Next week is METS, the international Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam, when new products for next season will be unveiled.
Raymarine has announced that it will be launching the ST70 multifunction colour instrument with new generation SeaTalkng network technology - “a single display head with multiple talents” - at METS.
The ST70 is a high resolution full colour data display unit that offers a new way of visualising instrument information, says the company.
With the option to use a single display head for all data, users can choose what data to show and in what type of format, and then add additional ST70 units as required. With high resolution TFT colour screens, the stylish ST70 range is designed to be versatile and easy to use.
Raymarine says the system is simple to install and set up, and allows users to customize data to suit their own preferences using a variety of digital, analogue, graphic and historical data display options.
The data bus architecture, which ensures highly accurate information is delivered quickly to the display heads, uses Raymarine's new SeaTalkng and enables simple connection between multiple ST70 instruments.
Using the same footprint as Raymarine's established ST60 instrument series, the new ST70 instruments offer low profile flush mounting or surface mount options. Waterproof to CFR46 standard, the sunlight viewable TFT colour displays can be mounted inside or outside. The instrument screen offers a wide viewing angle. A day or night colour option ensures the same high clarlity in all light conditions.
The ST70 offers eight user defined instrument data pages with 16 screen layout options for each data page which can be customised and turned on or off. It is available in 11 language options, and a start-up wizard helps users set up each display as they want it, while a carousel menu guides users through the available options.
The ST70 offers all the standard instrument data, as well as many new features including environmental data such as barometric pressure and barometric pressure log.
Raymarine is also introducing the ST70 Colour Autopilot Controller, with new and intuitive menus for speedy set-up and calibration. For optimum performance on the water there are various display modes, including heading, 2D compass rose and a new 3D isometric display.
An additional three pieces of instrument data can be displayed at the same time when data is present on the SeaTalkng network.
Advanced features include the option to upgrade via a CF card reader. The ST70 instrument system will operate using existing transducers, intelligently converting first generation SeaTalk data to SeaTalkng and NMEA 2000 compatible devices.
Alternatively users can choose to fit Raymarine's new SeaTalkng transducers (available early 2008). SeaTalkng uses small diameter connectors making installation easier in confined spaces. SeaTalkng also uses rugged waterproof positive lock connectors, colour-coded for ease and speed of installation, for the system's backbone and spurs.
Using SeaTalkng, the entire system is backward compatible with Raymarine's existing SeaTalk1 and SeaTalk2 products.
The ST70 colour instrument display costs Euro 631 (£440) and the SeaTalkng depth, speed and transducer pods cost Euro 236 (£165) each, or users can utilise existing ST60 speed, depth and wind transducers. (These prices exclude sales taxes and VAT.)
