Laura Shaughnessy is the former managing editor at Dockwalk.
Cliché or not, it’s often true that the best things come in small packages, such as the new 20T smartlink from Cyclops Marine, released in June. The wireless load sensor technology company has now expanded their focus from smaller yachts to the large yacht and superyacht market. “The move to the superyacht industry was always planned,” says Ian Howarth, CEO Cyclops Marine. “Our priority was to ensure we delivered the accuracy, as well as the wireless Bluetooth feature in the smaller devices first. We were aware there was a market demand to measure loads on larger vessels for both safety and performance in a simple way that didn’t require wiring and onboard calibration.”
The 20T smartlink device delivers loads at 1hz, giving a second-by-second live stream of information to allow sailors to make the critical interventions in trim required.
Their newly released 20T smartlink gives sailors the ability to measure the load on anything from the mainsheet to code sail tack lines to backstays and runners. It’s also potentially applicable to any softline under significant load. It wirelessly sends accurate second-by-second load measurements to the Cyclops app or onboard instruments, which can then be logged in conjunction with GPS data for repeatable settings. The 20T, considered the “big brother” in their line of products, is designed specifically for superyachts. Its compact, titanium frame weighs just 789 grams. As the name suggests, it provides accurate readings for loads up to 20T.
Howarth further explains that while load sensing has been used in the superyacht sector previously, smartlink is the first solution without the need for hard wiring. This enables a much larger range of applications to be monitored for both performance and safety. The devices deliver loads at 1hz, giving a second-by-second live stream of information to allow sailors to make the critical interventions in trim required. “With this unique position in mind, designing the products to be as small and light as possible enhances this,” Howarth says.
This column is taken from the December 2020 issue of Dockwalk.