Sailors my friends who love regattas and offshore racing, if you are provided with excellent French instrumentation NKE (¹), enjoy ! With the last version 2.0.81 Weather4D Routing & Navigation now supports full transfer of performance data to NKE's Topline bus. Non-Weather4D users please refrain…
In Weather4D R&N performance data, described in the User Guide pages 128-130, come from calculations made from the speed polar and instantaneous data received from the boat's sensors (True Wind, Speed Through Water, Drift, Current). These calculations allow us to compare the sailboat's behaviour with the target data issued from the polar. Performance data are sent to Multigraphic and Gyropilot, also to Multidisplay, using NKE Dynamic Channels.
The NKE settings window
In NMEA Settings, a new option NMEA Output opens a sub-window NKE Outputs :
The new NKE window in NMEA Outputs
Performance data can be sent to Gyropilot and Multigraphic. The 8 Dynamic channels can each receive one of the twelve available data. Submitted data scrolls in yellow in the NMEA window.
Twelve data are available for the eight dynamic channels
Gyropilot
Weather4D sends the data to autopilot to control it, not only in GPS mode, but also in POLAR mode. In this latter mode, the data sent allows the autopilot to get as close as possible to the VMG Max. The performance data provides the percentage of polar and the optimal angle close upwind and downwind. We will be able to follow the leg displaying the laylines, function already available in the app. GPS mode uses the usual RMB, APB, etc,.
Polar mode is particularly effective in upwind or downwind courses when you have to tack to reach a point, as well as the WIND mode, which allows the boat to move more smoothly following the slightest variations in the wind. In both cases, the performance is not the only gain, because the increase in speed brought by low wind can also delay, cruising, starting the engine. A fuel economy not insignificant for some time now !
Multigraphic
Through dynamic channels, screen Multidisplay allow to display all kinds of navigation data, in text or graphic form, just like the Multigraphic which also allows complete control of the autopilot.
Multidisplay and Multigraphic NKE screens
Implementation
Without going into the details of the configurations to be made, for Weather4D R&N can send and receive NMEA data to/from the Topline bus, it must be implemented, either a Wi-Fi connection of the iPad/iPhone with the gateway NKE Box WiFi for simplified installation, either connect a Wi-Fi router in Ethernet to the gateway NKE Box Ethernet, for a more complex installation with instruments from other manufacturers, or another network. It is this last choice that has been implemented on the own developer's sailboat.
Integration NKE Topline bus and NMEA2000 network
Conclusion
With its new functions, Weather4D Routing & Navigation, so far oriented mainly towards cruising, takes a big step towards racers, occasional or experienced who use NKE instrumentation, state-of-the-art electronics that have long been fitted to this category of sailors, but also towards fans of fast and efficient cruising for pleasure.
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(¹) https://nke-marine-electronics.fr
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