Trend sports such as SUP and kitesurfing are getting more and more people out on the water. But what if help is suddenly needed far off the coast? The "SafeTrx" app makes it easy to call for help by mobile phone, but mobile phones are rarely truly waterproof by design and are always at risk, especially when kitesurfing. It is also difficult to use with cold and wet hands.
This year's kitesurfing championship on Fehmarn was a good opportunity for the German Maritime Search and Rescue Association to present a newly developed smartwatch from Sony. The SafeTrx Active Watch is waterproof, robust and very easy to reach and operate as a constant companion on the wrist.
As with the mobile phone app, it is possible for the DGzRS sea rescuers to access the track travelled after the alarm has been raised and thus better narrow down the search area. The Dutch, Danish and Norwegian sea rescue services have also integrated the watch into their SafeTrx structure. One battery charge of the watch lasts for up to seven hours of tracking at sea.
Thanks to a built-in SIM card and the use of LTE-M technology, the range of the smartwatch is even slightly greater than that of a conventional smartphone at up to 17 kilometres off the coast. If the person is outside the DGzRS coverage area, for example on an inland sea, it is still possible to send an emergency message to friends. Tracks travelled can also be transferred to social networks or sports apps.
The watch costs 382.50 euros and can be ordered from the Online shop of the manufacturer 8West can be obtained from Ireland. The monthly membership for the SIM card's data connection costs €12.99.
