NMEA gateway connecting wireless and wired devices.

This small waterproof device can receive Bluetooth transmissions from the SailTimer Wind Instrument™ and connect on wires to your GPS chartplotter.  It can also connect any anemometer to our cloud server (e.g. through marina wifi or a smartphone) so that you can check wind conditions online from home or office. The Air Link™ can also retransmit all of your NMEA data on wifi to Android/iOS apps (iSailor, MID WiFi, Sail Buddy, iRegatta, NMEA Sail, WinDis, Aqua Map, Sail Expert…).

The 3rd-generation Air Link™ is 2.25″ (5.4 cm) thick, with a footprint of 5 3/4 x 3 5/8″ (14.4 x 9 cm) including the tab on each end. The waterproof case (IP65) has a silicone gasket under the lid and a water-resistant wiring gland. This version has a white case and started shipping in Aug. 2020 with a smaller footprint, improved electronics hardware, internal antennas and easier setup.

The 4th-generation Air Link is now in production, and is completely redesigned for a much lower price ($99.99), NMEA 2000 wiring, and Over-the-Air Updates. The new model has been designed with a clear lid on the waterproof case to show LED indicators inside. It is expected to be available in late June 2023, and you can pre-order now.

12-Volt Power
The SailTimer Air Link™ runs on 12-volt power and comes with power and ground wire terminals. You can connect ordinary 14-16 gauge stranded wire. Or you can use a car lighter plug, or an AC adapter wall plug that ouputs 12 volt DC power, with the wiring connectors below. Any 12 volt DC power supply with about 2 Amps of output will work (1.3 Amps is sufficient, and 3 Amps works fine too).

Easy NMEA Wiring
For NMEA 0183, the SailTimer Air Link™ has two Input and two Output wires.  It can send out wind data from our wireless Wind Instrument™ on standard NMEA 0183 wiring for marine electronics to view on a GPS chartplotter or Multi-Function Display like this. The new Air Link 4 also has a connector socket for NMEA 2000.

Easy to Use
This 1-minute YouTube demo with the previous model shows how easy it is to use. Just turn on the Air Link when you get to your boat. Your device will connect to it automatically on wifi.  The Air Link also connects to the Wind Instrument automatically.  Any marine electronics on a wired connection will have wind data. The Air Link will also automatically join your marina wifi if available, so that you can check online to see wind conditions at your boat. Additional details are available in the Owner’s Manual for the Air Link (PDF, 2.7 MB).

Opto-Isolated
Both the inputs and outputs in the SailTimer Air Link™ are opto-isolated to prevent galvanic corrosion (when two different types of metal are connected to the circuit and in contact with the water), and to preserve your sacrificial zinc anodes below the waterline. This opto-isolation is a requirement of the NMEA standard. It means that we convert the data from electricity to light signals to prevent ground loops and also protect the device from voltage spikes.

Accessoriess:  12 volt DC power plug with on-switch and fuse, AC wall adapter, international wall plugs.