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If you are planning a longer voyage offshore, the question of how to charge your batteries to keep your electronics running is of paramount importance. Instead of running the engine for several hours each day, many boats opt for quieter, greener alternatives such as fuel cells, hydro-generators, wind turbines and solar panels. Solar or Photovoltaic (PV) panels have obvious advantages on a sailing yacht: no additional fuel to carry and no moving parts.

©Sailserver

Sailserver is a system that is tracking all your data provided through your NMEA200. It is smaller than a lunch box and enables you to share your data with friends and family. At the same time it is your automated logbook as well as your anchor alarm.

For shorthanded sailors, a good autohelm is like having an extra pair of hands on deck. But the cost of a full-blown instrument system can be prohibitive for many smaller boats. A tiller pilot offers a cost-effective solution for tiller steer boats up to 37ft in length, including ocean rowing boats.

Cyclops Marine and Sailmon have recently announced a direct link (removing need for additional gateways) between the Max GPS race computer and the smartlink Nano load cell. Sailmon are one of the first mainstream electronics manufacturers to recognise the massive impact load data will bring to understanding performance sailing, by creating a seamless interface and a truly Plug & Play user experience. At the same time, Cyclops has also taken this opportunity to introduce a major technology update to create their smartlink² Nano which will be rolled out across their full range over the coming months.

In previous articles we have spoken about the Sailmon Max and the Cyclops Marine smartlink Nano, but never the two together! Not only will we be introducing some cutting-edge technology, but we will also be talking you through why they work so well together.

Sailing display Sailmon MAX is a modern racing sailboat computer that works via GPS positioning - tracking speed, angle to the wind, bearing and a number of other parameters. Traditionally, dinghy and small keelboat sailing has been all about feel and experience. With modern technology, these sailors are able to improve their performance by seeing what their strengths are and where they can make improvements thanks to data analysis.