Award-winning and unique multifunctional sensor showcases at United States Sailboat Show, Annapolis

Volvo Ocean Race - Leg Zero, Assembly Period. North Sails in Lisbon © James Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race

Sail-Sense, the latest revolutionary Sense device from Spinlock, a global leader in best-in class maritime equipment design and manufacturing, will be showcased at the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis, from 10-14 October.

Throughout history, the only way to judge a sail's condition has been visually. Now for the first time, this new award-winning multi-sensor creates a unique record for your sail, providing an accurate and tamper-proof record of its lifetime history that allows you to monitor the sail's condition.

By identifying the sail's make, model, construction date, dimensions and materials, Sail-Sense measures key performance data such as UV, hours of use, G-Force and flogging (movement) and feeds the data through to the user's App on a mobile, tablet or PC, via Bluetooth connectivity.

Each Sail-Sense identification code allows multiple sails to be managed through a single device.

Each Sail-Sense identification code allows multiple sails to be managed through a single device and multiple users to manage a sail's lifetime history.

Spinlock tasked one of the world's top research-led universities to undertake fibre analysis of UV and motion, leading to the creation of this unique safety device. With a battery life of 7.5 years, the sensor's tiny size and weight mean it can be attached to a sail during construction or bought afterwards as an accessory.

James Hall, Spinlock Sales & Marketing Manager, said, "Sail-Sense adds a vital new dimension to sailing. For the first time, sailors can access crucial information about their sail's life, handling and performance, allowing for complete confidence on the water while increasing the lifespan of the sails and saving on unnecessary cost."

Sail-Sense at a glance:

• Negligible size and weight
• Tamper-proof record of a sail's lifetime history
• Monitor the 'health score' of every sail used
• See how, when and where a sail has been used
• Real time asset management - Live Mode: full time visibility of product usage and wear
• Measures hours in use, UV exposure, G-Force and Flogging
• Free App (iOS and Android)
• Log, record, review and export all of the recorded data
• Sewn attachment to sail
• Fitted during sail manufacture or added as an accessory
• 7.5 years battery life depending on use
• Deliver usage-based warranty and service agreements
• Accurately record sail condition and monitor degradation
• Optimise and streamline inventory management
• Valuable training aid for crews and yacht operators