Part III: The equipment of the Gods

The real breakthrough product arrived in 1971.

The Hadrian DR computer a combined data from the Hestia with the Harrier log and displayed how far the boat had moved from its intended track. It should be noted that by that time the GPS did not exist, and position at sea were mostly determined by making estimate calculations.

In 1983, when Ronal Reagan made the satellite system available to the public, the GPS replaced the dead reckoning systems like Hadrian .

Meanwhile, integrated instrument systems found their place in performance systems for racing. B&G had developed their own Horatio sailing performance computer by 1972, in a joint project with the University of Southampton.

Hestia was followed by the first Halcyon compass in 1975.

The arrival of electronic compasses was a crucial step to calculate a true wind direction as a magnetic bearing and it enabled the development of the Hercules 190.

Launched in 1980, the 190 integrated an electronic compass, apparent wind speed, apparent wind angle and boat speed measurements to produce an integrated instrument system that could deliver all its data on displays around the boat.

“It was really the first easily obtainable commercial system that did things like calculate VMG and true wind angles and true wind speeds,”

said Richard Russell, who joined B&G in 1980 (and briefly worked with Major Gatehouse), rising to become Yacht Systems Design Manager before he left in 1992.

Until this date all systems placed on the market were named after Greek gods hence, they were known as the equipment of the Gods.

SOURCE: NAVICO

If you haven’t read the second part, You know why it’s called B&G and when was its origin? , it’s here.

Friday 3, Part IV: The R-evolution of the equipments.