S/V Flyer Wins in Newport-Bermuda Race with GMN Satellite Data Services

S/V Flyer crew used XGate satellite data services provided by GMN for downloading weather, connecting with email, and staying in contact with race managers, to win first in Class 3 and second overall in the Newport-Bermuda Race.

MARYVILLE, TN June 29, 2016 – Global Marine Networks (GMN) helped the crew of the S/V Flyer, captained by Doug Abbott, win first in class and second overall in the Newport Bermuda race. Flyer used hardware and services provided by GMN, including XGate satellite data services, Expedition for navigation and ocean current data, and PredictWind Offshore for downloading weather via RedPort hardware and Globalstar satellite service. 

Eric Crawford, the navigator for Flyer, used multiple weather sources during the race. GMN provided Hycom ocean current data via Expedition that made a strategic difference for the win in the final hours. Crawford simultaneously used the XGate-integrated PredictWind Offshore app for weather data. XGate requested and compressed the necessary data, and Globalstar satellite data service completed downloads in less than a minute.

Said Crawford, “The system was spectacular! It did everything I wanted it to do.”

The heart of the winning system is XGate, the suite of satellite data services. XGate encompasses all the services a sailor needs including optimized email, web compression, social media, pinpoint weather forecasts, GRIB file handling via PredictWind Offshore, and a robust ecosystem of compatible apps including: Expedition and SailGRIB for navigation; WeatherTrack; Weather 4D; iNavX; and Xaxero GribPlot for weather. More about XGate can be found at http://www.globalmarinenet.com/product/xgate/ 

“Before, sailors cobbled together different apps that were challenging to make into a coherent system,” said Dr. Luis Soltero, CTO of Global Marine Networks. “Now, XGate’s seamless integration with the world’s leading racing and weather apps makes it simple to download critical data from many apps all within the highly optimized XGate system. This greatly eases frustration and adds significant airtime savings. This racing victory shows the success of XGate and its partners’ apps working together.” 

XGate services include:

• Accelerated Email – Email service offers up to 20 times acceleration versus uncompressed speeds, saving up to 85% on satellite airtime. Works with a dedicated email address or third-party services such as Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo! Mail or your corporate mail address.

• GRIB Weather – XGate includes the PredictWind Offshore app with GRIB weather file requestor and viewer. XGate also works with a wide range of other weather and navigation applications from leading providers.

• Accelerated Web Browsing – Compression uses a web proxy service to provide users with 3-5 times average web acceleration, while also blocking ads, checking for malicious sites and compressing images.

• Text-based Mobile Weather Forecasts – XGate mobile weather forecasts deliver up to 7 days of text-based weather forecasts for iOS and Android users.

• Social media – Users can post text and photos to Facebook and Twitter over satellite and cellular narrowband devices.

• Blogging – Users get free access to a Sailblogs Premium Basic account to help them share their adventures while travelling with their satphone. 

XGate Compatible Operating Systems:

• Microsoft Windows
• Apple macOS
• Apple iOS devices (iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch)
• Google Android smartphones and tablets 

About Global Marine Networks, LLC

Global Marine Networks (GMN), the leaders in advancing satellite data speeds and services, helps Fixed and Mobile Satellite Services providers and their customers by offering the industry’s fastest, most reliable and easy-to-use email, web, and other services. The company’s products include XGate high-speed satellite email, satellite terminals, and vessel tracking systems.

Ship to shore network management solutions are sold by GMN under the RedPort Global brand name at http://www.redportglobal.com and as white-label solutions for the world’s premier satellite data service providers.

GMN has numerous awards and certifications for technical innovation. For more information on how GMN is Making Airtime Count™ – whether ship to shore, or in remote or emergency communications environments visit http://www.globalmarinenet.com.

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