It’s the age of information, and global technological advancements have revolutionised our lives and industries alike. As with many others, the sailing industry has benefitted from the introduction of marine electronics that make it easier to access, record and analyse information, such as speed and wind direction.
At the forefront of marine electronics are nke. For the last 30 years, nke Marine Electronics have been developing innovative instrument systems dedicated to navigation, designing products with established reliability, usability, safety and performance.
Having built up a portfolio of marine electronics suitable for every level – be it America’s Cup racing, cruising or singlehanded offshore sailing - nke provide almost infinite options, and Upffront.com are excited to welcome their products to the website soon.
However, with such an impressive range, choosing the marine electronics that suit your needs can be difficult, and we are aware the number of options available can be overwhelming.
So, we want to make it simple. Here at Upffront, we want our customers to make informed decisions about the products that are right for them. As a result, we have organised nke Marine Electronics into four key elements:
Navigation Packages:
- Turn-key, ready-to-go packages composed of core instrumentation for wind, speed and direction.
- Six packages available – 3x racing and 3x cruising.
- For all levels – be it coastal day sailing, long distance blue water cruising or Grand Prix racing.
Autopilot Packages:
- A range of different autopilot drives (linear, direct drive, hydraulic) for boats from 20ft – 70ft.
- Contain all necessary hardware and software to link seamlessly with the navigation packages, providing a high-performance autopilot system.
Optional Upgrades:
- Optional upgrades to boost the navigation packages with higher spec displays or sensors.
Bolt-on Modules:
- Bolt-on modules to extend the functionality of the chosen navigation or autopilot package.
- Examples include:
- Wifi, to allow access to navigation data from a mobile device, or
- Security AIS, which transmits the boat’s ID, speed and direction and allows the equivalent data to be seen for surrounding boats.
In future blogs we will go into more detail on the various modules and autopilot packages, but for now lets take a look at our six 'Navigation' packages:
Cruising Packages:
Coastal Package:
- An entry level package for an inshore sailor not wanting an auto-pilot.
- Features: Gyro-graphic display, standard wind speed/angle, standard boat speed, depth (sonic to 50m).
Cruise Package:
- The baseline package for a cruising sailor looking for an auto-pilot.
- Features: Multi-graphic display, standard wind speed/angle, standard boat speed, depth (sonic to 50m), Fluxgate compass.
Cruise Performance Package:
- Designed for a bluewater cruiser looking for the best instrumentation and optimal autopilot performance.
- Features: Multi-graphic display, HR wind speed/angle, HR boat speed (ultrasonic), depth (sonic to 50m), Regatta compass.
Racing Packages:
Regatta Package:
- Designed as a baseline racing package, with the potential to build up over time.
- Features: Multi-display plus remote-control pad, standard wind speed/angle, standard boat speed, depth (sonic to 50m), Fluxgate compass.
Regatta Performance Package:
- The 9-axis stabilised Regatta compass is at the heart of this Performance system and provides the processor with far more accurate core data for all true wind angle calculations.
- Features: Multi-display plus remote-control pad, HR Carbowind speed/angle, HR boat speed (ultrasonic), depth (sonic to 50m), Regatta compass.
Regatta Grand-Prix Package:
- The Regatta Processor in the Grand-prix nke package is a massive step up in processing power and together with the 3D Sensor and 25Hz sampling rate, delivers the highest accuracy and responsiveness of any instrument package on the market.
- Features: Multi-display plus remote-control pad, HR Carbowind speed/angle, HR boat speed (ultrasonic), depth (sonic to 50m), Regatta compass, Regatta processor, nke 3D sensor.
If you are starting from scratch, you can build your own tailored solution from our instrument and autopilot packages, combined with optional upgrades and bolt-on modules, and be assured of a complete, turn-key electronics system, ready to install.
However, we realise that a 'clean sheet of paper' is a luxury and more often there is a requirement to upgrade existing systems. Interfacing with other hardware and software can get 'interesting' – but do not despair, we have an nke technician with 15 year’s experience waiting to discuss your requirements and find the best solution for your needs.
If you have any questions about nke instrument systems, please feel free to email us at support@upffront.com, or click the link below to see our full range:
