucepan / strainer lid (stainless steel), 4 quart dutch oven /
strainer lid (stainless steel), 8" frypan (non-stick over stainless steel),
9" frypan (stainless steel), 10 frypan (stainless steel), 3 detachable
handles , 7 plastic sealer/storage lids
ACR GlobalFix iPRO 406 MHz GPS EPIRBThe GlobalFix iPRO, a patented, next generation 406 MHz EPIRB featuring breakthrough technology that makes it the first EPIRB in the world to offer an exclusive Digital Display Screen and Dual GPS technology.
Thats the pitch. What you get with the iPro is the ability to self test the unit and the display lets you know if it is working.
The Digital Display provides the user with a variety of important information both during operation and self test. ACR integrated the Digital Display because the research and development team listened to customer feedback and understood that beacon users could benefit considerably from a digital read out.
The image shows the GlobalFix iPro next to ACRs Resqfix PLB.
Harken Under Deck mark iv furler
Mark IV furler
The under deck or thru deck furler cleans up the foredeck.
Imagine anchoring with this set up and you will not have to reach around the furler drum.
For racers the drum gets the sail lower to the deck.
Ronstan are distributing the Gaastra Boom Tent in the US
If I need an awning on my boat this is the one. Gaastras inflatable arch means no poles, plus it provides extra space under awning due to its shape. The inflatable pockets work like inflatable battens, simply add air. Fits into a small bag.
Previously marketed in Europe by Gaastra, now Ronstan has taken over the distribution of the tent in the US, which is good for US boaters.
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Radio SR161 AIS Receiver
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If
you are looking for cookware that will fit into your boats storage area then
look at the 
Harken
thru deck furler
