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| BUYERS GUIDES |
13 / 06 / 06 |
Sailing gadgetry: What would your seven be? |  | | As many of you know, the commute to work can be extremely boring. Which of course is why mobile phone games and glossy magazines were invented - to help the time speed by. This morning was no different. There I was, on the train, standing in the aisle with the July edition of T3 (a gadget magazine). I turned the page and suddenly, there was an interesting piece on the Volvo Ocean Race.
Captioned “All At Sea” it was the story of a reporter who joined ABN Amro 2 for the in port race in Rio - a little out of date though, it was before the sad tragedy of Hans Horrevoets. Despite this, a real nugget was hidden there - a list of the seven bits of kit every sailor should have - gadget bits, that is.
The Garmin GPSMAP 276
I have to agree this is a fine choice. It's certainly on my personal list of seven. The Garmin GPSMAP 276C is an all-in-one colour chartplotter and automobile navigator, so when you're not on the high seas, you can use it in the car or to go hiking. To make things easy, there's a built-in basemap and auto routing for turn-by-turn directions as well as buoy positioning and tidal info.
Retailing for around £590, the GPSMAP 276C accepts pre-programmed or user programmed data cards with MapSource® BlueChart® for offshore detail or Recreational Lakes with Fishing Hot Spots® for detail of inland lakes. On top of that it supports external NMEA sources for water depth, water temperature, and water speed through two serial interfaces.
With its clear, easy-to-use, transreflective screen viewable in direct sunlight without backlight, not to mention its superior battery life, the GPSMAP 276C has all the qualities we've come to expect from Garmin. But remember - not all these features come as standard and you may need to pay out for add-ons. The English Channel programme for instance is approximately £150, and a road map spanning Europe is another £160 on top again - plus any other packages you want. This makes for a big all-up purchase price, but you're paying for quality which this certainly lives up to.
For more information visit www.garmin.com
The Suunto M3
Definitely the most extravagant on the list - the type of item you want, but really don't need, the Suunto M3 disguises itself as a watch. Concealed within however is a whole race-laboratory that not only helps you to determine the favoured end of the start line, but it also displays the time to the start line in connection with the start timer to help you cross the line at just the right moment.
Of course it has all the usual features - time, date, alarms - and is water resistant to 30m (100 ft). But it's the little extras that make this the sailing gadget over a mere timepiece. Listing the qualities makes your jaw drop. Like the sailing timer adjustable from 1 to 99 hours, and synchronization down to next minute or round to closest minute - not to mention the independent chrono in addition to countdown timer. And all that for £140; what more could you ask?
Though only available from 2006, the Suunto M3 has already been banned in some yacht races - the stewards thinking it's too useful and gives those wearing it an unfair advantage. Well of course! If you do decide to splurge on a sailing watch, the M3 is all over its rivals - but do remember to wear it in the right circles.
For more information visit www.suunto.com
The Musto foul-weather suit
We recently did an article on Musto's HPX oilskins, but just in case you missed it; here's a little snippet for you:
"With the Musto HPX jacket retailing at about £500 and trousers at £220, they are more expensive than all their waterproof counterparts - triple the cost of XM Yachting's alternatives. But there are a lot of extras you get for this: zipped hand-warmer pockets on tops and bottoms with pull-out-to-dry fleece lining, a facility to zip in mid layers and 500 denier Cordura seat patch with internal abrasion free seams as just a few items on a very, very long list. But if you look after these oilskins properly, it'll be near enough a decade before you have to even consider buying a new set. Read more..."
Not filled with the gizmos, but definitely the most high-tech of the waterproofs, these are made with HPX Gore-Tex - one of, if not the most durable, breathable, waterproof fabric designs available commercially. Their popularity is also helped by all the Volvo racers wearing them!
For more information visit www.musto.co.uk
The Kaenon Rhino G12
Designed by Olympic sailor Steve Rosenburg, the Kaenon™ sunglasses range combines style and function to bring you an excellent choice in sailing sunglasses. The Rhino is injection moulded out of tough TR-90® material and has recessed Variflex™ nose pads to anchor the frame securely and comfortably in place.
Vision is nigh on perfect with Kaenon's revolutionary SR-91® polarized lens treatment and its proprietary Glare 86® polarizing element, available in all seven purpose-built lens tints and Light Transmission Levels (LTL®) specifically developed by Kaenon Polarized. This allows you to look through the water as well as at it, the polarised coating removing light reflected off shiny surfaces from your vision.
Add this to the heavy duty, non-corrosive frame, made to withstand the trials and tribulations of outrageous seething seas - particularly as designed by Alain Mikli and others - and you have yourself a pretty good pair of sunnies!
For more information visit www.kaenon.com
| | Henri-Lloyd's Octane Shorts |
The must-have deck shorts
With the British weather yesterday (28°C), leaving Spain (24°C) and the Los Angeles (23°C) in the shade, this season's sailors' must-have has got to be a pair of shorts. And again T3 turn to Musto for the perfect pair. They're made of crease-resistant cotton drill, and not only are they breathable, they're smart enough for the club house as well. But I think the award for most gadgety pair of shorts has to go to Henri-Lloyd.
Henri-Lloyd's Octane shorts are made with breathable Schoeller Keprotec tear and abrasion resistant fabric making them water and wind repellent.
This fabric uses Kevlar thread and is five times stronger than steel, gram for gram. A Nanosphere Super DWR (durable water resistant) finish is impregnated into the fabric. A bit more hi-tech I think you'll agree?
For more information on the deck shorts visit www.musto.co.uk
For more information on the Octane shorts visit www.henrilloyd.com
The Musto canvas-brimmed hat
Again with hats, T3 has opted for Musto and gone with the Cotton Canvas Brimmed Hat. With the brim keeping you face and neck out of the sun, you get a clear all-round view while protected from the sun's rays. It also sports a handy retainer - to stop the thing flying off out to sea without you.
My only negative with this choice is the unpredictable British weather. Wise before the time you may be better off with an ordinary cap - because even with its brass stud fastening, this hat won't fit comfortably under a hood.
For more information visit www.musto.co.uk
Clif Power Bars
One thing that's very clear about Clif Power Bars is that they taste a darn sight better than most competitors. Though they still have the slight chemical taste of many energy bars, they are soy-based and are made of 70% organic ingredients so it's minimal. Cliff believe 'to perform at your best, the last thing you want to put in your body is a synthetic product.'
They work by combining carbohydrates, protein, and fibre to create a moderate glycemic index food which gives your body a steady increase in blood sugar levels, followed by a gradual decline. This avoids the rush of sugar highs and crashes associated with refined ingredients and sweeteners - instead offering sustained energy to keep you going across the river, or across the Atlantic.
For more information visit www.clifbar.com
How about your 7?
Now you have seen what T3's top sailing items are and our comments on them, how about telling us what you would recommend on The MainSail forum? The first ten lucky list-makers will be very highly thought of by me.
Original source article:
T3 - The world's No.1 gadget magazine
July 2006 edition
www.T3.co.uk
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| | Discuss this article, 1 of 3 messages, read more: |  Roxy | |
| Posted: 13/06/06 15:34:17 17 | | After reading an article in a magazine about the ‘Top 7 items of sailing gadgetry,’ it got us thinking about our favourite bits of nautical gear. So we thought we would ask you guys what you think. Now you have read the article, what would be your top seven sailing items? |
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