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Power

Power is a concern for every boat owner. Knowing in advance that your battery isn’t being run down can help avoid nasty surprises on arrival, and ensure that your shore power is connected and effective.

As Electrical Engineers, at VirCru we’re also incredibly concerned by power usage. We design our own products to use as little of your batteries as possible, give them 10 year battery lives, and ensure they monitor everything you need to know about power usage and status on your boat.

A front on view of the VirCru Hub

Batteries

The VirCru Hub can monitor two batteries out of the box. Further VirCru DC Sensors can also be added to your package meaning you’ll always know the exact position with batteries and power on your boat. In the VirCru Smart Boat App, you can configure the alerts you get relating to battery power depending on your specific requirements and how you use your boat.

Shore Power

If your boat is connected to shore power then monitoring connection and outages are critical to making sure your boat is ready for use. Whether that means checking in while you’re away for the day or prompting a quick call to the marina office to re-connect before your next trip, VirCru will keep you informed and updated.

VirCru_Sensor_ShortCable-Plug
A front on view of the VirCru Shore Power Sensor with three battery connectors

Isolator

If you’re like us then we’ve lost count of the times we’ve left the boat, got in the car and can’t remember if the battery isolator is on or off (and it’s always when we’ve got about 30 minutes away from the boat that we get that creeping uncertainty…). By connecting the VirCru Battery Sensor, you can check from your VirCru Smart Boat App whether the isolator is on or off and make those last minute u-turns a thing of the past.

Need help with your set up?

Where is your boat kept?

What type of engine do you have?

How many battery packs do you have?

How many cabins are there onboard?

Do you have a tender onboard?

Do you want your fridge to be cold when you arrive?

Let us guide you through getting VirCru onboard your boat.

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Frequently asked questions

VirCru is a system of sensors that allows you to monitor and control your boat from anywhere.  These sensors offer boat owners three core functions:  

  • Notifications. VirCru ensures your boat is functioning correctly by constantly measuring bilge levels, battery power, water levels and more. If anything requires your attention, the VirCru app will notify you immediately. 
  • Monitoring. VirCru can alert you via the app if your boat is broken into, or equipment is taken. Geofencing functionality is designed to assure you that your boat remains where you left it, even over long periods. 
  • Control. You can use VirCru to ensure your boat is ready for your arrival. Control cabin temperature, humidity and lighting through your mobile device. You can even get the fridge cold before you set sail.

The SIM or network coverage for the VirCru system is currently limited to Europe (more geographical than political), within this region due to contractual obligations there are also a few pockets where it currently is not possible to connect, we are working on improving these all of the time. We should also mention that like any mobile coverage geographical features will inevitably have an effect on specific local connectivity. This of course is improving month by month as newer networks are rolled out.
Our system uses '2G' and '4g LTE Cat M1' (a relatively new service being rolled out by the service providers).  '4G LTE Cat M1' differs from '4G LTE' in that it's designed for data. The reason for mentioning this is a good 4G signal on your mobile is not necessarily a good indication that there is a good '4g LTE Cat M1'

VirCru is based around three key components:

  • The VirCru Hub - a GPS mobile connected device that connects with the VirCru App on your phone and wirelessly to the other VirCru devices on your boat. As well as providing the connection between you and your boat's devices, the VirCru Hub uses GPS to enable our GeoFence and Anchor Drag functionality as well as monitoring the angle of your boat (listing) and constantly recording the temperature ambient to the location of the Hub. 
  • The VirCru App - the main way that you interact with the VirCru Smart Boat System. It is built around a main dashboard that gives an overview of your sensors, combined with in-depth tools to give you the full picture of your boat and a range of inventory management functions. 
  • VirCru Sensors and Tags - the sensors and tags available in our product range allows you to customise your VirCru solution to meet the exact needs of your boat. Each sensor transmits information to the VirCru App, and sensors that monitor similar sections of your boat eg. cabin sensors, bilge pump sensors can be grouped together. VirCru’s sensors communicate with the VirCru App in your phone to deliver updates on your boat in real time. 
  Here’s an example of VirCru in action:  
  1. A boat owner uses the VirCru App and VirCru Door Sensor to configure an alert when a cabin door is opened. 
  2. While the owner is away from their boat, an intruder enters the cabin. Consequently, the Door Sensor located on the cabin door detects this movement. 
  3. The VirCru Door Sensor communicates with the VirCru App, informing the App that the door has been opened. The VirCru App immediately sends a notification to the owner, who takes the appropriate action to resolve the issue.