Yacht Sentinel onboard on duty

by Jeni Bone on 8 Jun 2010 Exhibiting at Sanctuary Cove with the Australian launch of the Yacht Sentinel, Smart1Marine, composed of Tim and Dee Jones, received a large number of orders, healthy levels of manufacturer interest and positive feedback.

Developed by Chris Glasnow – responsible for the technology behind the world’s new era 'intelligent buildings' – the Yacht Sentinel is 'a cost effective way to monitor your boat via mobile phone for only $799', says Tim, the exclusive Australian and NZ distributor.

'It was launched to much acclaim at the London International Boat Show in January and its first Australian unveiling was at Sanctuary Cove. We had heaps of interest from yachties, fishermen and boat manufacturers.'

No bigger than a mobile phone, the Yacht Sentinel aims to increase the security of your boat, and reduce inconvenience and insurance claims. 'The Yacht Sentinel is essentially a mobile phone with a built in GPS unit. All you need to do is pay for a pre-paid sim card. Vodaphone for example provide a 365 pre-paid plan for as little as $20. You can then call your boat any time or day and make sure it’s all okay.'

Its uses are many and varied. As Tim explains: 'What happens if the shore power at the marina fails? We have many boat owners and commercial fisherman buying our units for the core function to ensure they know immediately when the shore power goes down. Freezer units and bait tanks can quickly ruin expensive produce.

'After paying the excess on an insurance policy, owners are paying sometimes over $1,500 for a loss of shore power from lost produce. At $799 the Yacht Sentinel is an economical investment to ensure you are the first to know when your power goes down and you can also alert up to three telephone numbers to ensure the power is turned back on and your boat is powered back up correctly.'

Then there’s the issue of security. 'During the business week we assume our boats are safely tucked away in the marina or at a mooring. You maybe surprised to learn of the common unauthorised use of vessels, or theft, while you’re away. The yacht sentinel has a GPS installed in the device. You define a fence around the boat and if you boat is taken or used against your wishes you will be the first to know no matter where you are.'

Tim continues: 'A passive infra red sensor or magnetic hatch sensor can be connected to the Yacht Sentinel to alert you of unauthorised entry. No matter where you are you can feel confident your boat is being monitored and that you will be the first to know of an unauthorised entry.'

The Yacht Sentinel also monitors your bilge. 'Bilge pumps rely on float switches to turn on a pump. Debris and sludge in the bilge can either keep float switches down leading to flooding or open which will run your boat battery flat and damage the bilge pump. The Yacht Sentinel is an independent device connected to its own bilge sensors. It also has its own redundancy power supply.

'When water enters you will be sent an SMS alert and you will be able to identify which sensor is triggered and so where the water is entering.'
Another function is monitoring anchor drag. 'Why ruin the chance to enjoy a new discovered anchorage by worrying about the boats anchor dragging?' says Tim, adding that you can activate the anchor watch by sending the unit an SMS and you will be the first to know if the boat moves outside a pre-defined zone.

'The alarm will continue to trigger every ten minutes until you turn the alarm off or reset.'

The simple matter of switching everything off is also taken care of. 'Once away from the boat why wonder if you turned everything off. The Yacht Sentinel will monitor your power levels. Send it an SMS requesting a status report and the unit will reply telling you the temperature within the cabin, the voltage of the batteries and the latitude and longitude from the GPS, a truly smart device.

'Its internal battery means the device will continue to send you information for up to five days with out any external power source.'

Yacht Sentinel base station is available for only $799 through smart1marine.com.au, the sole distributor for the Australian and NZ market. Visit www.smart1marine.com.au or call 0403 864 947 for further details.