Technology - down memory creek

Browsing through some old copies of practical Boat Owner I realised how far and fast marine electronics have come in the past 40 years.

Back in the day and in fact I have never have invested in speed and direction other than a Windex at the mast head primarily used at night when it was illuminated by the masthead light and it's impossible to se the wind direction in pitch black conditions.

 Autonnic Research were however a really helpful and great to deal with company, I seem to recall at least one of the directors was a keen and somewhat traditionalist yachtsman, they were one of the last companies to produce an electronic towed log. The propeller came on an electrical cable which really only needed to be deployed on long passages avoiding taking out the fouled up through hull and avoiding holes beneath the waterline completely.

The same towed unit could be and was fitted to the Stowe Navigator log fitted to Blue Clipper allowing us to close up the through hull and it served us well both ways across the Atlantic.