We’ve just introduced a new MOB safety product at the Newport Boatshow. Called MOB Alert, it also received a prestigious innovation award at the show.
A Man-Over-Board emergency is a terrifying experience for any captain or crew and key for a safe recovery is to mark the casualty position quickly. Most chart plotters have a MOB event marker but accessing the function is often buried away in menus and the plotter may be below deck. The latest yacht racing rules demand a MOB event marker to be within a few feet of the helm and on larger vessels, it may be important to have multiple activation points.
Many boaters are now integrating AIS Beacons into lifejackets so the real-time casualty position can be displayed on plotters but there’s always a delay for the beacon to compute a GPS position and activate a signal and many crew members may not have the expensive technology integrated into the life jacket.
MOB Alert from Digital Yacht synthesises an instant AIS MOB alert (in the same format that an AIS beacon generates) with the press of a button thanks to its universal NMEA 2000 interface. It outputs this data onto the boat network and also creates an additional industry standard MOB alert PGN (the name given to data fields in NMEA 2000) so there are two methods of activating the plotter MOB function and recording the casualty position. This guarantees compatibility across all systems.
Activation is via a simple waterproof push switch which can be conveniently mounted at the helm. Multiple switches can be installed on larger vessels at minimal cost or an outboard style kill cord could also be utilised so physical movement or a fall could activate the function. MOB Alert uses the boat’s NMEA 2000 GPS data to instantly record the MOB casualty position.
Digital Yacht have also produced an optional, ultra loud alarm that can connect to the boat network and alert independently of the plotter. This is also self powered from the network so fits in seconds and can also be used as an audio alarm for any other preset NMEA alerts such as depth, wind or engine parameters.
With a output rating of 102dB (same as a jet flying at 100 feet!), this will wake everyone on board! The MOB system is priced at $209.95 and the external waterproof alarm at $199.95 if required. The product will be available in October 2024
