Saturday 8 October 2011

Marine Devices - Designed to Improve Sea Safety

By Nia Lawrence


One cannot stress the importance of safety at sea too much. Whether you are a captain of a large ship or a tiny sea vessel, it is your responsibility to keep everyone on board safe and sound. For that reason, it is important that you make sure your vessel is equipped with only the best marine safety devices available today. Aside from life jackets, emergency lights, and lifeboats, your boat should also be equipped with electronic marine devices such as a marine chartplotter, autopilot, radar, and transducer. Yes, it's true that sea navigation should be a fun and enjoyable experience, especially when you're talking about recreational boating. But there's no doubt that safety should be placed above everything else.

A lot of people are familiar with the marine autopilot because it has really risen to popularity since its invention. Nowadays, autopilots come with control units that allow mariners to operate them from practically any part of the vessel. The Raymarine ST70 is one such device. It is one autopilot control unit that's both flexible and convenient to use. The device has a high-resolution, 3.5" screen that displays navigational information such as the boat's direction and location. However, what makes this device truly special is its user-friendly interface that allows for straightforward operation.

And then you have a marine transducer. Though small and compact in size, transducers are no doubt among the most essential devices in sea navigation. A fishfinder is a good example of a transducer, and today, you will find multifunctional displays to possess such features. However, you can still opt for a separate transducer like the Raymarine ST40 if you want to. This transducer actually acts as a depth finder. It comes with a shallow alarm that warns you when you are about to tread in shallow waters. It also has a depth memory, which allows you to record depth information of a certain location at sea. You can view all these essential information in the device's 27 and 17-millimeter display.

The Automatic Identification System receiver is another device that any mariner cannot do without. Having one installed on board can boost your confidence greatly because it increases your chances of being detected by other boaters nearby. This is truly essential, especially if you have a small boat. Automatic Identification System receivers like the Raymarine AIS 250 are actually designed to prevent collision between two vessels at sea. And while it is optional for smaller boats, you might still want to invest in one to further improve sea safety.

Fun is important, especially in recreational boating. However, safety should always be your main concern, especially if you have other people with you on your vessel, which is why it is very important to have the latest in high-quality marine devices mounted on your boat. These equipments may be a little costly, but since your life and the life of other people with you on board depend on them, there's no reason why you should hesitate in spending for them.




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