Contrary to the trend in boatyards for the chart table to disappear, or at least be reduced to a bare minimum, Allures Yachting has always made the chart table a place to meet, exchange ideas and socialize. Gone are the days when only the skipper was allowed to sit at the helm. On an Allures, the chart table and navigation are shared, with two seats facing each other.
On display for the first time at the Paris Boat Show, the chart table on the latest Allures 39.9 is sure to be the talk of the town. It has simply been replaced by a 1-meter diagonal touch screen!
Mounted on a swivel base, this table can be used horizontally to plot the route, or vertically to transform into a TV screen or a console for following the cartography if pointed backwards.
This model was developed by the French company Kara and its founder Ivain Bignonet : "As a young man, I was lucky enough to sail on my parents' yacht, an Evasion 34. Then with my training as an IT engineer, I was always surprised at how little had evolved in the integration and connectivity of electronic products on a pleasure boat. That's how, from an idea tossed around between friends, in December 2012, I came up with this tactile chart table." With his idea and a first prototype, he knocked on the doors of all the major shipyards, starting with Groupe Bénéteau. But while they all showed an interest, only Allures agreed to try the adventure.
This first presentation at Nautic 2015 is designed to test customer feedback and take the pulse of boaters. The prototype is installed in the boat exhibited at the show, and the final version will not be available until next February.
This touch-sensitive tablet uses infrared technology. This technology is used by the army and can also be used with gloves or even wet fingers. It is multitouch, with 32 points taken into account. That means 4 users can use it simultaneously! If the PC inside is running under Windows, the card table features a software overlay so that each user has his own window, which he can orientate to face him as he sees fit.
As with a smartphone, you can use applications from Google Play or B&G applications to link up with the on-board navigation system (GPS, map reader, autopilot, etc.).
In terms of protection, the already IP65 touchscreen is also covered in safety glass. This unbreakable, scratch-resistant surface means that the table can also be used as a traditional card table.
In terms of power consumption, this (very) large screen is a power hog. It is advertised for 40W in the worst-case scenario (backlight at maximum and white screen), whereas it consumes an average of 28-30W. However, thanks to the software overlay, the backlight cuts out after a few seconds, reducing consumption to almost nothing.
The first stage, presenting the chart table to the public, is now complete. Based on the feedback we receive, the next step is to develop the rest of the project, i.e. to connect the applications to each other and transform the chart table into a real hub for connections between the boat's various systems.
