Edited by David Schmidt
Weatherly
If you love historic boats and like to keep an eye on the weather, Majestic Weathervanes’s line of high-end rooftop accoutrements is worth a look. Built of aluminum and steel, each weathervane is an exact replica of a historic vessel, built to its original blueprints. These models-cum-vanes are designed to withstand anything short of an asteroid hit; one vane dropped from a height of 20 feet, was driven 2.5 inches into the ground, and sustained no damage. The rigging is built with multistrand stainless-steel cables (breaking strengths between 150 and 500 pounds), and the model comes with a 1.5-inch-diameter mounting post; theft deterrence is built-in. Each ship’s original paint scheme is replicated in polyurethane coating. Prices range from $5,600 to $17,000. Majestic Weathervanes, 401-213-6309, www.majesticweathervanes.com
Chill Zone
One of the great pleasures of cruising is enjoying a glass of fine wine aboard. Keeping the bottles at a constant temperature and humidity level and protecting them from damaging UV rays and bottle-breaking vibrations isn’t easy. U-Line Corporation’s 1115WC Wine Captain provides a triple-temperature-zone system that keeps red, white, and sparkling wines at their various optimum temperatures via a push-button digital control unit. The Wine Captain can hold 24 (.75-liter) bottles and has tinted, thermal-tempered glass doors for UV protection, vibration dampening, and a humidity monitor to ensure perfect short- or long-term storage. From $1,331. U-Line Corporation, 414-354-0300, www.u-line.com
Remote control
Wireless is all the rage on boats these days, as exemplified by the advent of handheld multifunction controllers. Simrad’s RemoteCommander is a prime example. Not only does it let you control your NMEA 2000–compatible autopilot, chartplotter, and other instruments from anywhere on the boat via Bluetooth, it is also a VHF handset. Simrad USA, 425-778-8821, www.simradusa.com
Backdraft
Fire is a major fear for anyone sailing offshore, even if the boat has ample extinguishers. Sea-Fire Marine’s integrated fire-suppression management system, called the Fire Control Panel, monitors cylinder pressure and fire, heat, carbon monoxide, and smoke levels; it can be programmed to simultaneously monitor—and shut down—up to eight specified onboard devices, including engines, generators, and ventilation systems. If the system detects a fire, the panel will turn off any affected device(s) and give the crew enough time to get on deck before activating
the fire-suppression system (sold separately; designed to work with Sea-Fire’s engineered systems). $599. Sea-Fire Marine, 800-445-7680, www.sea-fire.com
