Velocitek Prostart User manual

Made by Velocitek in San Mateo, California
Firmware Version v40
Revision Date May 4, 2022 Rev0

Contents
INTRODUCTION 4
FEATURES 5
INSTALLATION 6
BATTERIES 8
BATTERY LIFE 8
RECHARGING THE BATTERY 8
BUTTONS 9
ICONS 10
MODES 10
START MODE 11
TIMER 11
DISTANCE TO LINE 11
START LINE PACING GUIDES 12
RACE MODE 12
SPEED 13
MAGNETIC HEADING 13
COURSE OVER GROUND 13
WHEN THE PROSTART’S DIRECTION OUTPUT IS SET TO COG, THE PROSTART’S TOP LINE WILL SHOW COG WITH NO LEADING
ZEROS,I.E.ELEVEN DEGREES WILL BE SHOWN AS 11° AND THREE DEGREES WILL BE SHOWN AS 3°. 14
RACE MODE BAR GRAPH 14
HEEL ANGLE 14
SHIFT TRACKING 14

BONUS MODE 16
OPERATION 17
POWER ON AND OFF 17
ACQUIRE A GPS SIGNAL 17
USING THE BACKLIGHT 18
SHOW OFF YOUR MAXIMUM SPEEDS 18
KEEP YOUR HAND ON THE TILLER 19
SET THE START LINE20
USE THE TIMER 21
USING ‘LINE SQUARE TO’22
CONFIGURATION 23
CONFIGURING YOUR PROSTART 23
SETTING DIRECTION OUTPUT 25
SETTING RACE BAR GRAPH 25
SETTING COMPASS DAMPING 26
SETTING HEADING OFFSET 26
SETTING MAGNETIC DECLINATION 27
THREE RESOURCES FOR FINDING YOUR LOCAL MAGNETIC DECLINATION 28
SETTING BOW OFFSET 28
SETTING DISTANCE TO LINE PRECISION 28
DISABLING DISTANCE TO LINE 29
ENABLING BONUS SCREEN (ON OR OFF) 29
SELECTING BONUS SCREEN TOP AND BOTTOM METRICS 30
SELECTING BONUS SCREEN BAR GRAPH METRIC 30
ZEROING PITCH AND HEEL ANGLES 30
UNDERSTANDING ‘DISTANCE TO LINE’31
PINGING WITHOUT THE BOW OFFSET 31
PINGING WITH THE BOW OFFSET 31
SETTING THE ENDS 32
HOW TO USE TIME AND DISTANCE 32
UNDERSTANDING ‘LINE SQUARE TO’33
HOW TO USE ‘LINE SQUARE TO’33

UNDERSTANDING SHIFT TRACKING 34
HOW TO USE SHIFT TRACKING 36
DATA STORAGE 37
DOWNLOAD DATA 37
SOFTWARE 37
VELOCITEK CONTROL CENTER 37
REPLAYS 37
FIRMWARE 38
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHANGING PROSTART: 38
MAINTENANCE 39
WARRANTY 40
CONTACT 41
COMPLIANCE 42
FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT 42
CANADIAN COMPLIANCE STATEMENT 42
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY COMPLIANCE STATEMENT 42
INDEX 43

Introduction 4
Introduction
The new ProStart is the distillation of more than a decade of experience and customer feedback building
stand-alone, GPS-based, distance-to-line starting aids. It’s all about time and distance.
Now, the best distance-to-line tool ever just got better. The new ProStart has the same great user
experience you know and love and now features crystal-clear optics, zero-latency navigation, and
multicolor backlight.
Made by Velocitek in San Mateo, California.

Features 5
Features
Only essential features used by professional sailors are included in the product.
•High-contrast LCD bonded to Gorilla® Glass anti-reflective / anti-glare lens
•4 Hz screen update rate (4 times per second)
•Red and white LED backlight
•72 channel, 18Hz multi-constellation GPS receiver
•100 Hz solid-state 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU)
•High-precision 3-axis geomagnetic sensor (compass)
•100-hour Lithium-ion battery
•GPS Speed, magnetic compass, and distance to line updated four times a second
•Countdown start timer
•Maximum and best 10 second average speed recall
•Over 1000 hours of data storage at a 4 Hz (4 times per second)
•Data download through USB link
•Automatic or user configurable magnetic declination
•Shift tracking
•Line Square To
•Heel angle
•Fully customizable bonus mode
•Waterproof (IPX8) to 3m
•Two-year warranty

Installation 6
Installation
The ProStart comes with a cradle that interlocks with it. Install the cradle permanently on your boat.
Press the tab on the cradle to unlock the ProStart from it.
The ProStart Cradle works with M4 Metric flat head countersunk machine screws. Alternatively, you can
use Imperial No. 6 flat head countersunk machine screws in place of M4 fasteners. Always use Marine
Grade fasteners when mounting the ProStart Cradle and/or Mounting Brackets.

Installation 7
Do not use rounded head screws with the ProStart cradle. Non-countersunk screw heads will interfere
with mounting the ProStart in its cradle.
The ProStart now features a magnetic compass. If you intend to use the magnetic compass feature,
mount the back of the cradle perpendicular to the centerline of the boat. The cradle should be installed
at least 1.0m away from steel, iron, other ferromagnetic metals and permanent magnets.
If you only intend to use the GPS features of the ProStart, the cradle can be installed anywhere on the
boat with a view of the sky.
For instructions on changing the ProStart from magnetic compass to course over ground, see the
Configuration section on page 22.
Several mounting options are available for the ProStart. For details, go to
https://www.velocitek.com/collections/accessories.

Batteries 8
Batteries
The ProStart is powered by an onboard Lithium Polymer battery.
Battery life
The battery indicator is located on the bottom of the LCD screen. When the battery is fully charged, the
device will last 100 hours in normal operation with the white or red backlight on. From a full charge with
the backlight off, the ProStart will run for 200 hours with no additional charge. When the battery is
empty the device will go into low battery mode and flash the battery outline.
When the battery is exhausted, connect the ProStart to a USB port or a phone charger using the supplied
cable. From low battery the ProStart takes approximately 11 hours to charge completely using a 5 volt, 1
amp wall adapter (iPhone or similar) or 55 hours to charge completely via a USB port on a computer.
Recharging the Battery
To recharge the battery, connect the ProStart to a USB port or a phone charger using the supplied Micro
USB cable. The ProStart uses a standard Micro USB cable.
While the ProStart is charging, the LCD will display “>USb” on the lower data line and battery voltage on
the upper line; 3.6V is empty and 4.2V is full. The USB trident logo will be visible at the bottom of the
LCD screen and the battery icon will show the charging progress (see illustration below). USB pitchfork
icon will flash when wall-cube fast charging is taking place.
When the battery is completely charged the cycling animation will stop and the battery will show full
with both bars showing.
Full Battery
Half Full
Low Battery
Low battery
< ½ full - One
bar flashing
> ½ full - One
bar solid, one
bar flashing
Full battery -
both bars solid
Full charge.
Go sailing!

Buttons 9
Buttons
There are a total of eight buttons on the ProStart as illustrated above. The buttons will be referred to
in capitalized blue text throughout this document as follows, PWR,MODE,MAX,RESET,+1,PIN,RC and
GUN.
Pin
Sets current
location as
pin end of
start line
Mode
Max Speed
On/Off
Timer Reset
Timer +1
Gun
Timer Start/Sync
Race Committee
Sets current
location as
boat end of
start line