B&G has released the new Vulcan chartplotter. The company says it is “packed full of B&G’s dedicated sailing features and easy to use with 7-inch multi-touch display”. The Vulcan has been designed for cruising and racing yachts of all sizes and can be used as a stand-alone chartplotter or as part of an integrated system.
In its basic form as a stand-alone sailing chartplotter, it offers all the standard navigation features including waypoints, routes, a choice of cartography providers and integrated autopilot control. All data is shown relative to the boat which B&G says makes it “quick and easy to relate onscreen navigation to the realities of sailing”.
By adding a Wind transducer, sailors gain access to B&G’s SailSteer feature, and by integrating with further sensors, sailors can unlock a host of other sailing features including True Wind and Tide. Vulcan’s offerings are fully scalable and sailors can choose to take advantage of as many or as few sailing navigation features as they require.
Vulcan can also be used as a secondary display on larger sailing boats. Its flexible design allows it to be used in many locations including as a cockpit repeater, as additional support at the chart table, to provide navigational information in the owner’s cabin, or even as a mast display. Vulcan is an easy addition to existing NMEA 2000® networks.
When paired with a DownScan sonar transducer, Vulcan offers sailors a unique perspective on what’s beneath the boat, thanks to Cruise Sonar – a picture-like representation of bottom structure. This technology aids the identification of anchoring or swimming spots and can also be used to identify areas that contain fish.
B&G says Vulcan’s multi-touch screen and intuitive menus mean sailors can pinch-to-zoom and quickly swipe their way through options. With GoFree wireless technology and built-in Wi-Fi, sailors can control and view charts and many other features of Vulcan via a tablet, or view Vulcan’s display remotely with a smartphone, wherever they are on board. GoFree technology also allows for the download of software updates, and the purchase of charts and apps via the GoFree Store.
The 7-inch Vulcan sailing chartplotter will be available in 2015, with a recommended retail price of $1299 AUD/$1499 NZD. To find out more visit www.bandg.com.
