Sargassum, North Atlantic calamity

Sargassum (sargassum) are brown algae that grow in the Sargasso Sea, off the coast of Florida and the Bahamas, where they get their name from. Some floating species then drift in a long belt that sometimes extends for thousands of kilometers on the surface of the sea depending on ocean currents and winds..

Until 2010 they developed mainly in their region of origin, the Sargasso Sea. In 2011, for a reason probably linked to human pollution, but not only, the Sargasso Sea overflowed. Sargassum formed a second sea in the ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone) in the north of Brazil. Read more …

eSail4VR 1.11 available on platforms [Update]

In gestation and intensive testing for several months, the news version 1.11 is available on all platforms (¹). A large number of new items on the menu, dont le « Mode Expert », a new routing engine, support for the “boost” effect well known to specialists. The improvements mainly concern the user interface to respond to the numerous requests and feedback from users. Let's see the details below…

[Update 29/01/2022] Fixes have been made to resolve crashes on certain platforms. See the latest versions on eSail4VR page.

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A new Expert Guide from Voiles editions & Sailboats

Navigate with a Digital Tablet and a Smartphone has just been published by Sails & Sailboats, available in bookstores and specialist stores, since the Sails shop & Sailboats, on FNAC Books and Amazon. A digital version specific is online at Apple Books Store.

  1. Tablets and smartphones : choose your device and the essential accessories on board carefully.
  2. Navigation applications : review and detailed description according to your types of navigation, for the day, coastal, or offshore.
  3. Integration from mobile devices to on-board instruments : understand and implement.

A step-by-step 128 pages to keep up to date with the latest developments and equip yourself wisely today. 19,90 € Read more …

eSail4VR for Virtual Regatta is available on all four stores

Cross-platform app eSail4VR dedicated to routing for Virtual Regatta, I wrote about a few days ago (¹), is available for download from online stores Mac App Store (macOS), App Store (iOS/iPadOS), Google Play, Windows Store (soon activated). Just in time for the Route du Rhum !

To find out everything in one click about this revolutionary application, it's on its website to add to your favorites. The application also has its FaceBook page, and its Users FaceBook Group. Read more …

Iridium Certus 100, a step towards yachting ?

Since the operational commissioning of the constellation Iridium NEXT (¹), the Iridium company has started offering its new range of services called “ Certus® ". These services rely on the significantly increased technological capabilities of new satellites, which allowed, among other things, for Iridium to be approved as a second satellite communications provider for the GMDSS maritime security service (²), of which the competitor Inmarsat had held the monopoly since 1979.

Certus®, besides showing that American businessmen are also literate (³), is a range available in six bandwiths levels starting from 22 Kb/s up to 704 Kb/s, and up to 1408 Kb/s in the near future. Read more …

Urgent ! Iridium GO firmware update!® and the GO app!®

A new version of the firmware 2.1.22 is now available for the’Iridium GO!®. This release includes an update to fix an issue of incorrect time and date for The Iridium GO device!® and The GO app!®. This issue results in an incorrect time and date on the device and app, which however does not affect the functionality of the device/app in any way. Appeals, Data, SMS, SOS and follow-up are still working normally. Only cases where a message (Fast GPS, aftercare, SOS) contains a date/time, it will be incorrect. The order of messages in the Iridium GO app!® may not be respected, as well as missed voice calls. Upgrading the device to the new firmware version 2.1.22 will fix this issue.

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SHOM removes facsimiles from UK charts

With the latest update of the SHOM charts portfolio 16 th, 2021, Geogarage announces the removal of 18 facsimile charts from British charts covering, mainly, the south coast of England and Gibraltar. These areas are now only covered by the British Admiralty portfolio. (You are there).

Indeed, SHOM recently announced (¹) the rationalization of its catalog of nautical charts, onwards September 2021, by the deletion of many foreign charts reproduced under historical reciprocity agreements with some foreign hydrographic services. Read more …

Navygatio : SailGrib’s “Cloud” service

The latest update V.6.4 of SailGrib WR brings a major novelty : Navygatio (¹), a web interface which will allow navigation to be recorded on a server as it happens, to add pictures, to share your page with loved ones, to compare the traces, to analyze performance, and many more things to come. A real “ cloud »at the unique service of SailGrib WR users on Android and Weather4D Routage & Navigation users with iOS. Read more …