Initial Impressions: Raymarine Lifetag System

[artbyjody]

Probably, maybe should go under reviews - but I have yet not enough experience with it. Thus this post and initial observations.

I recently purchased the Raymarine Lifetag System - with additional wearable tags. Did the install a few days ago and tested it out.

The Main unit is installed in the Nav Station on the forward leading bulkhead, which translates about center but all the way starboard of my 38 foot vessel. Wiring was painless, and I recommend if you can do it, use the 12V switchable source for wiring panic / alarm buttons at the appropriate areas to sound the alarm in event of fire etc...

Registering the tags is kinda painless and if you have a Raymarine system (Seatalk V1.0), it does the appropriate alarms on the plotter as well as tridata repeater displays (ST-60 Graphic or the new ST-70 displays).

However, the manual - which is a cracker jack sized gift card rendition of a manual - states "Do not secure is final location (main unit) without first doing pre-check tests" - indicating all kinds of range limitations. That would be good, but my tests revealed - with the unit being well mounted above waterline - the MOB alarms did not go for out of boat area until about 40-50 feet. Although the panic button of the wearable transmitters worked well within that range down to 1 foot within the unit. This was tested, by taking the wearable tags down the dock as far as what I could before the alarm went off...

It may be argued that is an acceptable range but, for all the language in the cracker jack - small print, you can lick it and it becomes a tattoo manual.. I had expected it would be much more fussy and create the alarms at distances of no more than 15 feet. Particularly in a foggy or limited visibility scenario - I personally think 40 some feet - while better than no notification, is well outside visual range for those conditions...

Will conduct more tests as I further get my systems integrated... but thought I would part with my initial observations...

[negrini]

Very good observations, and agree 50ft is something scaring in a foggy night. Raymarine probably set it for a too wide range of boats. Better if you could set the range; at least 2 or 3 different rages.