Be it pleasure or professional cruising, Raymarine has you covered

There are certain types of equipment on board that are more ‘quality of life’ gear. Like an espresso machine. Or underwater scooters like Sublue, and motorised pumps for inflatable toys. However, there are other types of equipment that are indispensable, and these tools display information vital for the safe operation of the vessel. There are certainly many brands and makes out there, and of them all, one of the best and most well-known is Raymarine, who is the global leader in this niche.

Equipment and tools on board are not just limited to navigation, either. Integrated systems can identify nearby vessels and their proximity to prevent collisions, and sonar can be used to find the best fishing regions. In 2010, Raymarine was acquired by FLIR Systems, who is a leader in thermal imaging and thus, state-of-the-art cameras for marine use were introduced into their product line-up as well.

Here are the solutions that Raymarine has for both professional and pleasure cruising.

Multifunction display

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Just like cars today, Raymarine’s multifunction displays can consolidate information from the other solutions below into a single display. If space allows, multiple displays can be chained together for more screen real estate as well. The MFDs come in multiple sizes, because boats are just so diverse, from 7.0” all the way to 24.0”. At the heart of every display is the LightHouse OS. This OS is currently in version 3.15, and just like the most intuitive displays today, Raymarine’s MFDs are touch screens or HybridTouch units.

Marine Charts

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Raymarine has their own proprietary LightHouse charts that integrate seamlessly with the MFDs that are created from official hydrographic sources. Where it differs from other marine charts is in its design. Raymarine engineered the interface for optimum readability, intuitive navigation, and superior usability. Other charts available from Raymarine are Navionics, C-MAP, C-MOR Mapping, StrikeLines, and also standard mapping. All of these are compatible with Raymarine’s MFDs.

Marine Radar

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Radar is your ‘god’s eye’ at sea, and today is an essential tool on a boat. The system will keep you aware of surrounding traffic especially in situations with low visibility. With it, crowded harbours will induce less anxiety, and coasts are recreated with map-like detail when cruising offshore. Radar solutions by Raymarine feature innovative technology like Doppler Target Tracking that will detect targets in motion and highlight them in a different colour, Target True Trails that show the historical path taken by moving targets, and even AIS (Automatic Identification System) integration that will identify other vessels with the system.

Fishfinders

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The most advanced fishfinder from Raymarine features all three of their technology highlights: DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D. The brand makes standalone finders or sonars modules, and also integrates these components as standard into their best MFDs. Both hobbyists and serious anglers will be able to find what they need in their range of products.

Autopilot

To have a complete autopilot system, boaters would need a drive unit that interfaces with the steering system, and a control head that allows the user to control the unit. The peak of Raymarine’s autopilot tech is the Evolution AI Autopilot Intelligence system. This system requires no calibration, is simple to install, has 9-axis precision monitoring, and can be controlled by intelligent algorithms for a truer’ autopilot system. The brand also has other products to help autonomous piloting of motoryachts, and sailing yachts as well.

Instruments

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If the boat has no space for an MFD, or there are budget concerns, boaters can also consider Raymarine’s instrument displays. These compact devices can show a multitude of data from transducers that capture data across the vessel like speed, depth, and wind speed. These transducers are available for purchase as well from the brand.

Satellite TV

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For landlubbers, satellite TV is a thing that has been pushed into oblivion with the rise of cheap and available entertainment from internet connectivity. Out at sea, however, easy access to the world wide web is still difficult to come by, and having satellite TV connectivity will while away some of the long hours spent on board. Raymarine utilises Unique Wide Range Search tech to identify and acquire satellite signals quickly, and the connection is kept through tracking algorithms. What’s more, the pitch and roll of the vessel is taken into account and Dynamic Beam Tilting adjusts the antenna to keep it locked onto the signal.

VHF Radios

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It stands for very high frequency, and perhaps is one of the older pieces of technology that is still being used constantly at sea. Raymarine has 5 VHF radios available, from a compact model with built-in GPS to a full featured system with an AIS receiver.

FLIR Cameras

From one of the oldest technologies, to one of the newest one, FLIR stands for forward-looking infrared, and these cameras will capture images in low light conditions and display it on the MFD to help pilots place the vessel safely. Raymarine also incorporates other technology like stabilisation to deliver crisp images.

Ending thoughts

Navigation and instrumentation on boats have truly evolved, from physical charts and sextants to multi-displays with high resolution and the ability to see at night as we do in the day. Out at sea, these instruments and tools are essential for safety, and a global leader like Raymarine is a name that boaters can trust for reliability and accuracy.

Pen Marine Sdn Bhd is a dealer of Raymarine products. Do reach out to us for more information and how we could bring a new outlook to your aging navigation system or a brand new system to your brand new boat. Get in touch with us to make a change today.