Interview with Ross Partridge, Raymarine
by Mark Jardine 17 Mar 2015 15:05 GMT
17 March 2015
Ross Partridge sailing aboard the J80 © Tom Gruitt / onEdition
Ross is a Solent based sailor who enjoys racing in both one design & IRC classes. He has achieved podium Cowes Week finishes and enjoys European and World Championship racing aboard a J80. We talk to him about the Raymarine Wireless range.
Mark Jardine: Ross, could you run us through what you have in the existing Raymarine Wireless range?
Ross Partridge: Starting with the entry level products, we've got the stand-alone Raymarine Micro Compass, which is primarily aimed at small, singlehanded and double-handed dinghies and smaller keelboats. It's a three-in-one solar powered product that gives you a tactical race compass, standard compass and also race countdown start timer as well. A compact and waterproof all-in one device.
Stepping up in the range is the Raymarine Wireless Racemaster, another three-in-one product, but it is also has the ability to be integrated with a larger networked system. The three primary functions are wind shift indicator combined with your compass, line bias indicator which works off the internal compass and race countdown start timer. The Racemaster can be expanded from there, as it is networkable with the rest of the wireless products, so you can add wind, depth, speed and GPS information and it will display that data on the lower pane of the product.
MJ: So a good product to start off with just as the basic unit, but then add the rest of the functions as you get to know it more?
RP: For any mid-sized dinghy or entry-level to mid-sized keelboat it's a very popular product and has been for a number of years. It doesn't require a battery but as you get towards an SB20 or J70 in size, you can then start to network it, depending on class rules, maybe speed and depth, to provide crew members with additional data. So it can either be used as a stand-alone product or part of a larger system.
MJ: So after that, what's next in the range?
RP: On larger boats we tend to use separate displays for different data. We have the Micronet 100 displays, where you have single or dual display options. Single displays can show a multitude of different instrument data, the dual display is the same again. It depends what you want to use them for and how much space you have available on the boat. They can wirelessly connect to speed and depth transducers or wind transducers and be linked with our premium displays, the Micronet Maxi displays, which bring in a few more racing features. You can have a single Maxi displaying one number at a time or a dual Maxi displays show two pieces of data at a time. Choosing which displays to use really comes down to customer preference.
MJ: Talking of input devices, I notice the wind vane has had an upgrade. Could you tell me a bit about that?
RP: The Raymarine Wireless Wind vane is the T120 which has been recently upgraded to improve performance and wireless range. We've changed the layout of internal components so the wireless receiver actually sits in the base of the device. This enables us to have a stronger signal transmitting down the mast to the displays and has dramatically increased the range performance, opening up the Raymarine wireless range to much larger boats and with taller masts.
MJ: If people have an old wind vane, can they just purchase a new one and tie it in with their existing system?
RP: Any Raymarine Wireless customer, old or new, can introduce new Raymarine Wireless products very easily to their existing system. A new transducer for the wind, a new display - people often ask whether their old TackTick white display will work with the new grey Raymarine Wireless displays. Yes they will. They're running on the same Micronet network and so there's no problem whatsoever - the same features and benefits will still be there.
MJ: Of course the advantage of the wireless wind vane is that you have no wires running down your mast. What size of boat can you now go up to with the wireless wind vane?
RP: Essentially any size of boat now. You will always get discrepancies on the maximum distance due to what you put between the transducer and the display but in testing we've gone towards hundreds of feet in clear air so large yachts really aren't a problem! For the keelboat market it's working well within its comfort zone. For larger yachts we also have the vertical wand which combined with the airflow software available in the Maxi displays gives you the most accurate wind information available today. It has improved performance over the standard wind vane by taking the wind transducer away from the sails which dramatically reduces the up wash effect during racing, especially when downwind. Wind speeds can over-read downwind therefore the vertical wind vane will give you a much truer representation of what's happening on the race course allowing you to make better decisions.
MJ: So giving you a really clear picture on larger keelboats?
RP: Large keelboats and yachts, yes. Vertical wind vanes are always recommended giving you highly accurate readings for TWS and TWA by reducing errors from disturbed wind flow off the sails. If you really want to get to the top of the class and stay at the front of the fleet it really is a must.
MJ: If you're upgrading from the Micronet system to a full Raymarine suite of products, how would you interface the Micronet to other Raymarine products?
RP: Interfacing current Micronet products into our networkable multi-function displays, for example our chart plotters, is very easy. You would use our Wireless Interface Box, which is a Raymarine Wireless product. It collates all the wireless information that's running around the boat, brings that data into its own processor, and shares this data on NMEA 0183 with the rest of your Raymarine electronics. Once connected you can then display all of your instrument data on your Raymarine Multi-function display. Our Multi-function displays now have built-in Wi-Fi. We can now stream information from our displays to Tablets and Smartphones allowing you to view data anywhere on board. The navigator at the back of a larger race yacht can now access all the data he needs to make the best tactical decisions.
MJ: Lastly, could you go through the Micronet Remote and what information you can display there?
RP: The Micronet Remote is not just a remote control, more an essential item of equipment for those serious about winning. It's a great tool to use because you can run the boat's electronics from anywhere on board - you don't have to be within touching distance of the wireless displays. The Micronet Remote with a few simple button clicks can change pages, giving you preferential pages for upwind and downwind information at the touch of a button. It will also give you trends, if you're going around the race course wondering what the wind pattern is, such as oscillations or a backing wind, it'll give you a line graph with the trend on the race course helping you predict what the next step in the wind is.
MJ: Ross, many thanks for your time showing us the Raymarine Wireless range.
RP: You are more than welcome.