It’s easy to think a lifejacket is just a lifejacket; that they’re all the same. But in fact, a huge amount of research and development goes into ensuring that you’ll wear them and that they will work effectively if they are needed, so it’s worth exploring exactly what is new…
Gear
Fusion Apollo: WiFi HiFi takes marine audio to the next level
‘From the kick drum to your ear drum, Fusion DSP reproduces your music the way the musicians intended,’ is the tag line for Fusion’s brand new marine hi-fi systems. One of the first companies to introduce dedicated marine hi-fi, Fusion has been a little quiet of late, but with the…
Diesel outboard head-to-head test: Cox CXO 300hp vs Oxe 200hp
I‘ve been looking forward to this day for years now. From the moment I first heard about Cox’s plans to build a 300hp diesel outboard engine, I’ve been begging them to let me be the first journalist to test it and finally it appears that my persistence is about to…
Sealander: The boat that’s also a caravan
Referring to any vessel as a ‘floating caravan’ is usually regarded as an insult, but in this case it’s entirely accurate. Inventors of the German-built Sealander looked at the humble two-berth caravan and wondered whether it couldn’t do a little more than simply get dragged around by a car slowing…
Yamaha 425hp outboard: Most powerful V8 set-up tested
While Yamaha is not a company to shout about power, most of us already know how extraordinary the specs for the new XTO are. Taking the mantle as Yamaha’s flagship motor from the established F350, this naturally aspirated direct injection 5.6-litre V8 generates an output of 425hp, making it the…
Aston Martin submarine: Is Triton’s Project Neptune the ultimate underwater explorer?
Built by Triton Submarines rather than the Aston Martin factory at Gaydon, Project Neptune is a personal submarine that was developed in conjunction with Red Bull Advanced Technologies, who also developed the Aston Martin Valkyrie ‘hypercar’. Improved hydrodynamic efficiency, reduced frontal area, and increased power give an anticipated ‘sprint’ speed…
Raymarine Element: Next gen chartplotters promise life-like clarity
Raymarine Element is a new series of sonar/GPS chartplotters from Raymarine that slot between its budget Dragonfly and top-spec Axiom models. Unlike the Axiom range, these are keypad controlled, rather than touch screen. Raymarine describes them as ‘optimised for a simplified user experience’. However they still use a Lighthouse operating…
Solo SF150: The personal waterskiing machine
That looks like a high tech training shoe, what is it? It’s the new SOLO SF 150 Personal Ski Machine. Intriguing, what does it do? Pop it on the water and you can water ski behind it. But what’s wrong with a boat? Nothing, provided you have two other people…
AIS B+ explained: How to see and be seen on the water
Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) may have originally been conceived as a collision avoidance system for commercial shipping but in recent years they have become a popular safety aid for leisure boats as well. Not only does AIS allow you to see and be seen, even when out of sight due…
Hempel Silic One: Is this the future of antifouling?
As with many more experienced boat owners Harry and Vikki Metcalfe decided to make the switch from sail to power when the appeal of beating into the wind at an angle for hours on end began to lose its appeal. After years of cruising and racing a variety of sailing…
Raymarine ClearCruise brings augmented reality to boating tech
Never before have leisure boat owners had access to such a sophisticated array of navigational electronics. The leading manufacturers are on a never-ending mission to make navigating on the water safer, more intuitive and more inventive. Thermal imaging and the use of tablets, smartphones and even smart watches to control…
Raymarine DockSense takes the nerves out of berthing
With its Virtual Bumper technology has Raymarine eradicated the stress and strain from berthing?
IconCraft 24: the 8m boat that can store toys
8-metre semi-custom IconCraft 24 may be small but it's capable to carry toys, including Sea-Doo Spark Trixx jetski
Iguana X100: The amphibious RIB
Why bother with a tender when you can drive up the beach in the amphibious Iguana X100 RIB?
New gear: Volvo Penta Active Corrosion Protection
The new Active Corrosion Protection system by Volvo Penta is an electronic anode system that replaces conventional zinc or magnesium sacrificial anodes
New gear: Triskel Marine launches automatic electrical generator Integrel System
The new Integrel is an automatic electrical power system that generates, stores, converts and distributes electrical power on board and could replace petrol and diesel generators
Cycle on water: Schiller water bike
Enjoy cycling but would rather be on water? You can do both with Schiller water bike
Cox Powertrain CXO 300hp: the world’s first 300hp diesel outboard engine has landed
Cox Powertrain CXO 300hp, the world’s first 300hp production diesel outboard is here at last, thanks to the engineering expertise of a pioneering British company
Control your boat from afar: Besenzoni remote control app
Everything from your banking to your home lighting and heating can be controlled via an app on your phone these days, and now your boat access can be too
Video: Volvo, the boat that parks itself
Volvo bought an Azimut 68S to test and demonstrate its new self-docking system. Jon Mendez tests the new technology at the Gothenburg stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race