B&G launches ForwardScan

B&G, manufacturer of sailing navigation and instruments since 1955, has announced the launch of ForwardScan, a forward-looking sonar device perfect for finding anchoring spots and highlighting rocks and obstructions below the water’s surface.

ForwardScan allows sailors to avoid potentially dangerous areas and sail with confidence in unfamiliar waters. With an effective range of eight times the water depth, real-time updates and a built-in configurable shallow depth alarm, B&G ForwardScan integrates seamlessly with other collision avoiding technologies, such as broadband radar; ensuring sailors avoid costly navigation mistakes.

ForwardScan combines with SonarHub and the B&G Zeus2 and Zeus2 Glass Bridge systems to provide a 2D representation of the water and bottom structure ahead, removing the need for a separate display and saving on space at the helm.

B&G says the easy-to-use ForwardScan system, gives a clear 2D underwater depth view and at the same time also provides a depth interpretation, known as Heading Line View, that uses a clever colour coded heading line extension to illustrate shallow water, medium water depth and deep water, as seen in the accompanying graphic.

Sailors can also learn from historic sonar logs, as the ForwardScan screen shows depth history in relation to the boat’s current position. ForwardScan sonar operates at 180kHz to reduce interference from traditional 200kHz echo sounders, so sailors get the clearest picture available of what’s up ahead.

ForwardScan images can also be viewed on a smartphone and viewed and operated from a tablet, when used on vessels equipped with the B&G GoFree WiFi-1 system.

ForwardScan sonar will be available from around October 2014, the transducer will sell for $599 and a complete system is available from $899. SonarHub sounding system is required in order to use ForwardScan. For more information go to: www.bandg.com.