14 September 2007 ~ Alex Bennett will be able to sleep easy in his bunk as he campaigns his Class 40 Fujifilm knowing that he and his crew have been provided with state of the art electronic equipment from Raymarine.
Alex, who has spent the last few months building Fujifilm, will be taking part in his first Class 40 race – the Transat Jacque Vabres – in November 2007, the first in a three year campaign of major shorthanded and solo races. The boat was launched in August, complete with the brand new equipment from Raymarine which included a twin autopilot set up, a C Series multifunction display, AIS250 receiver and a LifeTag man-overboard system
The C80 multifunction display is flush mounted at the chart table and will provide Alex with data such as wind speed, course over ground and speed over ground along with detailed, colour chart information, as well as shipping movements thanks to the AIS250 receiver and 2kW radome The system will enable Alex to display all kinds of navigational data helping him plot a more accurate and faster course.
Alex’s boat has also been kitted out with Raymarine’s LifeTag system. Alex said: “This is a new product from Raymarine and involves us wearing a wireless tag. The base unit is in the middle of the boat and if either of us should fall overboard and be separated from the boat, an alarm will immediately sound. This system really helps when sailing two handed – if someone is asleep down below, the alarm will wake them and alert them to the scenario. Integrated with the C Series multifunction display via SeaTalk, an emergency waypoint is created along with a bearing to that waypoint. It’s a really valuable piece of kit on any boat. Safety at sea is always paramount, and it’s nice to know that Raymarine has helped me out. Reliability and redundancy is key to a successful campaign in this sport, and using Raymarine products gives me the confidence I need when at sea.” He added: “I’ve used Raymarine products for the last ten years so know they won’t let me down, despite the demanding conditions which they will be facing. Their equipment will give me the competitive edge and reliability to do well in my races.”
Fiona Pankhurst, International Marketing Communications Manager from Raymarine said: “We are very happy to be working with Alex again and are delighted to be able to support him in these new endeavours. We wish him all the best with his Class 40 campaign”.
Notes to Editors:
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The LifeTag utilises the very latest in radio frequency broadcast technology. Up to 16 crew members can be monitored ensuring they are safe and sound while onboard.
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Each LifeTag pendant broadcasts a unique identification code back to the LifeTag base station, telling it that its wearer is ‘safe’. In the event of man overboard, the link between the victim's pendant and the LifeTag base station is broken and the alarm is raised automatically onboard the boat.
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Its compact size means it is unobtrusive and easy to wear.
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Alex, who has been sailing since the age of three, is one of a new breed of competitive professional yachtsmen with a host of sailing credentials to his name.
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These include in 1999 competing in the solo Mini Transatlantic Race coming 5th and achieving the best British result in the history of the event. In 2000 he was invited to join Pete Goss and Team Philips in a project to compete in The Race. The following year he won the Open 50 division of the Transat Jacques Vabre with Paul Larsen, setting a new course record in the process. Alex has also competed in the Oryx Quest Round the World Race in 2005 onboard the 120ft maxi catamaran Cheyenne.
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His Class 40 campaign will include the Transat Jacques Vabre in November and the OSTAR single-handed transatlantic race in 2009
For further information contact Chloe Bartle, UK Marketing Coordinator, +44 (0)23 9269 3611 Ext. 1395, email: chloe.bartle@raymarine.com or Alice Driscoll at ADPR, Tel +44 (0)1935 826451, Fax +44 (0)1935 826551 or by email: alice.driscoll@adpr.co.uk.
This text can be downloaded from http://www.adpr.co.uk/. For high res images please email: info@raymarine.com.
September 2007 (RM439)
