In the past six or so years, several very progressive and forward-thinking companies started developing integral onboard vessel monitoring systems. These systems have been the beneficiary of a controller area network, or CANbus, technology, where sensors, actuators or micro-controllers communicate with each other without the use of a host computer. The information gathered from these processors or sensors is able to flow back and forth, where previously this kind of data flowed one way from the sensor to the host and perhaps the end-user's display.
The automobile industry picked up on the CAN technology in the early 1990s and began integrating the systems into vehicle design. These systems now monitor and record everything from engine and transmission system data to when you apply the brakes or even lower your window.
Consequently, the new onboard monitoring systems are very thorough and integrate all of the various areas of your vessel, including the bilge, ventilation, engine, generator, tank data - just about anything you could possibly want. You can even tell how many times a particular pump cycles or monitor the room temperatures in every stateroom.
Several diesel and outboard engine manufacturers utilize this technology to control their engines and set up functions such as fuel-flow settings and valve timing to ultimately reduce exhaust. The next logical step for this type of real-time connection in the marine industry was to follow what General Motors started with its very successful OnStar vehicle monitoring and reporting system.
Several companies have made attempts to bring this type of talk-back system to the marine industry, but so far, none have made it to a mass market, until now. The folks at gplink recently broke that invisible barrier and introduced a new product into the recreational marine industry. The system automatically uploads a multitude of data for the remote owner or captain, allowing them to monitor the vessel via GSM or satellite. Previously only available in large-fleet or military applications, gplink is now available for anyone running a Caterpillar-powered vessel.
Offering real-time data transmission and system monitoring, gplink utilizes dual-band technology with GSM communication and the Iridium satellite system to ensure that communications are not only reliable, but affordable as well. The equipment, which consists of a small transponder unit and a wired antenna, is unobtrusive and doesn't require a hardtop mount. According to the company, you can put the unit under the helm or even in the engine room. You'll also need to install any optional bilge or smoke sensors. You can also hide the installation, making theft recovery not only possible, but probable.
Another great thing about this system is that you can retrofit any CAT-powered boat. It takes approximately three to four hours to install the system on a vessel with electronically controlled engines - a bit longer for older mechanical engines that also need the addition of several engine sensors to acquire the proper data. The system runs independently from the rest of the vessel but does require an uninterrupted power source to monitor the vessel 24/7. But on the plus side, should the batteries start to run low, gplink notifies the owner before the ship goes dark.
