New Furuno sonar goes deeper

Jul 18, 2019 by Lucy Chabot Reed

Washington-based marine electronics company Furuno has launched a new WASSP F3X professional multibeam sonar package for mariners who need to see deep into the ocean. According to a company press release, the higher output power of the sonar technology’s 224 beams provides a nearly 50% increase in depth capability from its previous WASSP F3, and there are two versions available.

The WMB4340 provides navigators, surveyors and wreck hunters with detailed bathymetric contour maps of the seabed in color at depths of over 500m, and with a 120-degree port-to-starboard beam angle. 

The WMB6340 offers anglers enhanced target detection and bottom mapping capability at more than 850m, as well as the ability to detect the seabed at depths of more than 1,000m. According to the company, the 80 kHz WMB6340 provides target separation of species throughout the full water column.

WASSP connects to the user’s PC via the supplied “CDX” Graphical User Interface software, with the ability to interface with TimeZero Professional software. A series of sensors, including a satellite compass and inertial motion unit, are also available. Additionally, the major accessories for the previous WASSP F3 version are compatible with these new models, including thru-hull fittings, keyboards and licenses that expand upon the basic system capabilities. These optional licenses include plugins that enable evaluation of backscatter, water column analysis, tide table correction, and sidescan format for a clearer view of objects such as wrecks and rocks on the seafloor. 

WASSP is developed by ENL Group, which is majority-owned by Furuno Electric Co. For more information, visit furunousa.com.

Topics:

About Lucy Chabot Reed

Lucy Chabot Reed is publisher and founding editor of The Triton.

View all posts by Lucy Chabot Reed →