BOATS & GEAR
PRODUCT ROUNDUP
Big data for little boats Intellian leverages high-throughput for boats under 80 feet By Brian Hagenbuch
his spring Intellian rolled out the new v45C, a compact VSAT antenna that provides high-speed connectivity for commercial fishing vessels under 80 feet. The antenna’s dish has a diameter of 45 centimeters, making it Intellian’s smallest unit yet. Viable in tight spaces on seiners, gillnetters, and trollers, the v45C provides small vessels with powerful connectivity once reserved for the big guys. Paul Comyns, Intellian’s vice president of global sales, said these little, powerful antennas are made possible by sweeping technological advances. “It’s an interesting time because the technology is advancing for both the satellites and the antennas. That means we’re able to create a smaller antenna that has the ability to create high-speed,
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broadband connectivity,” Comyns said. The speed is facilitated by high-throughput satellite technology, which leverages multiple network operators to provide a focused spot beam for high power in a small area. The antenna works where there is satellite coverage, which Comyns said covers most fishing grounds and coastal areas. “It opens up a huge market potential with smaller fishing vessels. Before, they might have had internet onboard, but it was slow, pay-per-megabyte, expensive,” Comyns said. Comyns added that one advantage of the Intellian system is that it works with anyone’s airtime. Like an unlocked cellphone, this increases the versatility of the antenna. Plus, the v45C functions under a pay-what-you-use model, great for
New Intellian antenna brings high-speed connectivity to small boats.
smaller boats with low overhead. “For a smaller vessel that needs just a little bit of email connectivity, or needs to talk to their wife and kids occasionally, or needs to report their catch, they can just pay for a small amount of data,” Comyns said. But then, of course, the high-speed internet is at hand as well, something that Comyns added is increasingly becoming an expectation at sea, no matter the size of the vessel.
INTELLIAN www.intelliantech.com
Waterjet control Kongsberg Maritime launches two new jet control systems By Brian Hagenbuch
orway’s Kongsberg Maritime has rolled out two water jet control systems, the JCS Compact and JCS Extended. Based on the new JCS (jet control system) technology program, the two systems use standard components for lower costs and simpler operations. The JCS Compact is for small- to medium-sized boats, with a custom control system to manage steering as well as reversing bucket and other options. The system works in tandem with the waterjets to provide smoother, more accurate control of the vessel. According to Kongsberg, the Compact “can be used with either one or two control stations and a single waterjet propulsion unit or, for full redundancy
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and operational safety in the event of unforeseen issues, a dual-waterjet configuration.” The Compact and the waterjet unit and hydraulic components are tested and calibrated before being sent to the buyer. The simple, small unit also features plugin assembly and easy instructions for installation and startup. A 2.8-inch display screen shows steering angle and reversing bucket, with a high-contrast display that is visible even in glaring sunlight. The JCS Extended is similar to the compact but on a larger scale. With a capacity of three control stations and four waterjet propulsion units, the system can increase the maneuverability of larger workboats by providing more precision in the waterjet hydraulic valves.
Control systems for smoother, more precise maneuvering.
The Extended can also be hooked up to an optional GNSS antenna, with a number of other possible applications, like Auto Positioning, Anchor Point, Auto Heading and Trim Assist, as well as Park Mode. According to Kongsberg, Park Mode “enables hydraulic cylinder rods to be withdrawn to prevent fouling when vessels are docked in areas with a high concentration of bio-organisms.” Control stations for the Extended have 7-inch display screens, with ergonomically updated design touches. KONGSBERG MARITIME kongsberg.com/maritime
www.nationalfisherman.com
