S3 (Released August, 2005)
The S3 was a simple large-readout speedometer originally targeted towards GPS speedsurfers (windsurfers who record their 40 knot+ top speeds using GPS devices and then post the results online). The first five units were sold to KA Sail Australia. Without track storage and GPS Action Replay compatibility, the S3 turned out to be a flop with windsurfers.
Fortunately, in addition to making some of the best windsurfing sails around, KA Sail was also making Moth sails for then World Champion, Rohan Veal. When KA Sail gave Rohan an S3 to test, it was love at first glance. The large readout, durable enclosure and responsive speed measurements were exactly what Rohan and many other high-performance dinghy sailors were looking for. Soon, boat sailors were accounting for over 95% of our sales. We took note and shifted our R&D focus from windsurfing to performance sailing.
S5 (Released April, 2006)
The S5 was Velocitek’s breakout product. It used advanced firmware to add real-time VMG capability to the original S3 hardware. For the first time ever dinghy and sportboat sailors could get real-time VMG feedback from a simple, inexpensive, self-contained device. Velocitek’s original inventory of 60 units sold out overnight when a press release appeared on sailinganarchy.com.
Speedcompass (Released August, 2006)
The Velocitek Speedcompass used an internal tilt sensor to detect its orientation. When mounted right-side-up, the Speedcompass displayed speed in knots. Mounted upside-down, it displayed heading in degrees true. Analog twist knobs inside the enclosure allowed the user to adjust the damping of the speed and heading measurements.
The Speedcompass was Velocitek’s first product to use GPS data to provide real-time heading data. Early testers were pleasantly surprised to discover that the GPS compass was just as accurate as a magnetic one, but with significantly less update delay.
SC-1 (Released May, 2007)
The SC-1 was our first product that combined a large number of features into a single device. When it was first released, its two-line display could be cycled between speed, heading and countdown timing modes. In July of 2007 we released a firmware update for the SC-1 that gave the device the ability to accurately measure the distance between a boat’s bow and the start line. This new feature made the SC-1 standard equipment for the worlds top sportboat programs.
The success of the SC-1 legitimized the use of sailing-specific GPS instruments and spawned several imitators, one of whom was even bold enough to name their product the SC-100.
Although extremely capable the SC-1 was also painfully complex and the product was impossible to use without first reading a user manual that was thick enough to stop a bullet.
SpeedPlay (Released September, 2008)
With the S10 and the SC-1 it became possible to download GPS data from a group of Velocitek-equipped boats and then use third-party software to set up race replays. The end result, being able to relive and analyze each race was extremely cool. The catch was that the process of getting data off each GPS device and then setting up the replay was a huge pain.
We developed SpeedPlay with a focus on making the process of downloading GPS data from a group of Velocitek devices and setting up race replays as hassle-free as possible.
SpeedPuck (Released December, 2008)
The complexity of the SC-1 and the attendant support calls from frustrated customers made us long for our earlier products that did less but paradoxically made people happier. The brief for the SpeedPuck was simple: make a GPS speedometer that anyone could use without reading a manual.
The gamble we took in reversing our course and turning away from the race to add more and more features to a single device paid off. Despite the fact that it occured in the midst of the subprime mortgage crisis the SpeedPuck’s launch was the most successful in Velocitek’s history.
ProStart (Released October, 2010)
Even after the SpeedPuck was released, most professional sailors were still buying the SC-1 in spite of its complexity. The main reason for this was the SC-1’s ability to accurately determine distance to the start line.
Our objective with the ProStart was to create a product that offered all the GPS instrument features that professional sailors rely on while maintaining the manual-free simplicity of the SpeedPuck.