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It's no bigger than a small pair of binoculars, but it instantly displays the distance between you and whatever you're aiming at. Visimaxi's TM1C laser rangefinder, with its OLED display and 7x magnification, was designed for outdoor enthusiasts. It is also ideal for use at sea. We used it for several days to see what it can actually do for maneuvering, navigation and racing.
How does a rangefinder work?
The rangefinder is a monocular. It magnifies the image to help you aim more accurately. A sight in the center of the lens allows you to aim at the right mark. Then, by pressing a sort of trigger on top, the rangefinder instantly indicates the distance to the target. It's fast and intuitive. You don't need to read the manual to get a good grip on the camera.
Position yourself well before wetting
When we drop anchor in a bay, it's hard to estimate distances around us. By aiming at an anchor buoy or a marker on the beach, the rangefinder gives the exact distance to the target point.
When docking at the quayside, knowing exactly how far you are from the wall or beach takes the guesswork out of the equation. By holding the rangefinder in one hand, the helmsman or his crew member can measure the distance to the quay in real time as you move backwards. The display is instantaneous and the sensor reactive, so you can react immediately.
Very useful for regattas
In a regatta, there's nothing more effective than pointing the rangefinder at the other boat to judge whether you're catching up or being outdistanced: you read your distance, do it again a minute later, and measure the delta. No need for compasses or mental calculations, the figures speak for themselves.
Likewise, when hoisting the spinnaker or preparing for a lowering, knowing the distance left to the mark enables you to act at the right moment. Seasoned racers have their compass in their eye, but the rangefinder provides a reliable, unambiguous reference.
Some features to know
The TM1C rangefinder weighs just 199 g and has a claimed range of up to 1,000 m (a new model has been announced with a range of 2,500 m). It recharges via USB and takes up to 10,000 measurements per charge. The case is waterproof and shockproof. Units can be set in meters or yards, and two display modes are available (in addition to distance, the second indicates the angle of the measurement, which will doubtless be more useful to golfers than sailors...). The manufacturer claims that its optics have been treated for marine use and that data can be read even in bright sunlight.
The TM1C - 1000 m version - is available from Visimaxi for ?299 incl. VAT.
