Getting tossed around in 20 foot sailing boat on the open ocean for five days and nights can be worrisome. Getting tossed around with no real measure of your location can be out right frightening. Which is why offshore racer Drew Wood breathed a sigh of relief when a Trimble Yuma rugged tablet computer arrived to help guide him in a mini yacht race between Rhode Island and Bermuda.

For more on Bermuda 1-2, click here and click on the the Race History link.

Equipment

• Trimble® Yuma™ Rugged Tablet
• MiniPlex-BT

Charging Solution

• 12 V adaptor to Marine Battery charged by 90 Watt Solar Panel

Applications

• MaxSea Marine Charting Program

Information

• GRIB Meteorological File

Project Highlights:
The Yuma rugged tablet provided reliable performance over 1270 nautical miles of open sea. Extended battery solution provided three days worth of computing before needing recharged by the solar power system. Bluetooth technology enabled integrated communication with all instruments to provide situational awareness at all points along voyage. Rugged tablet GPS provided location data which, when combined with MaxSea Marine Charting Program, informed sailor of potential risks like proximity to shipping lanes. The tablet performed flawlessly over days of battering by saltwater.

"The GPS capabilities of the Yuma rugged computer gave me a clear understanding of my location at any given time and helped me plan my route along the way," said Wood. "I was also able to keep an eye on the weather and my instrumentation to better predict the currents as I progressed. The Yuma tablet was my information hub!" Wood was even able to charge his iPod via one of the two USB ports on the Yuma tablet, a nice perk on a five day solo voyage.

"My race was a great experience and the technology was a lifesaver," Wood said. "The Yuma performed perfectly for the entire race and is the perfect tool for a small, wet boat like mine.

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