New Marina Coming to West 79th Street (Hudson River).

UPDATE: I assume Covid-19 has put this project off for many years to come.

Does that big barge make my boat look small? It's the workboat on the right. Fortunately, I have no trips planned for now. The barge is there to get 'core samples' of what's down deep. It's part of the process of building a new marina at 79th Street, NYC. Construction is expected to start late 2021 or early 2022. I expect all bets are off since Covid-19 makes its ugly appearance. I guess no one knows what the future plans will be.

World's First Hydrofoil Bike!

Who needs a hydrofoil bike? I'm not sure, but when the guys from Manta5 put a video of their hydrofoil bike online they told me it went virtual very fast with 350 million views on Facebook! Interested too? Here's the info. The Manta5 Hydrofoiler XE-1, world’s first production hydrofoil bike launched in the U.S. at CES2020. Using the same technology as America’s Cup sailboats it's the first bike of its kind to replicate the cycling experience on water. The Hydrofoiler redefines cycling and watersports by enabling riders to launch and plane through open bodies of water -- from ocean shorelines to lakes and rivers. (I asked about rough water and the spokesperson said you really don't want to venture out into big waves.) Cyclists can reach speeds of up to 12 mph, comparable to the speed of traditional sailboats. The bikes are made from strong carbon fiber and aircraft-grade aluminum, making them buoyant and light enough to carry. Some Key Specs: Up to 60 minutes of riding time. IP68 waterproof battery. 460 watt-electric motor. Aircraft-grade aluminum frame and carbon fiber hydrofoils. 63 pounds (including foils and battery) 12 mph (11 knots) maximum speed ? U.S. MSRP $7,495 (excluding taxes and shipping). Preorder reservations are currently available for a 50% deposit. (In the video, the spokesperson says 10% deposit, but you can check it out on their website:  

www.manta5.com  

‘BRNKL Mate’ - a new product to merge the smart home with the smart boat.

Barnacle Systems Inc, which they spell BRNKL, announced their BRNKL Mate at CES. It's designed to merge the world of the ‘smart home’ with the ‘smart boat’ by allowing third-party accessories such as Samsung SmartThings to integrate into your boat’s security and monitoring system. In addition to communicating with wireless Smart Home devices, the BRNKL Mate provides a connection to the NMEA 2000 network on your boat to allow for the collection of engine data, tank levels, and weather station data. For users that commonly go offshore, the BRNKL Mate can also be connected to approved satellite transceivers for remote monitoring. Now available for pre-order for $245USD ($295CDN). When the BRNKL Mate is used as a stand-alone device it requires no subscription and communicates to users’ smartphones via Bluetooth to provide real time monitoring of your systems while you’re on your boat. The data is then stored in the cloud and can be reviewed again at anytime whether you’re at your boat, at home, or halfway around the world. However BRNKL Mate can connect to Barnacle Systems’ flagship product that provides security and monitoring onboard your boat. Connected to your BRNKL, the BRNKL Mate expands the capabilities of your existing system to include the new sensors, NMEA 2000 data, satellite communications and add a second camera and allows users to check on their vessel remotely from their smartphone, tablet, or computer. With an onboard camera for security and built-in sensors to monitor a vessel’s critical systems. $895 USD ($1245CDN). The BRNKL device is cellular-based and provides global coverage under their $29/mo or $300/yr subscription plans.

BRNKL CAM AT THEIR FLOATING OFFICE: https://youtu.be/RsiW3ppOrgs

This boat didn't have a Brnkl alarm, but watch the video to see how big Sea Lions can be! https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=987493584942818

Company website: www.BRNKL.io

Look what you print now!!

Thank you, STO! Reprinted from Soundings Trade Only (10/15/19)

Using the world’s largest 3D printer, the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center yesterday unveiled the largest boat ever produced by additive manufacturing in Orono, Maine.

Maine’s congressional delegation checks out the boat.

Using the world’s largest 3D printer, the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center yesterday unveiled the largest boat ever produced by additive manufacturing in Orono, Maine.

A really high-tech selfie stick for great angles on land & sea!

Last November on the Giz Wiz I talked about the Pictar Mark II -SmartPhone Camera Grip for iPhone and (some) Android phones. It's a way to help turn your smartphone into a DSLR. It's here: https://amzn.to/2NDBTrA

Now that company, Pictar has devised a totally different kind of Selfie Stick. Recently the CEO of Miggo / Pictar, Rafy David, came by the Gizneyland studio to give us a look at how it works. And here's background info from the company: Pictar Smart Stickis the world's most advanced selfie stick with a 6-button control panel built into the handle, allowing a variety of functions even when the stick is fully extended. You can easily control the tilt of the phone relative to the stick to determine the perfect shooting angle, use the zoom function, adjust image brightness, switch between the front and rear camera and many other functions. The easy-to-use Pictar app offers 20 shooting modes for taking better selfies in any situation. It features a rechargeable battery and comes in 3 fashion colors. The Smart Stick works with the latest iPhones, Galaxy phones 6 and up, and Pixel phones. MSRP is $69.99, and it will available later in September 2019.

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/9X6S-XxonSM  

It's at BH Photo $69.99 - shipping later in September.  https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1497025-REG/miggo_mw_pt_slf_sw_40_pictar_smart_selfie_stick.html 

Pictar website: https://mymiggo.com/lp/