New Generator
The 6500 is Fischer Panda’s newest diesel-powered, water-cooled, AC marine generator that’s reportedly more powerful and more fuel efficient than a comparably sized gas marine generator and produces more amperage than any other 6-kilowatt generator currently available. It’s specifically designed for sailboats 36 feet and longer, and according to manufacturer testing, it’s also extremely quiet when in operation.
$12,300, (954) 462-2800,
www.fischerpanda.com
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Multipurpose Antenna
Shakespeare’s Galaxy 5445 Antenna with Windvane cleverly combines a mast-top windvane with a stainless-steel VHF whip antenna. The lightweight antenna helps increase VHF range by being mountable on the top of the mast, and the windvane will always tell you from where the wind is coming. The Galaxy’s connector system simplifies installation and removal for storage. An offset bracket is included for easy attachment of the antenna to the top of a mast, and 65 feet of coaxial cable and a coax connector are also supplied.
$190, (803) 227-1590,
www.shakespeare-marine.com
Portable Power
The WinchRite offers an alternative to anyone who longs for the push-button ease of a powered winch but may not be ready to go to the trouble of replacing conventional winches with powered ones. The WinchRite is described as a cordless powered winch handle that can take the manual effort out of grinding sailboat winches. It weighs just over 6 pounds, and it’s powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The WinchRite rotates in both directions to accommodate two-speed winches and can be easily stowed when not in use.
$700, (520) 834-3297,
www.sailology.com
Anchor Retriever
Freeing a fouled anchor is easy—as long as you have a way to pull it up from the front of the anchor instead of by the shank. And that’s not always so easy. Enter the Anchor Witch. It’s composed of a weighted messenger that allows a second line to be sent down the chain to the anchor, and a cable that runs from the anchor chain to the top of the anchor up by the fluke. The messenger is designed to clamp on to the anchor cable when it comes in contact as it slides down the chain. The cable is equipped with a small, buoyant ball to ensure that the cable is always in the proper place so the messenger can attach to it. Once the messenger is attached to the cable, it detaches from the chain, and then it’s just a simple matter of pulling the anchor out of whatever is fouling it by the second line. A simple solution to an often complicated problem.
$130, www.anchorwitch.com
Simple Shackle
Wichard’s new line of MX shackles are designed to function like a turning block. They’re made from polished stainless steel, and most lines will slide smoothly along the contoured surface of the shackle head, creating additional purchase. These shackles can be used for various onboard applications and, just like any shackle, can easily be added to working lines without releasing the load. According to the manufacturer, they’ll work well on static high-load purchase systems, such as a main-halyard system, and also on spinnaker-guy twings or jib-sheet barberhaulers. They come in three
sizes, ranging from the MX-6, for 5/16-inch line, to the MX-10, for 9/16-inch line.
$100 to $160,
(401) 683-5055,
www.wichard-usa.com
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New-Look Life Raft**
After it conducted extensive tests to find the color that was easiest to spot in all weather conditions at sea, Viking Life-Saving Equipment found that fluorescent yellow is the most visible. As a result, the company’s latest RescYou line of yellow life rafts should help rescue teams see a raft in the water more quickly and from farther distances. In addition to being easier to see, the updated range of RescYou life rafts has features to make things more bearable, including a blue inner lining that purportedly can help reduce seasickness and curtained windows that provide a 360-degree view out without the canopy having to be opened.
$3,000 to $3,500, (305) 614-5800, www.viking-life.com
