Safety on the water is a top priority, especially in poor visibility or over long distances. With the Watchkeeper, the company Sea.AI offers a new camera series that is mounted in the masthead to warn of collisions. Sea.AI previously equipped ocean-going regatta boats with this technology under the old name Oscar. The previous version for pleasure craft, Offshore One, cost over 10,000 euros. The new Watchkeeper series starts at 5,000 euros and is therefore priced in the range of conventional radar systems. Watchkeeper is available in two versions: for motorboats and sailing boats. In addition, there are variants with and without infrared technology, which is essential for night-time sailing, pushing the price back up above 5,000 euros. Watchkeeper is a digital co-pilot for motor and sailing yachts. The system provides continuous monitoring of the surroundings and helps boaters to make safer collision avoidance decisions. Whether on day trips, at dusk or in difficult visibility conditions, Watchkeeper is designed to increase safety and provide a more relaxed boating experience by recognising other vessels and objects in the water and giving early warning.
Versatile use on various waters
Depending on the version, the system is equipped with daylight infrared cameras that monitor the water surface in front of the bow even in the dark. The AI-supported analysis is designed to recognise and mark obstacles in real time and warn the crew. Watchkeeper was developed to adapt flexibly to different requirements. Boat owners can choose the configuration that best suits their vessel and their preferred sailing style. The system is suitable for both near-shore voyages and longer offshore passages. This versatility makes Watchkeeper an interesting option for different boat types and operational scenarios. The consistent monitoring of the environment is designed to help boaters make the right decisions even in challenging situations, making their time on the water safer and more enjoyable.
Different variants for day and night
The Watchkeeper is available in several versions. The first decision is for sailing or motorised boats. This is about the length of the cables. The motorboat version is 10 metres long. For sailing yachts, there are various lengths from 30 metres. The system can then be ordered in black or white. However, the major differences become apparent when choosing whether to sail by day and at dusk or day and night. In the latter version, an infrared camera is installed. Here again, you can choose between different resolutions: 320 x 256, 640 x 512 and 1024 x 640 pixels. The resolution determines how far in front of the bow the Watchkeeper can recognise boats and objects. At the lowest resolution, the system can detect a buoy at a distance of 80 metres, a RIB at 350 metres and a yacht at 900 metres. At the highest resolution, these values shift to 170, 750 and 2000 metres for the same targets. However, this wider range of visibility also comes at a price. While the system without infrared camera costs 5,080 euros, the system with night vision and a resolution of 320 x 256 pixels costs 8,880 euros. With the highest resolution (and correspondingly the widest view), the Watchkeeper costs 25,580 euros.
