Vesper Announces Watchmate Android App

Vesper Marine has announced  an Android version of its WatchMate app. Available as a free download from GooglePlay, the new app is designed to control Vesper’s WatchMate Vision and XB-8000 products.

Offering all of the same functionality as the company’s iOS app as well as additional capabilities, the new WatchMate app features a unique look and feel optimized for the Android platform and makes it even easier to install, configure and remotely control the powerful Vision and XB-8000 AIS transponders.

Required on many ships and most commercial vessels, Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders are becoming more and more prevalent in recreational boating. The Vesper Marine WatchMate Android app communicates directly with a vessel’s AIS transponder and displays all nearby AIS equipped boats and Aids to Navigation (AtoN) on an easy-to-understand plotting screen. This highly informative screen, which can be oriented in North-up or Heading-up, allows boaters to select a target to view additional details such as vessel identity, type, position, course, speed, navigational status and other safety-related information. The free app is able to compute Closest Point of Approach (CPA) and Time to Closest Point of Approach (TCPA), and graphically displays crossing situations for enhanced situational awareness. The innovative WatchMate Android app also takes advantage of the XB-8000 and WatchMate Vision’s NMEA gateway feature allowing it to display heading, depth and wind information provided by onboard NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000 sensors.