OC Technology introduce OCTracker
OC Technology is set to launch a new position-reporting device for offshore and ocean racing called the OCTracker. In years gone by, race fleets have disappeared over the horizon while everyone back on shore could only second-guess where they were on the race course, as no practical systems existed to provide an efficient position reporting. However, in recent years with the development of tracking systems, polling has become standard in the pro races and has become an essential part of race reporting for both safety and communication purposes. Now OC Technology has developed an efficient, practical and cost-effective tracking system that can be used across the board in all professional and amateur offshore and ocean yacht racing. The OCTracker is a self-contained, battery-powered, lightweight, tracking device capable of reporting a boat’s position, speed and course at pre-determined intervals, and is programmable remotely. The device works on battery power alone and is capable of sending over 4000 position reports on one battery - the equivalent of every half- hour for 80 days at sea or almost 14 days at 5-minute intervals. What makes this device stand apart is that it combines the best capabilities of other reporting systems all in one unit.
The prototype of this device and its online management system has been researched and developed by OC Technology in association with Trident Sensors - world renowned for their work on data reporting from deep ocean drift buoys. Testing has been conducted on the sailing campaigns of the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team including Ellen MacArthur’s record-breaking trimaran B&Q. The first pre- production units will be used by the RORC in this year’s Round Britain and Ireland race with the objective of being able to provide the entire fleet of the 2007 Rolex Fastnet Race with the OCTracker units. The online data management system runs independently using a variety of existing software programmes, allowing stand-alone management by race organisers.
The RORC is the first major customer of the OCTracker device from OC Technology. “Following a call to industry after last year’s Rolex Fastnet Race for help in developing a system that could cope with up to 300 entries, the RORC approached OC Technology for the right solution,” commented Peter Wykeham-Martin, General Manager, RORC. “Our objective is to provide an effective tracking system in the numbers necessary to look after the Rolex Fastnet in the coming years.”
OC Technology has begun the production process to produce 300 units within the next six months. 150 of those units will go to the RORC on a rental basis through to 2011 and these units along with the additional 150 units produced by OC Technology will be available to other race organisers around the world.
OC Technology provides integrated communication systems to share the remotest of stories, bringing together technologies from different industries and ensuring that what is produced is practical in every way for the adventure and performance sailing market.
“The low transmission cost, rapid deployment and economic rental prices means that race tracking will be possible even for races that couldn't currently consider any tracking systems at the moment," commented Charles Darbyshire, Technology Manager, OC Group. "Having utilised our experience over nearly 10 years with the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team and the events-side of the business, OC Technology has evolved to provide a service to professional sailing campaigns and organisers based on understanding the needs of the customer and the extremes experienced racing at sea. It is that understanding of the unique balance of attributes that makes OC Technology’s systems suitable for this extreme use - low power, lightweight, waterproof, easy to use by exhausted skippers and easy to problem solve.”
OC Technology developed the onboard camera and media systems that brought Ellen's round the world record to the public and mass media; as well as working with Thrane and Thrane, suppliers of all the onboard satellite comms systems, to design and build custom Kevlar domes to protect the satellite antennas from the brutal seas on this year’s Volvo Ocean Race boats.
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