[SOLD] Vesper WatchMate 850 AIS Class B transponder w/gps antenna - good condition - $499

[oddasea]

Hello,

Selling a Vesper AIS Watchmate 850 (WMX850) (the low power monochrome one, perfect for sailboats running on solar power, smaller boats with outboards, or even as a second unit for a larger system) with the Vesper powered external GPS antenna.

New these are $850 or so, I'm asking only $499 USD plus shipping (typically in the neighbourhood of $35 to the US).

I really love this unit and I'm selling it, along with a bunch of other stuff, because I sold the boat and it's been sitting in storage for over a year now. It really should go to someone who will use it.

Includes panel-mounting screws and gasket, flying lead cable to hook up to your system, and both internal and external GPS antennas (you can use the internal antenna if it's mounted near or above deck, or run the external antenna anywhere you like if you want to mount it belowdecks in your comms centre). You'll need to provide power and a VHF antenna (if you want to transmit).

You can read more about it here: WatchMate 850 Class B AIS Transponder | Vesper Marine

Short story: full class-B transponder, with kill switch (so it only listens, not transmits), anchor watch/alert, and the incredibly handy built-in NMEA multiplexer (includes data from one other NMEA device, such as a heading sensor, in it's output so you can link it to your radio without needing extra hardware). Ultra handy.

Vesper's tech support and engineering is absolutely first rate - this is a fantastic piece of kit. The menus are simple and easy to use, even while in a heavy seaway, it's incredibly smart about conserving power, and best of all it has the SMARTEST alarms I've ever seen on an AIS device. You do not keep getting alerted every single time the ship's course is projected to intercept you once you've acknowledged the incoming vessel. This is a huge benefit to those trying to sleep belowdecks, since if the watch is really doing their job it'll only beep once for each target that could be a collision hazard. If you've used other AIS devices with alerts, you know how valuable this feature is and how annoying other devices can be as you bounce around with your heading changing every wave and the target going in and out of the 'danger zone' and triggering the alert EACH TIME. Oy! This device eliminates that!

I accept Paypal to any verified address, exclusive of fees. If you're not a Paypal fan, I'm happy with a wire transfer too. I am happy to provide some small amount of post-sales tech support, the digital manual, and my own personal experiences with it to help you get started, too.

[Potatohead]

Sold! I'll send you a separate PM for details, Paypal is OK with me.