Skipper Jimmy Spithill with Oracle Team USA and skipper Glenn Ashby of Emirates Team New Zealand are pushing their America’s Cup foiling catamarans to the limit — which sometimes includes the virtual boundary of the race course.
How do they, and the spectator boats all around, know where to steer clear? Vesper Marine‘s Guardian Automatic Identification System (AIS) creates a virtual perimeter as an aid to navigation.
America’s Cup organizers first used the system in 2013, and it’s been updated this year to add spectator features. The current-generation system “paints” the course on a spectator boat’s AIS display and alerts the skipper if a protected zone is about to be breached, or if another proximity incident is likely to occur.
“We are proud to be part of this iconic event with such a rich history,” Vesper Marine CEO Jeff Robbins stated in a press release. “Our easy-to-use system gives the race organizers a great deal of flexibility and powerful functionality. The Vesper Marine Guardian solution makes spectating and officiating the America’s Cup races a whole lot safer.”
Find all of Yachting‘s coverage of the 35th America’s Cup here!
