Three useful gadgets for your yacht

For example, bow and stern thrusters or anchor windlass. Most of these systems have a specific control location as standard. So, for the windlass there may be a special pedal, and the steering column will be controlled by a special joystick. Wouldn't it be more convenient if you could control these devices from anywhere on the ship or even from the pier?

Remote control of bow and stern thruster

Sleipner (Side-Power) is the world's largest manufacturer of bow and stern thrusters. The company offers portable radio controls to control any type of thruster from up to 200 feet away. This allows you to control your thrusters from anywhere on the boat, whether you have one or more thrusters. There is a remote control for each steering wheel. 

If you are mooring at a pier and you have the stern locked but the bow starts to drift away, you can take the remote control with you and use the thruster to quickly push the bow back to the pier. Similarly, if you are alone picking up mooring lines on a windy day. By the time you get from the helm to the forecastle, the bow of the boat will already be fairly blown away by the wind. Simplify your life with the thruster remote control!

Sleipner remotes also come with a lanyard so you can hang the remote around your neck and not lose it as long as you hold the line with both hands or you need to hold on to the handrail while walking forward. They also offer consoles with additional windlass inputs, so you can control your thrusters and windlass with one remote.

Windlass console and chain counter

When anchoring you need to know how much chain you have given. Many boaters choose to paint the chain or use colored markers every 25 or 50 feet so they can see the color and have a rough idea of how much chain has been released. 

Of course, this requires standing at the bow and watching the chain exit the windlass, so this method won't come in handy if you're operating the windlass from the helm or anywhere else on the boat. For this reason, chain meters are becoming more and more common on yachts, which are installed next to the helm. So you can clearly control the length of the chain without leaving the helm! 

The AutoAnchor AA710 remote control and chain counter is a great way to control your windlass and see the exact chain length from one rugged handheld remote. With the AA710 you don't have to choose where to operate your windlass on the boat, it can take you anywhere. This will also allow you to see the circuit meter anywhere on board, not just on a permanently installed meter. 

It also saves time and simplifies installation. For control, a wireless base station is used, which can be installed next to the windlass. Minimum wires! 

Bluetooth battery monitoring

Knowing the state of charge and power consumption of the batteries on your boat is a very important thing to keep an eye on when you are on the water. You want to get into trouble and go without electricity.

Amps spikes or rapid voltage drops can also be an early sign of faulty components on board or worn out batteries. Almost all ships have the ability to monitor the DC electrical system on board, but often the display is inconveniently located due to lack of wires or lack of information. Victron Energy has addressed these shortcomings of battery monitoring with its VictronConnect Bluetooth remote monitoring system.

The Victron BMV Smart Battery Monitor has built-in Bluetooth, like most Victron products, so wireless communication between products can simplify system installation and increase productivity. The BMV Smart Battery Monitor has the ability to be monitored on a phone or tablet using the Victron Connect App. 

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20.07.2022