Marine electronics manufacturer Raymarine has unveiled its new YachtSense Ecosystem, a monitoring solution that gives boaters control over Raymarine equipment and vessel systems from their mobile device, both on and offboard.
The YachtSense Ecosystem comprises three elements, or ‘tiers’. The system begins with the new Raymarine mobile app, which provides simple onboard and off-boat integration capabilities and is the central point for integrating with the YachtSense Ecosystem and Axiom displays. This can be controlled using the app interface, or using a smart speaker such as Echo Dot or Google Home.
“Expectations on boating and boating tech are moving along all the time,” says Peter Ingram, VP of marketing at Raymarine. “We feel the YachtSense Ecosystem is a great adaption and addition to the customer expectation.”
YachtSense Link
The Raymarine mobile app allows boaters to onboard new devices, set up and modify their vessel profile, and backup and transfer waypoints and other data. With the Raymarine mobile app, boaters can also monitor instruments and NMEA2000 sensors, receive alerts and view engine telemetry from their phone or tablet. The Raymarine mobile app also transforms a mobile device into an Axiom remote station, which lets users stream and control Chartplotters from anywhere onboard.
“It’s the natural evolution,” says Brian Jensen, director of global product management at Raymarine’s parent company Teledyne FLIR. “Customers have a smart phone, a smart car, and they’re going to want to have a smart boat. It’s a natural evolution for us to deliver these kinds of services. This stuff is going to become more of the norm on boats.”
The Raymarine mobile app also offers a subscription service that allows users to set up a geofence around their boat. This service allows users to monitor their boat’s location remotely and receive alerts if the boat moves outside a defined geofence circle, for added peace of mind against theft or damage.
YachtSense Ecoysystem and the Raymarine app
“Raymarine’s ethos is to make boating more enjoyable for boating enthusiasts,” says Ingram. “For the vast majority of boaters, [being able to set up a geofence and monitor their vessel remotely] might offer one less barrier to entry and encourage them to buy a boat and get out on the water. It’s a chance to give people peace of mind and take away concerns they might have.”
The new YachtSense Link, the second tier of the ecosystem, is a marine mobile router designed to keep boaters connected through 4G/LTE broadband, local Wi-Fi networks and integration with Raymarine devices. Used together, the Raymarine app and YachtSense Link router allow boaters to remotely monitor critical onboard systems, control electrical devices, and sync with Raymarine navigation systems while underway.
YachtSense Link allows boaters to connect Raymarine Axiom displays, mobile devices, and other wireless devices like smart TVs to local marina Wi-Fi and create a unified, onboard Wi-Fi network. YachtSense Link also supports dual SIM cards to facilitate connectivity across two mobile networks when travelling internationally.
Finally, the YachtSense Ecosystem brings smart-home mobile connectivity to Raymarine’s YachtSense digital control system. With YachtSense Link and YachtSense Digital Control, boaters can remotely control and monitor multiple electrical devices, and perform actions such as activating bilge pumps, control lighting, and monitor tanks and fuel levels.
“When you get to tier three, the sky is the limit,” says Ingram. “You can start to have the convenience of raising the blinds from your cabin, or raising the navigation lights from your phone during dinner. If it’s a cold day, you can adjust the heating in advance so it’s warm before you arrive. The options become limitless.”
Gregoire Outters, VP and general manager of Raymarine, says the YachtSense Ecosystem offers a connected boating solution for every boater. “Our Axiom owners can take advantage of the new Raymarine app, and the YachtSense Link router will keep them connected with the security of remote vessel monitoring,” he says. “And for our OEM boat builder partners, the YachtSense Ecosystem is a comprehensive and bespoke digital control solution offering new boat owners seamless onboard and off boat control and monitoring.”
