Volvo yacht data readouts live...

Marine electronics manufacturer B&G have installed five 40/40 large data display units on a mast section inside the Southampton based Operations headquarters of the Volvo Ocean Race to provide a new dimension to the 'round the clock' performance monitoring of the fleet.

Data is collected every 10 minutes from the B&G systems on each race yacht via an interface port on the Hercules processor.

The information is then transmitted via satellite to Race Headquarters where it is translated and displayed on the 40/40 displays.

At the push of a button, the B&G 40/40’s display the current Boat speed, wind speed angles, directions and compass heading from any one of the eight Volvo boats, all of which are fitted with comprehensive B&G Hercules Systems.

As Michael Woods, Director of Race Operations commented "The 40/40’s are quite something. We are seeing the same read outs as the skippers, only we are thousands of miles away! It gives us our team a tremendous sense of involvement".

The 40/40 large data displays were launched by B&G in April 2001 to answer the problems that large boat crews were encountering in not being able to see clear data readouts.

For further information on the 40/40 large data display by B&G, contact Campbell Field at B&G on tel: +44 1794 518 448 or visit http://www.bandg.com