B&G further supports Volvo Ocean Race

Working with Volvo Ocean Race and Vesper Marine, B&G has supplied additional Zeus3 chartplotters, VHFs and AIS units for use during the in-port races.

B&G®, the world’s leading sailing navigation and instrument specialist, is very pleased to further support the Volvo Ocean Race by providing additional marine electronics equipment for the in-port races. As is the aim with all B&G marine electronics, these will be used to enhance safety – for spectators, organisers and participants in the race by assisting with the laying of the course and placement and viewing of the boundaries.

New Zealand company, Vesper Marine is supplying its Guardian AIS technology to enable the racecourse perimeters to be set and allow spectator and race official boats to locate and view the course boundaries on their AIS displays. The B&G equipment will allow the race boat officials and mark layers to see the positions of the buoys in order to place them in the exact required location and also manage the boundaries.

Establishing a virtual perimeter around the course, the Guardian Virtual AIS stations broadcast information to spectator and race official boats using AIS – painting the course on their navigation systems. The course laying RIBS will all be fitted with B&G GPS enabled VHFs, and the race committee boats will have a Zeus3 chartplotter, AIS and VHF on board.

Spectator and official vessels will now be able to see their own positions, quickly and easily, relative to the course boundaries on their navigation displays, ensuring they are safely outside the course at all times.