13 Sep

Stay on course with electronic charts

Bill MorrisMarine Electronics Newsletter, , , ,
by Bill Morris Staying on course under sail, particularly within 100 miles of any coast, is a lot easier with a modern, GPS-controlled chartplotter. With the latest generation of chartplotters, you can navigate to virtually any point on the world’s oceans while staying on course and out of harm’s way. To start off, there are two types of digital charts: raster and vector. Raster charts are digitalized copies of paper charts, such as those published by NOAA and the British Admiralty. On the other hand, vector charts are purely digital, capable of changing the amount of chart detail depending on…
Read More
25 Jan

IMTRA Sells Business to Employees Through ESOP Creation

Ocean NavigatorIndustry & Company News, Press release, , , ,
New Bedford, Mass. – IMTRA, the leading manufacturer and importer of quality solutions and products for the marine, energy and transportation markets, announced today it has sold 100% ownership rights of the company to its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Making a compelling alternative to other sale events such as private equity or strategic sale, ESOPs allow the leadership team to stay in place while providing a competitive return for the shareholders without the potential challenges that often come with a change in control of a closely held business. The two members of the management team that were…
Read More
03 May
Ocean NavigatorMarine Technology, Power Voyaging, , ,
[gtx_gallery] I’m often asked by my power voyaging clients, “What do I need to know about making good crimp connections?” Fortunately, not very much. Material selection High quality solderless or “crimp” connectors start with high quality materials. When a connector is manufactured, a die stamps it repeatedly. This helps to cut and form the metal, but it also work-hardens it. Work-hardened metal is brittle and difficult to form. As a result, it is not preferable for crimping. Annealing returns the copper to a softer, more malleable state. The barrel portion of a quality connector appears seamless. This is because it…
Read More
03 May
Ocean NavigatorMarine Technology, Ocean Voyaging, Offshore Sailing, , , , , , ,
If you are planning an offshore cruise under sail, you need access to as much vessel data as possible in one single place. A multifunction chartplotter display is the nerve center of the modern offshore cruising vessel, bringing together chart navigation, radio communication and a variety of other inputs onto one screen to inform you of the overall performance of the craft while underway and at anchor. Before committing yourself to a particular model of chartplotter, you need to consider several factors: vessel size, deck layout, planned location of monitor installation and of course, your own specific needs and tastes.…
Read More
03 May
Ocean NavigatorMarine Technology, Ocean Voyaging, Offshore Sailing, , , , , , ,
Earlier this year, I finally upgraded from lead acid batteries to lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo4) batteries on my Valiant 40, Brick House. I’d researched for at least a year and South Africa, with its great tech base and good exchange rate, was the place to do it. [gtx_gallery] Lithium batteries favor the inclusion of a battery management system (BMS) in most applications on boats. The BMS ensures that the battery is not over or undercharged, and that it doesn’t overheat, freeze, or have to deal with oversized currents. Most people understand that a lithium battery BMS is the brains of…
Read More