NEWS
B&G releases New Deckman with
integrated GRIB.US weather data
New Cowes Week 2007 waypoint file and High Water times
for Deckman
Transatlantic & 24hr records smashed by Groupama
3 running B&G WTP2
Praise for support at Swan Regattas in Cowes
B&G joins force with GRIB.US
New Swan Europeans waypoint file for Deckman
Praise for the B&G WTP2 aboard Y4K
B&G Italian Distributor, Navico SRL supports the
Lombardini Comet Cup
B&G team wins trophy at Marine Industry Regatta
Local Scout enjoys Gipsy Moth adventure thanks to B&G
New RORC Red Funnel 2007 waypoint file for Deckman
B&G's parent company Navico agrees to buy Brunswick
New Technologies’ Marine Electronics
B&G H3000: The World’s Most Advanced Instrument
System Lands at METS 2006
Chieftan Skipper comments on B&G after Round
Britain & Ireland Race Win
B&G support the J-Cup
New X-35 Deckman Polars and Performance Guide
Custom solution for the Maltese Falcon
ABN AMRO ONE wins Volvo Ocean Race with B&G
Dee Caffari sets new world record with B&G
Med TP52 fleet dominated by B&G boats
Russell Coutts names B&G as the official electronics
supplier for the new RC44
Setting the pace in the new X-35 class
Celebrating 50 years of Brookes & Gatehouse
New Solent & Channel waypoint file for Deckman
Mike Golding wins FICO with B&G Hercules system
Simrad Yachting including B&G purchased by
Investment group
B&G Autopilot breaks Round Ireland Single handed
record
Waypoint and Tide files updated for
Deckman
B&G releases new Deckman with Winning Tides
B&G sponsors Farr 40
UK Championship 2005
B&G Pilot excels during
Calais Around Britain Race 2005
Calais Around Britain Race
2005
B&G Classic platinum partner
for Gipsy Moth IV restoration
RemoteVision wins Dame Award
for B&G
B&G equipped boats
take 1st and 2nd in Round Ireland Race
B&G releases
New Deckman with integrated GRIB.US weather data
B&G unveils first fruits of GRIB.US partnership
Following the teaming up of B&G and GRIB.US, announced on 10th July
2007, B&G has launched a new version of its highly regarded Deckman
tactical navigation software, offering sophisticated new functionality,
including integrated weather data delivery.
Deckman V8.2 includes as standard integrated
GRIB file functionality in the form of UGRIB from leading weather data
specialist GRIB.US. This gives Deckman users instant access to high quality
and reliable weather information, enabling enhanced routing decisions
and increased tactical prowess for navigators.
The UGRIB software pulls many data sources into one central server and
delivers worldwide weather coverage to the user. GRIB weather data can
be viewed from within Deckman as a weather overlay, integrated into Deckman
routes for optimal tactical decision making.
A co-founder of GRIB.US, Steve Hayles is a top racing navigator and weather
router. "I initially developed GRIB.US together with Marcel van Triest
to meet our racing needs. We felt that others could also benefit from
the software. As a user of Deckman for a number of years now it was a
natural choice to offer GRIB.US as an integrated function. Our working
partnership with B&G has enabled this," says Steve Hayles, who
was also involved in the original development of Deckman.
"GRIB.US software complements Deckman, enabling
us to further enhance the information available and allowing users to
make even more accurate tactical decisions," says Richard Acland,
Managing Director, B&G.
Deckman V8.2 is compatible with many instrument systems including the
latest B&G H3000 system.
Deckman v8.2 upgrades are available free of charge
for registered v8.x users. Contact your Distributor
for sales and upgrades.
Download Deckman v8.2
New Cowes Week 2007
Waypoint file and High Water times for Deckman as at 01.08.07
You can now download the latest waypoint
file for Cowes Week 2007 with the marks from the Sailing Instructions.
Download the new file from the link below and follow these simple steps:
J_way01.d
(use right click and Save Target As...)
1. Go to your Deckman Waypoint Directory
(usually C:\Program Files\BandG\Deckman\Data) and you will see your existing
J_way01.d file, if you wish to keep this then you should rename it to
avoid overwriting your exisitng waypoint file.
2. Place the new waypoint file that you have downloaded into the data
directory and rename it J_way01.d
3. You should now find the new and revised waypoints listed in Deckman
when you start it up.
4. At any time you can delete the new J_way01.d file and rename your original
one so as to restore your original waypoint file for use again.
You can also download a tides02.d file to go in your data directory
and save you having to enter in all the Portsmouth HW times. The file
contains times for Saturday 4th August - Saturday 11th August in GMT*.
tides02.d (use right click and Save Target
As...)
* This file will need to be changed accordingly if your computer is not
running in GMT.
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Transatlantic & 24hr records smashed
by Groupama 3 running B&G WTP2
Franck Cammas and his team aboard Groupama 3 have broken
the transatlantic record. The giant trimaran crossed the finish line off
the Lizard Point at 2300 hrs on Monday 23rd July 2007 after sailing just
under 3,000 miles at an average speed of 28.65 kts. Running a B&G
WTP2 system with Deckman plus a number of high visibility 40/40 displays,
Groupama 3 was expertly kitted out with the best equipment available.
The new record from New York to The Lizard now stands at 4 days 3 hrs
57mins and 54secs beating the record previously held by Bruno Payron's
Orange 2 by 4hrs 26mins.
Franck Cammas has also smashed the 24 hr record, achieving
an amazing 794 miles in a day… that's pretty quick by anyone's standards!
www.cammas-groupama.com/en/index.jsp
Praise for B&G support at Swan
Regatta in Cowes
Each month, the B&G Regatta Support team attends
various events to offer tactical and technical advice to customers. The
Swan European Regatta, from 2nd - 8th July, was just one of the recent events
they attended.
Prior to the regatta, B&G ran Solent Tips seminars to
provide information and advice on possible hazards. These were beneficial
for many of those not familiar with these challenging waters between the
UK and Isle of Wight.
It is no surprise with B&G as official electronics provider
to Nautor Swan that all classes in the regatta were won by B&G equipped
boats. The Royal Yacht Squadron's committee boats also had B&G onboard.
They used the new specially designed B&G H3000 committee boat systems,
which enabled them to view average wind trends throughout the event.
Tactician on Plenty the Swan 45 Gold Cup winner,
Chris Larson commented on the support from the B&G team; "I've
just returned from the Swan 45 Gold Cup in Cowes and can't say enough
about the outstanding service we received from B&G while preparing
for the Swan 45 Gold Cup.
Both Nat Ives and Chris Greetham assisted us by upgrading
Plenty's B&G system with the latest performance processor updates
and made sure it was running 110%. They also installed our new MX Marine
GPS, which was routed directly to the onboard computer allowing for 5
times the updating speed of a normal GPS. It really made a difference
on the starting line and pushing the shallow water limits. 5 stars for
the B&G team!"
Several B&G team members also competed in the
regatta, including B&G Brand Marketing Manager, Jo Bainbridge and
Navico UK/B&G specialist Chris Greetham. Nat Ives, B&G Race Specialist,
navigated Spirit of Jethou, which won Class A with a race to spare.
B&G joins forces
with GRIB.US
B&G Invests in Future Weather Data Delivery.
B&G, the world leading performance sailing instrument manufacturer
has entered into a partnership with GRIB.US. This exciting development
will enable the complete integration of enhanced weather data into B&G's
navigation platforms for racing yachts around the globe.
Co-founders of GRIB.US, Steve Hayles and Marcel van Triest are well known
top Grand Prix navigators and weather routers.
"We initially developed the GRIB.US software to meet our needs, as
we required high quality and reliable weather information that we could
gain access to quickly when racing. As the software pulls many data sources
into one central server we are able to deliver worldwide weather coverage,
which has meant that we have been able to offer access to others who would
equally benefit from the high resolution weather data via our website."
Says Marcel van Triest.
"I have had a longstanding relationship with B&G and felt that
through teaming up with the company we would be able to provide our GRIB
data via their product platform that could be used by yachtsmen the world
over," says Steve Hayles.
"We are very committed to developing and enhancing our products,
and are currently working alongside GRIB.US to utilise our complementary
technologies for the benefit of our customers worldwide," says Richard
Acland, Managing Director, B&G.
B&G will shortly be announcing product enhancements that take advantage
of the ground breaking GRIB.US technology.
Please visit www.grib.us
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to top
New Swan Europeans
waypoint file for Deckman
You can now download the latest waypoint
file for the Swan Europeans with the marks from the Sailing Instructions.
Download the new file from the link below and follow these simple steps:
swaneuroJ_way01.d
(use right click and Save Target As...)
1. Go to your deckman Waypoint Directory
(usually C:\Program Files\BandG\Deckman\Data) and you will see your existing
J_way01.d file, if you wish to keep this then you should rename it to
avoid overwriting your exisitng waypoint file.
2. Place the new waypoint file that you have downloaded into the data
directory and rename it J_way01.d
3. You should now find the new and revised waypoints listed in Deckman
when you start it up.
4. At any time you can delete the new J_way01.d file and rename your original
one so as to restore your original waypoint file for use again.
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Praise for the B&G WTP2 aboard Y4K
Phil Walker, professional navigator, onboard Y4K, a new Wally 100ft race
boat called Navico last week. Here’s what he said about the B&G
WTP2 used onboard:
“Hi, just calling to say that we are sailing the new boat in 12kts
TWS and we have the new WTP2 system running. I have never had such perfect
data, tack to tack on an instrument system and the new processor is awesome.
I was just calling you really to say thanks to B&G and Navico and a
special thanks to Paolo Tagliapietra who is currently sailing with us for
making this all possible.”
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B&G's
Italian Distributor Navico SRL support the Lombardini Comet Cup
Navico SRL was a sponsor of the 7th Lombardini
Comet Cup in Marina di Cala Galera, Argentario, nearly 150 km from Rome
and in one of the most exclusive marinas of the Lazio Region of Italy.
48 Comar yachts, equipped with B&G and Simrad electronics competed
in the regatta, which saw around 700 people take part in the three day
event, competing in races over two days.
Navico SRL became an official supplier to the Comar yard last year, and
has sponsored the event for the past two years. B&G and Simrad electronics
are fitted as standard on the Comar yachts at the yard with the racing
models featuring the new B&G H3000 system. Roberto Sesenna of Navico
SRL said, " the regatta was an excellent event to meet the staff
and customers of Comar".
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B&G Team
wins trophy at Marine Industry Regatta
The B&G team had a good day on the water in the Solent on Wednesday
25th of May with a good performance during the UK's Marine Industry Regatta.
The team took 11th overall, which out of 42 boats, all crewed by experienced
marine industry specialists wasn't a bad performance. (Especially as the
B&G team beat the teams from our electronics manufacturer competitors!).
The fleet set out from Port Solent in the allocated Sunfast
37, which rather unfittingly had instruments from another manufacturer
onboard. However, despite the majority of the crew being from B&G
R&D, they were unable to make the instruments work!
It was a drizzly start to the day and the crew had already
eaten all of the flapjacks by the end of the first race! The weather didn't
improve much but the B&G teams results did and by the 3rd race they
brought home a 7th place. The final race of the day was the most impressive,
coming off the start well and then holding their position around the course,
helped the team achieve an impressive 5th, pushing the overall position
up a few places.
The B&G team had a great day on the water and took pride
in their overall 11th place. Despite not taking to the podium B&G
was presented with the trophy for 'Most Improved Boat', leaving the pressure
on next year's team to improve on this result!
The B&G crew consisted of Matt Eeles,
Chris Greetham, Rob Langford-Wood, Alan Davis, Andy Bryson, Thierry Maurice
and Matt Radmore.
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Local Scout enjoys Gipsy Moth adventure thanks to B&G
As a Classic Platinum Partner to the Gipsy Moth IV project, B&G was
able to offer one deserving youngster a place onboard Gipsy Moth for one
of the Legs during its second round the world circumnavigation.
"We decided to offer our place onboard to an organisation that is
also connected to the sea. The B&G electronics that were originally
installed on Gipsy Moth were supplied from our previous headquarters in
Lymington, so we were very happy to be able to offer this opportunity
to the local Venture Scouts group," says David Minors, Technical
Director, B&G, Romsey, UK.
Charlie Hatfield, a member of Lymington Venture Scouts, was selected by
various Scout leaders due to his length of service, involvement and contribution
to the troop. Seventeen year old Charlie took the amazing voyage from
Crete to Malta on the 27th Leg of the circumnavigation. Charlie, who is
a keen sailor himself, learned about the safety procedures onboard and
was able to be an important member of the crew.
During his six days onboard he got involved with many of the tasks required
including assisting on the night watch, navigating, as well as recording
sightings of mammals and other sea life. He saw some fantastic sights
on the journey from the North tip of Crete to the Grand Harbour in Malta,
from dolphins playing off the bow to an owl gliding across the sea.
"I have been sailing from a very young age and
have competed in two world championships - the 2000 Poland Cadet World
Championships and the 2001 Argentina Cadet World Championships, so I was
delighted to be offered the chance to sail onboard Gipsy Moth. I had a
fantastic sailing experience and have learned so much," comments
Charlie Hatfield, from Lymington.
"Charlie was a tower of strength on this voyage", said John
Jeffrey, Gipsy Moth IV skipper. "His sailing experience was obvious
from the start, but at least as important to me were his energy and enthusiasm,
and in particular his willingness to do everything and anything to help
his crewmates. He can even turn his hand to cooking, pretty unusual for
guys his age. Charlie took an interest in everything to do with ocean
sailing, and was quick to learn. I'd happily sail with Charlie again,
of course, he might not say the same about me!"
"I was pleased to have B&G instruments on board, I especially
like the clarity and legibility of the displays which are easy to use
and look totally in place on such a traditional yacht," adds John.
Gipsy Moth IV departed Plymouth in September 2005, taking the trade winds
route on its voyage of over 30,000 nautical miles, with 32 official stopovers.
For each Leg of the circumnavigation three young individuals aged between
16 - 23 years were selected to experience being part of the crew onboard.
The individuals were selected from schools in the UK and in conjunction
with the project's charity partners.
B&G instruments were onboard Gipsy Moth
IV when Sir Francis Chichester completed his historic solo circumnavigation
in 1966 - 1967. Following its restoration project in 2005, Gipsy Moth
is again equipped with B&G - the H2000 system, and RemoteVision as
well as Simrad CX44 Radar/Chartplotter and an RD68 VHF system.
See Gipsy Moth's virtual cockpit at http://www.gipsymoth.org/instruments.asp
Gipsy Moth IV is due to complete its circumnavigation on 28th May.
Read Charlie's log of his trip here.
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New RORC Red Funnel
2007 waypoint file for Deckman
You can now download the latest waypoint file for RORC Red
Funnel 2007 with the marks from the Sailling Instructions. Download the
new file from the link below and follow these simple steps:
redfunJ_way01.d (use right
click and Save Target As...)
1. Go to your deckman Waypoint Directory (usually C:\Program
Files/BandG\Deckman\Data) and you will see your existing J_way01.d file,
if you wish to keep this then you should rename it to avoid overwriting
your exisitng waypoint file.
2. Place the new waypoint file that you have downloaded into the data
directory and rename it J_way01.d
3. You should now find the new and revised waypoints listed in Deckman
when you start it up.
4. At any time you can delete the new J_way01.d file and rename your original
one so as to restore your original waypoint file for use again.
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B&G's parent company Navico agrees to buy Brunswick
New Technologies’ Marine Electronics, creating the world leader in
marine electronics for recreational boats
MX Marine, Navman marine and Northstar add three brands with complementary
product offerings to Navico’s portfolio, strengthening the company’s
position in the US and Asia
Lysaker/Oslo, Norway, February 15, 2007.
Navico International Ltd. agreed to acquire the marine electronics business
of Brunswick New Technologies (BNT), a unit of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE:
BC). Subject to regulatory approvals, this transaction, which is expected
to close during March 2007, will create the world’s largest supplier
of marine electronics for recreational boats.
Included in the agreement are the three brands MX Marine, Navman marine
and Northstar. The combined businesses had revenues of USD 50 million
in 2006 with primary operating facilities in New Zealand, the United States,
Australia, and the United Kingdom.
“We are truly excited to add these three highly-regarded brands to
the Navico range, thus forming the clear global leader in marine electronics
for recreational boats with an estimated market share of 25 percent. MX
Marine, Navman marine and Northstar will further strengthen Navico’s
house of brands strategy which includes already the renowned B&G,
Eagle, Lowrance and Simrad brand names. The new companies will expand
Navico’s commitment to providing performance, safety and enjoyment
on the water,” said Jens-Thomas Pietralla, President and CEO of Navico.
MX Marine has a 30-year heritage in providing high precision navigation
systems for commercial and government vessels.
Navman marine offers a portfolio of marine electronics products and GPS
solutions, designed and manufactured in New Zealand, and has established
a leading market position in Australasia as well as a strong presence
in Europe over the last 15 years.
Northstar has been a leader in the US marine electronics industry for
over 35 years, and now offers a range of solutions that combine navigation,
radar, and entertainment functionality. Boat builders and boat owners
alike value Northstar's systems. “With this acquisition, Navico will
expand its product line-up with key innovations out of Brunswick marine
electronics’ portfolio, which is known for its design and user-friendliness
- an area of increasing importance in light of growing functionality and
convergence of devices,” said Pietralla. “This deal will further
strengthen our presence in the Asia Pacific markets, which are expected
to be a major source of growth for the marine electronics industry.”
As part of the transaction, Brunswick will enter into a supply agreement
with Navico, which secures a close partnership with all Navico brands
to supply leading-edge technology to the Brunswick Boat Group.
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B&G H3000: The World’s Most
Advanced Instrument System Lands at METS 2006
Setting new standards in functionality and accuracy
Launched at METS 2006, the B&G H3000 instrument system is set to take
the sailing world by storm with an exciting combination of unique functionality,
superb flexibility and unmatched accuracy.
As the next generation in B&G’s long line of winning instrument systems,
H3000 is an evolutionary step forward from the highly regarded, by racers
and cruiser alike, Hydra and Hercules H2000 systems.
H3000 is the first instrument system using revolutionary bonded-screen
technology with index-matched materials for maximum display clarity. This
new technology also eliminates any chance of condensation.
The sophisticated H3000 Central Processing Unit is the core of the system
and has Hydra, Hercules and Hercules Performance level software all in
one box. This flexibility ensures that serious cruising and racing owners
can choose the system best suited to them and upgrade it as they wish,
reflecting B&G’s ethos that every yacht/owner has unique requirements.
B&G AutoCal™ automated calibration routines have been added
and make complex calibration procedures quick and easy.
The new H3000 range consists of several new instrument display units,
designed to provide highly accurate, easy to read data throughout a yacht.
H3000 GFD: This high-resolution graphical display is
the centre point of the H3000 network. With a highly intuitive user interface
the GFD allows new ways of visualising sailing data in colour or monochrome.
H3000 FFD: B&G FFDs are renowned for their clarity
and reliability so the H3000 FFD utilises the same core technology, only
it has undergone a facelift to fit the styling of the H3000 range.
H3000 Pilot: The world famous B&G Pilot excellence
is retained and complimented by the new graphic display, bringing the
power and flexibility of the GFD to the record breaking B&G Pilot.
H3000 Analogues: Retaining the classic looks so revered
by sailors around the world, H3000 displays have been engineered with
even greater accuracy and durability, making them the only serious choice
if a classic look and high performance is required.
H3000 Large Format Displays: The 20/20 is a race proven
display, used on the world’s fastest yachts and depended upon by winning
teams. H3000 builds on this success with the introduction of the 30/30,
a new high performance mast display for both cruise and racing yachts
in the 50’ – 90’ range. The 40/40 returns with an H3000 version, designed
for superyacht use where large displays are required due to the distances
from user to display.
"H3000 is an evolution of our proven winning formula, offering unique
improvements in functionality, accuracy and display technology,"
states Richard Acland, Managing Director, B&G. "We are committed
to the uncompromising needs of our increasingly discerning customers so
we have looked at every single element of the H2000 system and implemented
significant enhancements that will make real world differences to performance,
whether racing or cruising."
The H3000 range will be released to market in the early part of 2007.
See h3000.bandg.com
for further details.
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Chieftan
Skipper comments on B&G after Round Britain & Ireland Race Win
B&G continues to prove
its unmatched performance in professional sailing with another round of
great results, at the Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race.
The winner, Kingspan-Chieftan (Cookson 50), second place Formidable 3
(Lutra 56) and third place Artemis (Open 60), which also took line honours,
beat off the competition with the help of B&G H2000 instrument systems.
The field of 28 yachts crossed the start line at the Royal Yacht Squadron,
Cowes on Monday 7th August. Overall winner, Kingspan-Chieftan crossed
the finish line a little after 2000hrs on August 15th claiming the overall
prize for IRC Division A. Owner and skipper, Ger O'Rourke was vocal in
the role that B&G played in the win.
"B&G instruments were a vital tool to get the maximum from the
trimmers, drivers and crew. The polar target wind angles and speeds provided
by the B&G system on board are vital, just to mention one menu from
the vast range of data available from the system," comments Ger.
"Deckman software has got to be the best on the market. Route selection,
grib file overlapping, great compatibility and most importantly quality
in, equals quality out, which we all know is essential when racing. We
also find the B&G Worldwide Technical Support available very comforting
when far from home," continues Ger.
Deckman, along with B&G sensors ensures
that skipper and crew has the best information available, enabling them
to take the best tactical decision.
"At night time, with the wind at 135-145 degrees true and on the
back of steep 7 meter waves, at speeds averaging 22 knots over a 30hr
period we were able to concentrate on keeping the boat within the TWA
range, - keeping the boat under the rig. I found this ability to check
our heading as a reference to TWA a vital tool to give the extra confidence
to push harder," concludes Ger.
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B&G
support the J-Cup
B&G supported the J-Cup once again this year. With one-design fleets
of 26 boats it was a close and competitive event in which three of the
B&G team were racing.
In keeping with the weather… B&G hosted a
'Dark & Stormy' Party on the Friday night and after 8 hours on the
water competitors were happy to be back in the club.
The J-Cup prize-giving party on the final Saturday
night is always a huge event but this year it was bigger than ever thanks
to an entry almost twice as large as in previous years. The key sponsors
of the J-Cup this year were B&G, Bolle, Dubarry and North Sails.
Kevin Sproul and the team from the
J/80 Jane were presented with the B&G Prize (a stunning framed '3D'
chart of the Solent) by Jo Bainbridge of B&G. Sproul's seven bullet
score-line is exactly the kind of yacht racing excellence with which the
B&G name has become synonymous.
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New X-35 Deckman
Polars and Performance Guide
You can now download the latest X35 polars and performance
guide from the links below:
X-35
Performance Guide (use right click and Save Target As...)
X-35 Polars (use right click and
Save Target As...)
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Custom solution for the Maltese Falcon
B&G, the Performance Sailing Division of Simrad Yachting,
has provided a complete instrument system for the Perini Navi built superyacht,
The Maltese Falcon. This 88m three masted clipper required a bespoke performance
enhancing solution to ensure the designers' twin goals of luxury and speed
were met.
The B&G Custom Projects team worked with the installation
team and specialist dealer, Larry Smith Electronics, to design the perfect
system for the yacht. The team had to take into account the existing Perini
Navi sailing software from Cacini and advanced sail handling systems that
have been designed to harness the performance of the three mast system.
The final solution is based around B&G's race
winning Hercules Grand Prix System with Performance Unit, which integrates
with three Hydra processors loaded with custom software. A total of five
masthead units are interfaced
into the system, one for each mast and one each for bow and stern.
“The Maltese Falcon is a stunning vessel, which
required more than just an off-the-shelf instrument system,” comments
Nat Ives, B&G Custom Projects. “Through collaboration, underpinned
by performance enhancing B&G technology, The Maltese Falcon now has
an instrument system that will help unleash the kind of speeds she was
designed to reach.”
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ABN AMRO ONE wins Volvo Ocean Race
with B&G
Congratulations to ABN AMRO ONE for winning the 2005-6 Volvo
Ocean Race. Every boat in the race used B&G processing power, instrumentation
and tactical software. ABN AMRO ONE was the only boat not to be using
the Wave Technology Processor but was running a B&G Hercules system
which showed great performance under pressure. The technical regatta support
team travelled to every stop-over throughout the race to ensure each team
was happy and that all the equipment was in full working order. B&G
look forward to working as closely with the next set of VOR teams.
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Dee Caffari sets
new world record with B&G
Dee Caffari has completed
her solo west about circumnavigation of the world whilst using B&G.
At 17:55:42 on the 18th May, Caffari crossed the finish line off Lizard
point after spending just over 178 days at sea and sails into the history
books as the first woman to sail single-handed non-stop around the world
against the prevailing winds and currents. Dee's boat 'Aviva' was fitted
with B&G instruments, pilot and wireless control, which were put through
their paces during the voyage. "It was a voyage of absolute extremes,"
admits Dee as she thanked all who supported her.
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Med TP52 fleet dominated by B&G
boats
The Mediterranean TP52 racing has been some of the
hottest sailing seen so far this year. The 19 boat Breitling MedCup fleet
saw the likes of Russell Coutts, Marcel van Trieste, Dean Barker and John
Kostecki fight a tough battle for the coveted trophy. All but 2 of these
impressive grand-prix racing yachts run B&G systems with the winner
'Warpath' using WTP2 with Deckman. Our very own Nat Ives races aboard
the Italian boat 'Orlanda' and has been witness to the enthralling spectacle,
"The racing is close, the level is the highest outside the America's
Cup, with crews demanding the best from their instrument systems. It is
great that B&G can deliver this quality in such a dominant fashion".
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Russell Coutts names B&G as the
offical electronics supplier for the new RC44
Russell Coutts’ new 44ft one-design race
boat will be fitted with B&G Hercules instrument systems and a Simrad
HT50 handheld VHF.
Four boats currently using B&G are being used primarily for testing
and a number of high profile inshore match racing events, the first held
in Dubai at the International Boat Show.
The boat is based on the fact that a large number of race boats used for
inshore racing rarely use their heads, galley or bunks - the concept should
go down well!
The Justin/Coutts designed hull uses experience from Russell Coutts’
AC experience and personal input to create a
lightweight carbon racer with a powerful sail plan and righting moment
to suit. Big names and syndicates are likely to
be among those racing but the class will also cater for owners with a
separate owner-driver series.
Simrad, B&G, and Emphor were on hand to support the boats at the first
event with Svend Larsen, Jamie Butterworth
and Ajith Kumar in Dubai for the event.
“In addition to Emphor who will be supporting the OEM, [V1, in Dubai],
the highly experienced team in Italy comprising of
Roberto Sesenna and Paolo Tagliapietra will be responsible for all sales/support
in Europe,” comments Jamie Butterworth,
B&G, UK.
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Setting the pace in the new X-35 Class
X-Yachts recommend B&G systems for the new X-35
OD class. 90 boats, geared up for exciting one-design racing are expected
on the water by mid 2007.
The first X-35 to hit the water in Portofino, Italy was fitted with a
B&G Hercules system, as is the UK Solent-based 'Cool Runnings', which
is currently leading IRC 2 in the local Winter Series. Jochem Visser,
Project Manager, said, "We stretched our lead with good speed and
excellent navigation from our B&G navigator, showing the great potential
of our B&G Hercules system with Deckman." We look forward to
seeing the X-35 race in the US.
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Celebrating 50 years of Brookes &
Gatehouse
In 2006 B&G celebrate 50 years in marine
electronics. Since 1955 B&G has welcomed the constant challenge to
develop new electronic solutions for every sailors' need. Harnessing technical
developments and providing proven solutions has continued to be the focus
and keep B&G on the leading edge of advanced marine electronics. Inspirational
sailors such as Sir Francis Chichester, Chay Blyth, Peter Blake and Dame
Ellen MacArthur chose B&G to help them achieve their dreams.
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New Solent & Channel waypoint file
for Deckman
You can now download the latest waypoint file for the Solent
and English Channel which includes all the changes and new marks for the
2006 season, including of course the new B&G buoy which is the old
Clipper mark. Download the new file from the link below and follow these
simple steps:
ukJ_way01.d (use right click
and Save Target As...)
1. Go to your deckman Waypoint Directory (usually C:\Program
Files/BandG\Deckman\Data) and you will see your existing J_way01.d file,
if you wish to keep this then you should rename it to avoid overwriting
your exisitng waypoint file.
2. Place the new waypoint file that you have downloaded into the data
directory and rename it J_way01.d
3. You should now find the new and revised waypoints listed in Deckman
when you start it up.
4. At any time you can delete the new J_way01.d file and rename your original
one so as to restore your original waypoint file for use again.
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Mike Golding wins FICO with B&G Hercules
system
The winners of the FICO World Championship
2005 are Mike Golding and Ecover, his sponsor for the past two seasons.
The prize-giving ceremony will be held at the London Boat Show 2006.
The FICO rankings table for skippers
takes into consideration the oceanic events of the past two seasons with
two transatlantic races in 2004 (Thesingle-handed Transat Plymouth-Boston
and the fully-crewed transatlantic from Quebec to Saint Malo) and four
major races in 2005 (Vendée Globe, Faraday Mill Ostar, Route de
l'équateur, Transat Jacques Vabre).
With his victory in The Transat last
year followed by third place in the Vendée Globe, Mike Golding
was virtually certain of winning the championship even before the start
of this season. His subsequent fourth place in the last race of
this year's calendar, the Transat Jacques Vabre, has comforted his position
at the top of the rankings. His partners Ecover are also logically crowned
FICO World Champion Sponsor thanks to their unfaltering support over the
past four seasons.
The irony of the final standings this year is that Mike's closest rival
is none other than the Swiss Dominique Wavre, Mike Golding's crew member
in the Transat Jacques Vabre who also finished just behind him in the
Vendée Globe. Dominique finishes the year just ahead of Vincent
Riou, the winner of the Vendée Globe 2004-2005.
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Simrad Yachting including B&G purchased
by Investment group
The Kongsberg Group has announced the sale of the Simrad
Yachting Business including B&G (Brookes & Gatehouse), which manufactures
and sells products for the global yachting market, to Nordic investment
company, Altor. Simrad commercial fishing activities will remain with
Kongsberg, integrated into the company’s extensive hydroacoustic
business.
The new owner of Simrad Yachting, Altor, is a private equity
fund, which specialises in partnering major Nordic companies in their
future development. With Kongsberg increasingly looking towards the Commercial
and Industrial sectors of its portfolio, the leisure boating sector was
outside of its core business activities. Simrad Yachting can now look
forward to a strong future with further development and investment under
Altor.
"The market for yacht electronics is experiencing strong
growth and change as a result of new technology and lower production costs.
Simrad is one of the world's leading suppliers of such equipment, and
stands on the threshold of numerous exciting possibilities. We are looking
forward to working with the management to further reinforce the company's
competitiveness and market position", comments Hugo Maurstad, a partner
in Altor.
“With an excellent funding base we will be able to
continue in the development of new technology for the benefit of the boat
owner,” says Simrad Yachting President, Jan Berner.
“Being one of the world's foremost suppliers
of such equipment we are in a strong position to provide our customers
with leading edge technology and an after sales service which is second
to none. With our new owners now in place we look forward to an even stronger
partnership with our boat builder colleagues and yachtsmen both power
and sail throughout the world,” concludes Berner.
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B&G Hercules with ACP2 autopilot
breaks Round Ireland Single handed record
MISSION COMPLETE in 5 Days 12 Hours 11 Minutes and 46 seconds
@ 02h 53m 52sec Monday 12th September.
Commander Mick Liddy aboard AFAOM.com took nearly 2 days
off the round Ireland solo speed sailing record with his Beneteau 40.7.
For more information visit www.afaom.com
Chris Moore of the National Yacht Club pushed the stop
button to set the new record. Several boats gathered to see Mick complete
his solo challenge while a crowd greeted Mick on dock at NYC.
Marine Electronics setup and support for this record attempt
was provided by Provident Technology www.nav.ie
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B&G releases NEW version of Deckman
with Winning Tides
B&G, the Performance Sailing Division of Simrad, is
releasing version 7.09 of Deckman incorporating Winning Tides, the powerful
new tidal information package. Designed specifically for the Solent and
Isle of Wight areas, Winning Tides will provide Deckman users with the
most accurate tidal information available and is particularly useful for
competitors in the Round The Island Race, Swan Europeans, Cowes Week and
all other Solent based regattas.
"Incorporating Winning Tides into the B&G Deckman
software will provide racing yachts in the Solent and adjacent waters
with an unrivalled race winning package," comments Graham Sunderland,
co-author of Winning Tides. "Any yacht using this package will have
a significant advantage as the information provided, in conjunction with
Deckman will greatly enhance tactical decision making."
The precise tidal information featured in Deckman with Winning
Tides will help improve development of race strategy. Laylines can now
be more accurately adjusted for tide, so they can be called with more
confidence and the detailed tidal flow can be shown as an animated overlay
on the chart. This, in addition to the wealth of tactical functionality
provided by Deckman ensures skippers and crew have the best information
at all times.
"We are delighted to be working together with Graham
Sunderland to enhance Deckman in this way. The data is more detailed and
accurate than anything else available, and with the level of detail provided
navigators can now make important tactical decisions with greater confidence,"
says Richard Acland, Managing Director of B&G.
"We spent 8 months measuring tidal flows to create
the most accurate tide information from 210 data points. On its own it
is essential information for any racer, but incorporated in Deckman, it
becomes a very powerful tool for tactical decision making" Commented
Mike Broughton, co author of Winning Tides.
 
To upgrade www.BandG.com/deckman.htm
B&G Sponsors Farr 40 UK Championship
2005
The worlds leading electronics manufacturer for racing yachts
B&G, has agreed to become title sponsor for the Farr 40 UK Championship
to be held in Cowes from July 9th -11th. The "B&G Farr 40 UK
Championship 2005" will form part of the Vice Admirals Cup, a three
day regatta for one design yachts organised by the Royal Corinthian Yacht
Club in Cowes.
The Farr 40 is an international one-design class with racing
of the highest level and events taking place worldwide. "We are very
pleased to have the support and association with B&G as it's our first
Farr 40 championship to be held in the UK for 4 years" said Rob Goddard
on behalf of the Farr 40 UK class.
B&G equipment is used extensively in the fleet
and the B&G Regatta Support team already attends several of the Farr
regattas to provide technical assistance and product advice. For the 2005
UK Championships B&G's Nat Ives and his support team will once again
be present to ensure all the crews benefit from the very best information
that modern yachting electronics can provide.
B&G Pilot excels during Calais Around
Britain Race 2005
Ecover sporting the B&G Hercules pilot with the latest
production software assists Mike Golding's Ecover challenge in the Calais
Around Britain Race....
Thompson reports that their watch system has been running
well, with the crew taking regular turns on the helm. “It was pretty
bad last night at one point so it was better to let the pilot do the work
because you just could not see with the spray. I think even Neal (McDonald,
who is more used to fully crewed ocean racing) would be admitting that
they do a pretty good job under the extreme conditions. They are very
well set up. These boats are really lightly balanced and the software
is very clever,” he explains.
For full story see www.mikegolding.com
Calais Around Britain Race 2005
When the second edition of the Calais around Britain race
sets sail on 22nd May 2005, equipment from B&G, the sailing division
of Simrad, will be featured onboard two of the favourites, Bonduelle and
Ecover.
Both teams will benefit from the world's leading high-performance
instrument and pilot system, h2000, complete with RemoteVision, the handheld
wireless information and control device specifically designed for h2000.
Professional sailors, who rely heavily on precise control and highly accurate
data, describe the h2000 from B&G as a vital tactical and control
tool for serious sailing. Jean le Cam on Bonduelle and Mike Golding on
Ecover became familiar with RemoteVision and sailed their h2000 systems
hard during the last Vendée Globe, where they respectively finished
2nd and 3rd.
The Calais around Britain race is the first IMOCA event
of 2005 and will see the contestants race 1850 miles clockwise around
the British Isles to end up back in Calais around May 29th.
Caen La Mer will be using Simrad electronics during the
race.
B&G Classic Platinum Partner for
Gipsy Moth IV Restoration
B&G, the performance sailing division
of Simrad, and The UK Sailing Academy today announce a partnership that
will see B&G instruments once again providing navigational and performance
information on Gipsy Moth IV. B&G instruments were onboard Gipsy Moth
IV when Sir Francis Chichester completed his historic solo circumnavigation
in 1966-1967. The yacht will also be fitted with the new Simrad CX33 Chartplotter
and an RD68 VHF system.
"The initial goal of the restoration project is to
take part in a celebratory circumnavigation on the 40th anniversary of
Sir Francis' amazing voyage. After this, the yacht will be based at Cowes
where it will be used to give young people the opportunity to sail on
board a historic part of Britain's maritime history," says David
Green, CEO of the UK Sailing Academy. "We have received a fantastic
response from the marine industry and are especially pleased to have the
support of B&G who are providing the latest B&G h2000 system to
replace the original B&G instrumentation, and Simrad who are supplying
their latest Chartplotter and VHF system."
The restoration project is intended to be as sensitive to
the original design and ethos of Gipsy Moth IV as possible. After initial
inspection, Camper & Nicholson is confident that this can be done.
The decision to partner with B&G and to install the h2000 system was
an easy one - the reasons for Sir Francis' original choice are equally
valid today - that B&G make the best performing and most reliable
instrumentation systems for performance sailing yachts. Now with the inclusion
of RemoteVision, the new wireless link to h2000 instruments, the complete
system will assist the safe passage for the 40th anniversary circumnavigation
and subsequent use by the UKSA.
"Many of us were inspired by the pioneering spirit
of Sir Francis Chichester and Gipsy Moth IV," enthuses Richard Acland,
Managing Director of B&G. "We are delighted to be able to support
this project as a Classic Platinum Partner with the same equipment that
is used by today's top round the world solo sailors. We very much look
forward to her re-launch and to following her next circumnavigation."
RemoteVision wins Dame Award for B&G
B&G RemoteVision has won the Marine
Electronics category of the 2004 DAME Awards. Held every year by the organisers
of METS, the Amsterdam RAI, the awards recognise excellence and innovation
in marine equipment across the industry.
"We are naturally delighted to have won this award,"
comments Richard Acland, Managing Director, B&G. "RemoteVision
is the culmination of an extensive development period that has provided
B&G users with a truly innovative product, capable of improving performance
and safety."
RemoteVision was launched at Southampton Boat Show 2004
and is already installed on several high-profile yachts, including Ellen
MacArthur's B&Q and Mike Golding's Ecover. Both Ellen and Mike assisted
in the development of RemoteVision helping B&G to build a truly innovative
device for serious yachtsmen.
"The sophistication and originality of the RemoteVision
system makes it a natural winner," says Jan Berner, President, Simrad.
"Simrad has always provided racers and cruisers alike with high-grade
electronics but the B&G performance factor takes this to a whole new
level. A quiet revolution is underway with RemoteVision."
For further information on the B&G RemoteVision and
the h2000 range visit the Simrad stand (10.074) at METS 2004.
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B&G equipped boats take 1st and 2nd
in Round Ireland Race.
1st Ker 32 Calyx Voice and Data , owner Eamon Crosbie, navigator
Ian Moore
2nd J145 Jazz , owner Chris Bull, navigator Mike Broughton
B&G would like to congratulate the crews of both boats
for their excellent performances in what turned out to be very demanding
conditions for the majority of the race.
These are two very different boats Calyx Voice and Data
is a 32ft fully stripped out custom raceboat, whereas Jazz although having
a similarly successful record of IRC offshore results could not be more
different at 48ft in length and with a fully fitted interior. However
there is one common factor that characterises both these winning boats
- they were both fitted with B&G Hercules 2000 instrument systems.
Onboard the much smaller Calyx Voice and Data, the position
of crew weight on the rail upwind is crucial and so the navigator can
not be granted the luxury of sitting down below at the chart table. For
this reason the yacht is fitted with a B&G RaceVision, an industrial
PC fitted below that is controlled from on deck by a remote touch screen.
The RaceVision not only runs Sailmath's charting and tactical software
Deckman For Windows but is also connected to a GPRS phone so that weather
downloads can be completed without ever leaving the high-side.
The navigator on Jazz is allowed a few more creature comforts
at the chart table below where similar functionality is provided by an
onboard PC, keyboard and screen.
Prior to starting the race both teams benefited from the
support of B&G's Race Specialist Nat Ives who spent time with the
boats to ensure that both systems, both over 12months old, were functioning
correctly and to provide assistance in calibrating the True Wind data
and explaining how to get the best from the system.
Alan Crosbie, crew boss on Calyx Voice and Data summed
up the performance of the B&Gs during the race: "We faced some
truly brutal conditions at times and needed all our energy and concentration
just to keep pushing the boat. Meanwhile the B&G instruments worked
faultlessly in the background giving us accurate and reliable performance
data for the duration of the race and also enabling us to get the latest
weather information when required, definitely a key part of the team!"
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