Cyclops Marine launches smarttune, a load sensor for sailors

Cyclops Marine develops load sensors that bring America’s Cup technology to ordinary sailors. It features repeatable settings which help find and maintain superior speeds.

Cyclops has made setting a rig up precisely according to the wind and sails time after time a possibility, harnessing the latest technology to create smarttune, a simple-to-install load sensor that accurately measures stay tension in real time, transmitting rig loads wirelessly to smartphone or boat instruments.

This means sailors can measure and repeat their fastest settings, control their forestay sag and headsail shape, and their mast bend to manage mainsail shape – all for optimal performance in all conditions, on all points of sail.

The load sensor can be swapped in for an existing turn screw in minutes and show the live rig load on a smartphone seconds later.

There are few variables that are directly controllable by the crew, but four-time Volvo Ocean Race Winner, Stu Bannatyne, says that “matching forestay tension to the wind and sails is the key to upwind performance”.

“Installing smarttune is as simple as taking turns off a turn screw to adjust the mast rake. This is definitely a system anyone can install on their own boat,” says Hannah Diamond, Volvo Ocean Race and shorthanded sailor.