Boat & Gear News - Ocean Navigator

15 Jan

Volvo Penta Launches Global Three-Year Warranty

Eric ColbyBoat & Gear News, Engines and Propulsion, Industry & Company News, Marine Technology, Press release

Marine propulsion systems supplier Volvo Penta has announced a 3-year expanded global warranty. The new coverage applies to products delivered from 2025 going forward and covers Volvo Penta-branded transmissions, engines, control systems and accessories. The new warranty replaces previous offerings and reflects Volvo Penta’s commitment to delivering premium-level protection and support for pleasure and commercial vessels. It provides global coverage on all marine Volvo Penta branded products supported by the Swedish company’s service network. For the first three years, the warranty covers all Volvo Penta branded products and transitions to major component coverage in the subsequent two years. For commercial…

14 Jan

New HP Watermaker Introduced

Eric ColbyBluewater Gear, Boat & Gear News, Industry & Company News

HP Watermakers has pulled the sheet off a new model, the HP Genius. The manufacturer says it’s a lighter unit that can be installed more easily than previous models. The company is introducing the new model at the Boot Düsseldorf show in Germany Jan. 18 to 26. “The new HP Genius sets new standards in terms of low eight and ease of use, but it will not be our stand’s only attraction,” Gianni Zucco, co-founder of HP Watermakers, said in a press release. “We will also be displaying the new HP SCA Double 440 watermaker.” That model was introduced at…

02 Dec

ePropulsion Extends 96-volt Offerings

Eric ColbyBoat & Gear News, Electrical Systems, Engines and Propulsion, Marine Technology

Electric propulsion supplier ePropulsion has expanded its 96-volt offerings. The company said it’s building on the ePropulsion Smart System Architecture, introducing a Pod Drive 20eSSA, G102-230 battery and a modular energy system called PowerCruise Essential for small electric and hybrid vessels. The new offerings will debut in the 2025 model year and were on display at the METSTRADE show in Amsterdam in late November. “Following the success of our X-Series and I-Series motors and the G102-100 battery, and based on discussions with our boat builder partners, we have enhanced our existing product offerings,” Danny Tao, co-founder and CEO of ePropulsion,…

29 Nov

Yanmar Wins Design Awards for Electric Sailboat Motors

Eric ColbyBoat & Gear News, Engines and Propulsion, Ocean Voyaging

Yanmar Marine International’s E-Saildrive SDe 48v series of electric propulsion systems won two DAME Design Awards in the Propulsion & Dynamics and Environmental categories. The accolades were presented during the METSTRADE international trade show for the recreational boating industry in Amsterdam in mid-November. The E-Saildrive SDe was designed to be a “plug and play” replacement for a gasoline-burning system. Yanmar says it requires no hull modifications to be installed. It uses a 48-volt electrical system and the E-Saildrive range features three models, the SDe7, SDe10 and SDe15. The numbers represent the kilowatt rating and the engine manufacturer says they…

06 Nov

App uses AI to Improve Trip Planning

Eric ColbyBoat & Gear News, Communications, Marine Apps, Marine Electronics, Navigation

Ditch, an AI-powered navigation app, introduced its Smart ETA feature at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in October. The launch coincides with the app’s one-year anniversary. In addition to Smart ETA, Ditch is launching a new live navigation view that provides real-time updates on route distance, time to arrival and speed over ground. Smart ETA considers factors that are sometimes overlooked by ETA calculators including no-wake zones and a boat’s cruising speed. Ditch says users will experience more accurate ETAs, reducing stress and providing more accurate arrival times. The app also provides live updates on route distance, time to…

30 Oct

New Numbering Format for VHF Marine Radios

Eric ColbyBoat & Gear News, Communications, Marine Electronics, Marine Technology

New marine radios for the VHF-FM band (156 to 162 MHz) are being made with a new channel numbering scheme. The “A” designation for some channels in the U.S. is being replaced with 10. Going forward, channel 22A, which is used by the Coast Guard for all ship’s calls and Urgent Marine Information Broadcasts, will become 1022. There’s no effect on operation. All two-digit assignments, designated uses and frequencies stay the same. Eighteen channels for the U.S. numbering scheme are affected, while four “B” channels in Canada will change to “20” designations. The change was ordered by the International Telecommunications…

15 Oct

TCarta Hopes to Improve Safety with Satellite Data

Eric ColbyBoat & Gear News, Electronic charting, Home Page Hero, Industry & Company News, Nav Problems, Navigation, Seamanship & Navigation

One of many challenges when entering a new harbor is not knowing accurate depths. Recent occurrences of groundings off the coasts of Oman, Greenland and Fiji were under investigation in early October and the underlying causes were complicated. One common thread is a lack of current bathymetric data in coastal areas, particularly those outside established shipping lanes. Denver-based TCarta Marine uses earth observation satellites to provide accurate water depth measurements for near-shore areas. “The risk of such accidents can be significantly reduced with up-to-date bathymetric data produced from satellite imagery,” TCarta president Kyle Goodrich said in a statement. In many…

07 Oct

Open Waters Solar Flexible Panels

Eric ColbyBoat & Gear News, Electrical Systems, Marine Technologyboating tips

Simon Angus wanted a boat that he could move easily to a destination, so he built a modular 40-foot all-carbon electrically propelled catamaran. The twin-hulled vessel could be broken down to fit in a shipping container and be re-assembled with the use of a crane. His goal for the boat was to make as self-sufficient as possible so he equipped it with 16 110-watt semi-flexible solar panels. “On day one, they were great and we were generating a huge amount of power,” says Angus. After a year, however, the power output dropped to 60% to 70%. “The biggest issue with…

13 Jan

A deep dive into boat electrical systems with Nigel Calder

Tim QueeneyBoat & Gear News, Home Page Hero

Ocean Navigator is co-sponsoring a new electrical systems seminar series from boat systems expert, Nigel Calder. The seminars will be in Portland, Maine. More info below. 2024 Seminar Dates: April 17th & 18th October 29th & 30th Portland, ME For Registration, CLICK HERE or go to oceanplanetenergy.com/seminars Electrical systems are the leading cause of problems on boats that have more than a rudimentary electrical system.Most of these problems are preventable; they arise from a failure to abide by core design and installation principles. To take a deep dive into both design and installation issues, OceanPlanet Energy (OPE), in collaboration with…

12 Oct

Icom’s Innovative Marine Solutions at FLIBS 2023

Ocean NavigatorBoat & Gear News

KIRKLAND, Wash. (October 2023) – Join Icom at the largest in-water boat show on the seven seas at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show! From October 25-29 across seven locations, attendees can see the latest and greatest in fishing boats, runabouts, cruisers, marine accessories, fishing equipment, diving accessories, personal watercraft, and more. Find Icom in the Broward County Convention Center at booth 654, where you can check out our lineup of innovative marine solutions, such as our NMEA 2022-2023 Best VHF winner, the IC-M510, as well as our newest black box VHF radios, the IC-M510BB and IC-M410BB. Say goodbye to cluttered…