Vesper XB-8000 AIS Transponder

$799; www.vespermarine.com

Vesper Marine’s XB-8000 AIS Transponder has no display. What it does have is built-in Wi-Fi, NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 connections, a waterproof USB connection, a 50-channel GPS receiver, and an external GPS antenna, in addition to a high-performance, two-channel AIS transponder.

According to Vesper Marine, the XB-8000’s fast performance comes from its multi-processor architecture, which includes dedicated AIS processors for reliable data acquisition.

Wireless connections for up to five devices allow the user to track AIS targets from a PC, smartphone, or tablet from anywhere on the boat. Interactive AIS controls are available for iPhone.

This article originally appeared in the November 2012 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.