Kit News

Here's a new concept in personal safety for you - Mobilarm has integrated its Sea Marshall AU9 and Crewsafe V100 Maritime Survivor Locating Devices with Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) to create 'Intelligent Lifejackets'.

“Seafarers are expected or required to carry numerous items of safety equipment,” says Geoff Billington, Sales and Marketing Director, International Safety Products Limited. “But Intelligent Lifejackets combine two critical features in one. By designing our lifejackets to incorporate an emergency radio beacon, we are increasing the product’s fundamental ability to save someone’s life. The lifejacket keeps a casualty afloat, and the distress beacon tells rescuers where to find them. The beacon is well protected inside the lifejacket while it is packed, stowed in a ‘ready’ state and secured in the best position for automatic transmission when the lifejacket is inflated and the device activated. This gives the victim the best chance of rescue.”

Mobilarm Europe has been showing its Maritime Survivor Locating Devices (MSLD) at METS 2011. One of the products on display is the Crewsafe V100 MSLD, which uses a VHF DSC radio to transmit a man overboard’s GPS position directly to his own vessel and other craft within VHF range. This enables a speedier rescue as boats with a VHF radio in the area can receive the alert and respond immediately, rather than depending on coastguard rescue.

Adoption of this new MOB device technology was made easier in June 2011 when the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) amended its Recommendation ITU-R M.585, concerning MMSI identities of AIS-SART, EPIRB-AIS and man overboard (MOB) devices. The change authorises manufacturers to assign internationally recognised MMSI numbers to MOB devices before leaving the factory, eliminating the need for end users to obtain MMSI numbers from national authorities.

From Dometic Marine comes the new Eskimo Ice EI540D Ice Cube, which produces up to 540lbs of freshwater flaked-ice a day. This cube-shaped EI540D allows ice to travel twice as far from the unit to the fish box as earlier models, offering greater location flexibility on-board. The unit’s small footprint makes it ideal for smaller fishing vessels with a big demand for ice.

The EI540D Ice Cube is easily installed below deck or in the engine room and ice is pushed through a flexible insulated hose up to 30ft (9.1 m) in length to virtually any fish box or cooler location on-board. Measuring 16”x16”x16” (413mm x 413mm x 413mm) and boasting a compact design, the EI540D Ice Cube produces 116% more ice than the earlier model in the same-sized cabinet.

A smart digital monitor mounted remotely on the bridge or in a cabin is conveniently located for ease of operation without making a trip down to the engine room. It reports the system’s operational status and any alarms to skipper and crew at all times if problems with pressure, water and ice levels, or blockages are detected.

Dometic: www.dometic.com

Honda has a new flagship model at the head of its outboard range. The BF250 outboard, which debuted at the Genoa Show in Italy on 01 October, will go on sale in the UK in early 2012.

The unit combines a new 3.6-litre V6, four-stroke engine, delivering 250 horsepower with the world’s first direct air induction system for an outboard - providing what Honda calls ‘the optimum balance of performance and fuel efficiency.’ Phil Webb, Head of Power Equipment for Honda (UK), explains: “The BF250 is the largest engine in Honda’s line-up and reflects a global trend in customer demand for larger engines. We’re seeing customers with larger boats looking to make the change from inboard engines to outboards and needing more powerful outboards. However, they are also conscious of the environmental impact of their choices, so maximising fuel efficiency is crucial. This is where Honda’s unique technologies such as BLAST and ECOmo are able to offer the ultimate combination of power and fuel efficiency”.

www.honda.co.uk/marine