Innovation doesn’t usually involve feature removal, but by doing away with Ethernet in its Vulcan 7, B&G has created a powerful new multifunction display that allows small-boat sailors to take advantage of features previously only available to the big boys. Because the V7 lacks Ethernet, there’s no radar. Nor is there chart-sharing across displays. Nonetheless, the system’s NMEA 2000 networking means the V7’s bright 800 x 480 pixel multitouch 7in screen can serve as a supersize instrument display with numerous data boxes or very large digits, or even the SailSteer graphics previously seen on B&G’s Zeus models. A Vulcan can also work as a full-featured autopilot and/or audio control head, and its internal 10Hz GPS permits standalone chartplotting, with support for many SD card cartography formats. With internal Wi-Fi, this device will mirror its display to tablets, share its data with numerous third-party apps or go online for chart and software updater. Moreover, the brand-new and same-priced 7 FS model can directly support ForwardScan, a Pittman Award winner in 2015.
$599. B&G, bandg.com
