2024 January/February Marina World
The magazine for the marina industry
The magazine for the marina industry
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PRODUCTS & SERVICES<br />
Installing the Man Overboard alarm on<br />
its orange pole (left) and the completed<br />
project (below).<br />
Man Overboard alarm<br />
readies for export<br />
The Man Overboard <strong>Marina</strong> Alarm System, designed by Melbourne-based Paul<br />
Williams, was developed in prototype form in 2018.<br />
In 2019, Williams partnered with fellow Australian<br />
manufacturer, DEK Technologies, to deliver a high<br />
tech alarm system with an intuitive user interface.<br />
Now, having<br />
undergone 18 month<br />
tests at Royal Melbourne<br />
Yacht Squadron<br />
(Australia) – where it<br />
has already saved a<br />
life – and Westhaven<br />
<strong>Marina</strong> (Auckland, New<br />
Zealand), the system<br />
is ready to go into full<br />
commercial production.<br />
The concept is a<br />
deceptively simple<br />
solution for marina<br />
owners and operators to<br />
mitigate risk if someone<br />
falls into the water from<br />
the dock or a berthed<br />
boat. The person in<br />
distress pulls on a rope<br />
(pull switch) that runs<br />
underneath the whole<br />
length of the dock edge.<br />
This activates an audible<br />
alarm and strobe light<br />
that alerts anyone<br />
nearby, and sends a signal to the base<br />
station.<br />
Immediate texts and emails are then<br />
sent out to up to six people that the<br />
marina has pre-programmed into the<br />
system, along with cascading phone<br />
calls. If no one is available, emergency<br />
services are contacted.<br />
The system is completely wireless<br />
and powered by renewable energy, and<br />
has a ‘heartbeat’ that signals every hour<br />
to reassure the monitors that the alarm<br />
is live.<br />
Williams, who was actively<br />
discussing the concept at Metstrade<br />
last November, cautiously eyes<br />
export opportunities. “I believe we are<br />
ready to go global,” he tells <strong>Marina</strong><br />
<strong>World</strong>. “[However], this is a technical<br />
system that requires a fair amount of<br />
installation work and pre-programming<br />
from a technical end. As our technology<br />
evolves, hopefully so will the ease of<br />
installation.”<br />
www.manoverboard.net.au<br />
The Superior Jet Ski Dock - Stylish & Practical<br />
Container friendly for worldwide shipping<br />
+61 7 5594 8200 | info@superiorjetties.com<br />
www.superiorjetties.com<br />
60 www.marinaworld.com – <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
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