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Similarly, the hardware
builder at least had well-defined software and input-device parameters
as it set out to create a powerful, bulletproof marine computer. This
task went to EchoFlight, a small Colorado-based company whose aviation
background may account for why Knapp seemed at home on the flying Coast
Guard boat. His experience building advanced avionics computers also explains
why the Navigator is different from any "marinized" computer
I’ve seen on the market. For starters, it is housed in a carved-out
block of solid aluminum to minimize vibration failures and RF (radio frequency)
interference and to facilitate a waterproof seal. It has familiar parts
like a Pentium II processor, 128 megs of RAM, and a 10-gigabyte hard drive,
but its circuit boards are all custom built to much higher standards and
more focused design than normal in the PC industry.
Most striking are all
the connectors sprouting from the back of the Navigator. The unit is clearly
designed to be much more than a chartplotter, and, in fact, several major
add-ons are well along the development curve. First up will be a "black
box" transducer that will put a depth data box on the Navigator;
also in testing is a radar transmitter that will provide overlaid or split-screen
imagery. Eventually the Navigator will interface with digital engine technology,
enabling it to alternately display gauges and diagnostics. Then there’s
the satellite data connection, already an EchoFlight avionics product
with a dedicated spot in the Navigator’s separate power supply box.
Once perfected for marine use, the device will feed the Navigator weather
overlay imagery and enable basic e-mail.
Now, imagine all those
parts working together, and you’ll understand the glint in Brian
Criner’s eye. He oversees electrical systems for Sea Ray’s Product
Development and Engineering (PD&E) department and along with his boss
Bruce Thompson is a prime creator behind this company exclusive. When
he calls Navigator an "industry-changing product," he’s
not just talking about the uniqueness of a true marine computer built
right into a production boat; he sees Navigator bringing big benefits
to his boats’ production, sales, and maintenance. Factory installers
work with Sea Ray-designed and -tested devices that don’t change
unless Sea Ray says so. Dealers thoroughly learn and can demo SRN (and
become Maptech chart dealers). Sea Ray-authorized technicians are given
coded access to the Navigator operating system for updating and repair.
Eventually a customer might even call in from most anywhere and have Sea
Ray diagnose engine and system problems using the Navigator’s wireless
connection and networked data.
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Boat Brain, Part 3 > Page 1,
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