For the Sailor’s Gear Bag

Ewincher SailForce

Ewincher recently introduced their innovative SailForce winches, the next generation of electric winches that combines new motor generation and Australian made Hutton winches. Powered by a dedicated 30V lithium-ion battery, the winch is unique because it offers two speeds — fast and slow — with a super sensitive tension limiter that stops the winch when the limit has been reached. A wide range of tension limits can be configured to match the specificities of each boat. The winch only consumes 6 amps and, when it’s not in use, the battery pack is recharged from the boat’s 12V system. This eliminates the need to upgrade the capacity of your house battery bank. The battery pack can be placed anywhere on board by running a new cable or by connecting it to any 12v cable available. The SailForce electric winch comes with a 12v control panel and is available from size 40 to 70. www.ewincher.com

 

Zhik Fuze Sailing Trainer

Finding the right sailing shoe is often about striking a balance between comfort and functionality, which is exactly what Zhik’s Fuze Sailing Trainer aims to achieve. Using lightweight materials to provide exceptional support and grip, the Fuze sailing shoe is designed to perform well on deck or on land. Perforated upper panels allow for fast drainage and optimal breathability, keeping your foot dry and cool. And the integrated one-way drainage system within the sole allows water to flush out but not come back in from below. A durable and non marking EVA rubber sole provides added grip even in wet conditions. The Fuze Trainer comes in two colors, ash or dark gray, and is available in a variety of sizes.  www.zhik.com

 

Weems & Plath BRIGHTWind 

Knowing that real estate is limited on the top of the mast, Weems & Plath set out to create the world’s first ultrasonic wind sensor/LED triColor/LED anchor light combination—and they did it! Aptly named, BRIGHTWind, this unique, state-of-the-art pairing combines the ultra-low-powered, non-mechanical wind sensor (created by Spanish manufacturer, Calypso Instruments) with Weems & Plath’s powerful, yet energy efficient, LX TriColor/Anchor LED Navigation Light with Strobe and Photodiode. This combination was designed exclusively for sailors seeking unparalleled simplicity, safety and precision on the water. BRIGHTWind will provide wind speed and direction data to any NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000 display (with converter). Unlike many traditional wind sensors on the market, BRIGHTWind features no bearings or mechanical parts, instead using four ultrasonic transducers that measure how fast it takes for sound waves to travel back and forth between each transducer. The speed with which the sound waves travel is used by the sensor to determine the wind speed and direction. www.weems-plath.com