Contact: WESMAR

Tel: (425) 481-2296 Fax: (425) 486-0909

E-mail: gblakey@wesmar.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WESMAR Introduces Most Affordable Sonar In the World

Woodinville, WA – 1 July 04 – Mike Weynands, Veteran California Squid Fisherman, says the power of the new SS395 sonar from WESMAR, with its fine tuning abilities, has allowed him to fish for squid in daylight as well as at night.

“Squid ball-up at night and are easily visible using light boats; but during the day they scatter and are close to the surface presenting a weak target. This new WESMAR is really sensitive and with the ability to fine-tune the colors we can now see the squid 24-hours a day. You can spread the colors so when the squid are dispersed and close to the surface during the day time, we can see to locate them,” says Weynands.”

The hand held control feature is also popular with Weynands. He says it allows him to move easily from screen to screen with a click of the trigger; selecting scanning modes to profile, enhance and measure targets, and many other enhancements that are designed to make location and evaluation easier. The console can be mounted in more than one location so he can now operate his sonar from the wheelhouse, the fly bridge, near the stern, or wherever it helps with the fishing.

Weynands also likes the sounder mode in the SS395 saying he uses it to steam out to the grounds looking for squid. “It’s a great way to survey for fish. Then I switch to the split screen mode, sweeping ahead with the sonar while simultaneously profiling the bottom.”

He says the use of innovative technology like the WESMAR allows him to fish with just a 2-person crew. “With fishing so competitive, I see investment in technology as a must.”

Weynands is captain of the 54-foot Marco F/V Julie Celeste. In the late 1990’s he began taking his purse seiner to California for the squid fishery. In the off season he fishes sardines in Oregon, Washington and California, where he says his new WESMAR will also be valuable.

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For additional information about WESMAR’s SS395 Sonar, Contact WESMAR. Box 7201. Woodinville, WA 98072-4001 USA, e-mail sonar@wesmar.com. Tel: (425) 481-2296 FAX (425) 486-0909. Visit us at www.wesmar.com

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Features and Benefits of the new SS395 Sonar.

•Hand held controller puts fish finding at the Captain’s fingertips

•Console mounts anywhere at multiple stations.

•Focused Sonar beam provides sharpest, clearest picture available.

•Acoustically transparent soundome detects even small echoes.

•Scan a full 360 degrees around the boat or us Split screen to view bottom, profile & forward simultaneously

•Available in 17 different languages

•Available in frequencies of 60, 110, or 160 kHz.

•Hydraulic hoist can raise or lower the soundome in as little as 3 seconds

•Information is displayed on a conventional VGA computer monitor and the user can select any size and style of monitor desired to provide a clearly visible display while conforming to the space and configuration requirements of the vessel.

•Use the SS395 for purse seining to detect a fish schools and to scan the net as it is pursed.

•Scan ahead and profile bottom simultaneously.

•Determine density and depth of fish schools.

•Locate fish schools and select best ones to purse

•When trawling maneuver the vessel to intercept fish schools

•Know what’s ahead, around and below the boat to avoid wrecks, rocks, other dangers.

•Reduce gear damage.

•Reduce fuel consumption.

•Increase catch value.