When the Sea Tags bracelet was conceived by a team of sailors in La Rochelle, they had in mind a population of yachtsmen who sail along the coast on a daily basis. Very simple to use and inexpensive (89 euros per bracelet), this product was created with this in mind. We're thinking of the fisherman who goes out alone in the morning to haul in his traps. He puts the bracelet on his wrist and leaves his smartphone in the cockpit to carry out his fishing activities in peace and quiet.
If, by misfortune, our angler falls overboard, his bracelet's transmission is no longer picked up by the smartphone, which triggers an alarm (which will alert his crew member if our angler is not alone on board). If the angler is sailing alone, the smartphone automatically sends an SMS with his position to the person programmed in the application. This person can then call for help from land. But this configuration is only very effective if you stay close to the coast, within range of the GSM network.
A power plant for larger boats
But demand for equipment has also come from offshore sailors. These sail on larger boats, disconnected from any GSM network. For those who sail with a crew, Sea Tags has created a (Sea Tags Pro) which remains active at all times, with a louder alarm (buzzer). This screen is installed at the chart table, and wristbands are paired with it (again via Bluetooth). Powered by on-board batteries, the screen is always on standby. Offshore boats have no energy problems powering this device.
A NMEA 2000 connection
The Sea Tags Pro control unit has its own display which provides directions to the memorized landing point. To do this, it is connected to the onboard NMEA network, which provides the GPS position. But the control unit also sends a phrase indicating a MOB to the network. Chartplotters are thus able to display it. The helmsman of a sailing boat, for example, finds this indication in his cockpit and can follow it to find the shipwrecked person.
To avoid untimely power cuts
The bracelets are very effective, and trigger an alarm if the Bluetooth transmission is cut off. This can happen if the bracelet moves too far from the base. This is particularly the case on aluminum boats over 40 feet or catamarans. To avoid this problem, Sea tags has developed a kind of Bluetooth relay antenna. Installed on the NMEA network from which it draws its power, it increases the Bluethooth range by radiating around it. For example, it can be installed on the bow of a boat (the final model will be waterproof), providing good coverage of the foredeck. With this, false alarms are a thing of the past, and safety is further enhanced.
