Vesper Marine 010-13274-10 External Alarm with Mute Switch for WatchMate XB-8000

Vesper Marine

<h3>About Vesper Marine</h3><p><strong>Vesper Marine</strong> was founded in 2007 in Auckland, New Zealand, by Deirdre Schleigh and Jeff Robbins — two experienced sailors who spent years aboard their vessel <em>Vesper</em> and recognized a gap in the market for truly intelligent, sailor-first marine safety electronics. <a href="/11583-vesper-marine">Vesper Marine</a> set out with a singular mission: to build AIS and communication products that didn't just meet existing standards, but exceeded them in every measurable way.</p><h3>A New Standard in AIS Technology</h3><p>At the core of the Vesper Marine lineup is the company's patented <strong>smartAIS</strong> concept. Unlike conventional AIS transponders that passively send and receive vessel identification data, <a href="/11583-vesper-marine">Vesper's smartAIS</a> systems feature active alarm logic that proactively alerts mariners to potential collision situations, draging anchors, and man-overboard events. The system continuously monitors your surroundings and prioritizes the most critical alarms — so you're never left sorting through noise when seconds matter.</p><p>Vesper's smartAIS transponders also integrate GPS positioning, NMEA 2000 gateway support, and built-in Wi-Fi, allowing real-time data to stream wirelessly to phones, tablets, and computers anywhere aboard the vessel. Products such as the WatchMate XB-8000 and WatchMate Vision brought these capabilities to both bluewater cruisers and coastal day sailors, earning Vesper multiple industry innovation awards along the way.</p><h3>The Cortex System: Reimagining Marine Communication</h3><p>Vesper Marine's most ambitious product to date is the <strong>Cortex</strong> — a fully integrated marine communication platform that combines a state-of-the-art VHF radio, a Class B SOTDMA smartAIS transponder, and comprehensive remote vessel monitoring in a single system. The Cortex V1 pairs a full-featured hub (the M1) with ergonomic touchscreen handsets that remain operable even with wet hands or gloves, making it as practical in a squall as it is at the dock. The no-loss antenna splitter built into the system means a single masthead antenna can serve both VHF and AIS functions without any signal compromise.</p><p>Beyond voice communication, Cortex enables owners to monitor their vessel remotely — tracking battery levels, bilge pump activity, and other critical parameters from anywhere with a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. For liveaboards, offshore racers, and fleet operators alike, this level of situational awareness represents a genuine leap forward in onboard safety.</p><h3>Built in New Zealand, Trusted Worldwide</h3><p>Every Vesper Marine product is designed and manufactured at the company's ISO 9001–accredited facility in Auckland. Rather than sourcing off-the-shelf modules, Vesper's engineering team builds products from the ground up, a philosophy that has consistently resulted in hardware that outperforms the AIS specification minimums. The extraordinary receiver sensitivity of Vesper AIS devices has become a recognized benchmark across the industry.</p><p>In 2022, Vesper Marine was acquired by Garmin, joining a global marine electronics portfolio that includes Navionics and Fusion. The Vesper brand and its Auckland-based team continue to develop and support the smartAIS and Cortex product lines, carrying forward the same commitment to innovation and hands-on technical support that earned Vesper its loyal following among sailors around the world.</p>