Browsing: ACR

Cruising Life
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ACR Launches Small Bivy Stick Sat-Comm Device

ACR just launched its new Bivy Stick, the world’s smallest two-way satellite messenger and app. The Bivy Stick works anywhere with a view of the sky, with 100 percent global satellite coverage, and it measures just 4.5 inches by 1.8 inches. It weighs only 3.5 ounces. Built to be used whether you’re out on a day cruise around a lake or on an ocean voyage, the Bivy Stick lets you send messages, track and share your location, access GPS maps, view live weather forecasts, and place an emergency SOS call. The Bivy Stick has a high-power antenna for reliable connections…

Cruising Life
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ACR Introduces Two New Rescue Kits

While you’re still planning for the coming cruising season, think about the rescue equipment you have on board. Is it up to date? Could you put your hands on it in a real emergency, particularly at night? Or is this just something you’d rather not think about. Well, as the old saying goes, prepare for the worst, plan for the best. This is particularly true for anyone thinking about cruising offshore, or in any major body of water (Lake Michigan immediately comes to mind here). Now there’s some good news from ACR, which just introduced two new rescue kits, making…

Cruising Life
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ACR Launches New Electronic Distress Flare Package

ACR just introduced a new ResQFlare electronic distress flare as a Coast Guard-approved alternative to pyrotechnic flares. The flare comes in a package with a distress flag that’s also approved by the Coast Guard. The ResQFlare is a high-intensity LED flare that can be used as a day and night distress signal to attract the attention of rescue personnel in an emergency. It emits a flash with the characteristics of a Morse Code SOS, known around the world as a distress signal. It also rights itself in the water and provides 360-degree visibility for more than six miles. The new…

Electronics
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ACR Launches New Self-Testing for EPIRBs and PLBs

We all know that it’s a very good idea to have a working EPIRB or a PLB on a cruising boat, but how do we know that they’ll work in an emergency when we actually need them? Now, ACR Electronics, the safety and survival device company in Fort Lauderdale, has an answer for that – a new 406Link that lets you test your device in advance. The 406Link is meant to give you peace of mind, and to reassure you that search and rescue services can find you when you need them most. It gives 406 MHz beacon owners, people…

Cruising Life
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Six of the Best Personal Survival Devices for Your Boat. Make Sure You Have One

There are few choices you make about your boat that are potentially more important than finding the right survival device, the personal locator beacon or MOB equipment that could save your life, or the life of anyone else on board. And there’s no reason to postpone getting one or more of these; they generally are the least costly piece of electronics on board, by a long shot. But what to buy? Here’s some advice from Marine Electronics Journal, which asked manufacturers to submit what they consider the best and brightest in their product line. The Journal published a review of…

Electronics
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Furuno and Garmin Win Big at NMEA Awards

The National Marine Electronics Association named 16 winners at its annual expo, giving its annual Technology Award to Furuno’s DRS4D-NXT Doppler solid-state radar (pictured above), plus 15  “Product of Excellence” awards to other companies. Garmin was the big winner overall, being named the NMEA’s Manufacturer of the Year for the second straight year. Here’s the NMEA’s official statement. NMEA NAMES 2016 PRODUCT AWARD WINNERS AT CONFERENCE & EXPO NMEA Product of Excellence Award presented in 16 categories Garmin repeats as Manufacturer of the Year-Support Furuno Doppler radar wins NMEA Technology Award SEVERNA PARK, MD—The marine electronics industry honored several manufacturers…