New Low Cost GPS & GSM boat security System

[yachtsentinel]

Hi I would like to introduce you to our new low cost GPS & GSM boat security system Yacht Sentinel. It is small and lightweight and runs off the boat battery or shore power. It takes very little power so can last for weeks on a Rib battery, it also has it's own internal battery as standby. Yacht Sentinel will send, Boat Battery status, Anchor Alarm, Mooring alarm, Shore Power Alarm, Frost alarm, Hi-Temp alarm, Bilge alarm and Intruder Alarm,straight to your mobile. It uses a pay-as-you-go SIM so there is no contract, just a one time buy from £299.00. visit www.yacht-sentinel.com to find out more

[codprawn]

Is it waterproof?

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Is it waterproof?

Welcome to the forums Yachtsentinel.

The unit is not waterproof, but it is very small and could easily be fitted (discretely) inside the console along with the other electrics.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by yachtsentinel

low cost

£299 is low cost?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by malthouse

Welcome to the forums Yachtsentinel.

The unit is not waterproof, but it is very small and could easily be fitted (discretely) inside the console along with the other electrics.

And with a bilge level alarm included will warn you before its about to get wet!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Leapy

£299 is low cost?

that was my initial reaction. But the cheap ones on ebay are about £100 and don't include the bildge alarm, security alarm etc features that are included here (e.g. if someone just raids your lockers rather than nicks the boat). Presumably it also comes with an English manual and some sort of helpline / warranty / backup in case of problem.

At the high end of the market - people spend more than this on fuel in a day! Personally I spend less than that in a season...

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Polwart

that was my initial reaction. But the cheap ones on ebay are about £100 and don't include the bildge alarm, security alarm etc features that are included here (e.g. if someone just raids your lockers rather than nicks the boat). Presumably it also comes with an English manual and some sort of helpline / warranty / backup in case of problem.

At the high end of the market - people spend more than this on fuel in a day! Personally I spend less than that in a season...

You're right...my requirement is just for a device that tells me where the boat is and if it's on the move...the non-clone 'eBay' device (manufactured by Xexun) does exactly that for USD100. Actually, the clone does that too...I've got both now

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Leapy

You're right...my requirement is just for a device that tells me where the boat is and if it's on the move...the non-clone 'eBay' device (manufactured by Xexun) does exactly that for USD100. Actually, the clone does that too...I've got both now

I guess this system might appeal more to users with boats on moorings/marinas, whereas the cheap ebay system would appeal more to boats on trailers - where theft is the number one concern.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Polwart

I guess this system might appeal more to users with boats on moorings/marinas, whereas the cheap ebay system would appeal more to boats on trailers - where theft is the number one concern.

Yep. My boat is either in my garage, on the trailer behind the car or I'm in it. For that, the 'cheap eBay system' is perfect

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by Leapy

Yep. My boat is either in my garage, on the trailer behind the car or I'm in it. For that, the 'cheap eBay system' is perfect

Can you give us a run down of what the system you use offers? Then maybe YS will do a side by side comparison...

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by malthouse

Can you give us a run down of what the system you use offers? Then maybe YS will do a side by side comparison...

I use the Xexun TK102 GPS Tracker...available on eBay but there are clones about and it's impossible to tell the 'real' from the 'clone' through an eBay advert. In the end, I bought mine direct from Xexun as an marketing sample @ USD100. They were happy to provide re-seller information but I just dealt with them direct as they were so helpful.

Here's a brief description and feature count as pulled from the instruction manual or from my examination:

* 64x47x17mmx50g, soft touch paint plastic moulding with access to battery and SIM. NOT waterproof (but I didn't need it to be)
* External ports for charging and usb
* External led indicator
* External buttons for SOS and on/off
* SIRF3 GPS chip
* Siemens MC55 or MC56 GSM/GPRS module
* Ships with the tracker itself, 240v charger, 12v charger, usb cable, instruction manual, pc software, 2x800mA Li-ion batteries
* Unlike the clone the instruction manual is written in good English (!) and the instructions are logical and easy to follow
* Any network
* Up to 5 authorised phones
* Call it, it hangs up on you after two or so rings, then sends a text of geo-info: lat; long; speed; date; time; battery condition; signal strength; imei
* Programmable to auto-track at pre-determined intervals
* Built in microphone for voice surveillance
* Programmable geo-fence
* Programmable movement alert
* Programmable overspeed alert
* SOS button
* Low battery alert
* 12 month warranty
* CE approved
* Technical help on-line

How's that?

[yachtsentinel]

Hi Just to reply to malthouse. Yacht Sentinel is designed specifically for motorboats and yachts either in marina or on a swing mooring. I am happy to do a comparison with the Xexun unit.:
* 12cmx7cmx3cmm,plastic moulding with access to battery and SIM.
* Integrated external stub antenna for maximum reception with optional extended antenna.
* External ports for boat battery and shore power monitoring also for charging internal battery, bilge sensors and hatch alarm sensors.
* External led indicator indicating GPS & GSM reception
* External button for on/off, resetting password.
*All alarms,Status and settings by simple SMS.
* Temperature sensor for frost alarm or hi-temp.
* SiRFstarIII 20 channel GPS receiver with excellent performance.
* Telit GSM module quadband
* 240v charger, 12/24v charger, does not require PC, just user interface by text.
*internal Li-On battery unit operates for up to 5 day in low current mode. Just 8-10mA
* low power consumption so can operate on boat battery for months.
* User Instruction Manual in english.
* Any network will operate in simple SMS mode with pay-as-you-go, so no contract required.
*3 authorised mobiles can receive alarm texts.
*Secure communication through user definable numeric password
* Request status SMS at any time, example: "1234,Status?" ,sends SMS of lat; long; speed (SOG); course(COG); boat battery condition; temperature in the boat, MMSI, status of bilge & Hatch sensors.
* Mooring alarm, set mooring and detect if boat moved out or back into mooring. sends all data as in status.
* Anchor Alarm, user sets anchor location and swing diameter via SMS. sends an alarm SMS with LAt/Long, COG, SOG as status sms.
*Frost alarm, sends also data as per Status
* Hatch alarm, sends data as per Status
* Bilge Alarm for two bilge sensors sends data as per status
* Constant monitoring of sensors, error alarm if not connected etc.
* SMS enabling and disabling of alarms and settings. So can easily be carried out aboard.
* Low battery alert
* 12 month warranty
* CE approved
* Technical help on-line in the UK, no automated voices!

Hope this helps?

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by yachtsentinel

Hope this helps?

Very comprehensive...sounds like a great device. Good luck with it

[yachtsentinel]

Yes certainly low cost, if you look for an equivalent product they are normally around 500 and up. Of course if you just want tracking, then you can buy low cost trackers around £100 and they work well, but Yacht Sentinel is not just a tracker, it is designed to answer all of those nagging problems we mariners all have, do I still have shore power or will my battery be ok when I get aboard, I have anchored in a lovely bay, gone ashore to eat in a restaurant, the wind and tide change... in the middle of my main course I think, is my boat still at its anchor? During long winter lay-ups, I hope my bilge float hasn't stuck! or that it is being broken into! A more common problem now as mention in the sailing magazines, is boat being broken into on swing moorings.
This and of course tracking etc comes with Yacht Sentinel, you get all this at 299 and no SIM contracts etc. The other point to make is that as you get your MMSI number and boat name it is very useful in distress situations as the unit can be interrogated by a third party from the shore after a DSC, even if the crew are incapacitated. The MMSI was included after discussions with the maritime coastguard agency. The unit is currently in use by SeaStart who are a sort of AA of the sea. see more at www.yacht-sentinel.com

[C2 RIBS]

Are you at The Southampton Boat show . YS?

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by yachtsentinel

Yes certainly low cost, if you look for an equivalent product they are normally around 500 and up. Of course if you just want tracking, then you can buy low cost trackers around £100...

I think you need to clarify one or two things here which seem at odds with what I can Google and what you state on your own website...

* There are other similar products available on the market at less than £200 - HERE. I'm not saying they're identical, but they are very similar and a lot less than £500.
* According to your website, the price of £299 doesn't include for bilge sensing, hatch open sensing, 240v charger, extended antenna...Your website states "...£299 all you need to get up running"...which is true, but that's not what you suggest from your post above - "you get all this at 299". Bilge sensor, hatch sensor etc cost an additional £72.

Just think you need to market yourself accurately as I'm sure it's a great product for those who need all that feature.

Hope this helps

PS The "low cost trackers for around £100" can be had for £60

PPS I think you're confusing "low cost" with "good value"

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Leapy

* There are other similar products available on the market at less than £200 - HERE. I'm not saying they're identical, but they are very similar and a lot less than £500.

Leapy - that doesn't appear to have any GPS tracking built in?

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Leapy - that doesn't appear to have any GPS tracking built in?

When I was looking for a GSM/GPS boat alarm I went through the whole market trying to decide Made a listing of features, costs blah blah...I've put up the wrong link above..I'll find the right one when I get a minute

[yachtsentinel]

Hi Leapy,

The alarm system you directed me to is lower cost, but it does not have GPS, so no Geofence Anchor Alarms, Mooring alarm or lat/long COG & SOG, and no tracking, these are important features to have integrated into a boat security system. As I said, I am certain that if you look closely at what's on offer for the price you will see that YS is very competitive, and designed specifically for the boating community and not a modified house alarm system.

I appreciate the critique though.

Chris

[yachtsentinel]

Hi C2 RIBs, unfortunately I didn't manage to get a stand at the show, but I will be visiting there tomorrow, are you there? if so I could drop by and say hello.

I will be at the London Boat Show at Excel.