Marine Technology - Ocean Navigator

15 Feb

New Gear Introduced at Miami Boat Show

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

The Yamaha Marine U.S. Business Unit introduced a wireless remote control for its Helm Master EX boat control system at the Miami International Boat Show in February. While outboard motors may not be the power of choice for long-range cruising, the wireless control is a signal of things to come for boat operation. The Yamaha Wireless Control System includes all Helm Master EX joystick functionality plus autopilot control and man-overboard functions. With its fingertip button, it makes possible single-handed operation and gives captains full joystick control while freeing up a hand for setting lines or adjusting fenders. A captain can…

06 Feb

NMEA Launches Marine Data Initiative

Eric ColbyBluewater Gear, Boat & Gear News, Electrical Systems, Electronic charting, Marine Electronics, Marine Technology, Press release

The National Marine Electronics Association has launched the NMEA Cloud Initiative. The project is intended to aggregate existing marine data for safety, conservation and innovation. The NMEA assures participants that getting involved is voluntary and all shared data is anonymous. It will not be used for law enforcement or surveillance. The goal of the initiative is to 200 vessels actively contributing data by 2026. Peripheral data from NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 systems that are used on vessels worldwide will have consumer options that can be made anonymous and shared securely to improve navigation safety and conservation efforts. NMEA is…

30 Jan

New John Deere Inboard Engines

Eric ColbyBoat & Gear News, Engines and Propulsion, Industry & Company News, Marine Technology, Power Voyaging

Deere & Company, the manufacturer of John Deere engines, has unveiled two new diesel marine powerplants, the JD14 and JD18. With the new engines, John Deere offers marine customers a power range from 400 hp to 803 hp. Production on the new engines is expected to start in 2026. “With the JD14 and JD18 marine engines, we’re able to deliver high performance and excellent fuel efficiency while providing the rugged durability our marine engines have become known for in the industry,” Pierre Guyout, senior vice president of John Deere Power Systems, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to demonstrate our…

24 Jan

Recreational Boating Industry Launches Environmental Initiatives

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

Leading marine trade associations have joined forces to develop a global recreational marine lifecycle assessment framework. The International Council of Marine Industry Associations, European Boating Industry and the National Marine Manufacturers Association have formed the first global collaboration to assess, measure and report the industry’s environmental performance of recreational boats. To demonstrate environmental stewardship and harmonize global sustainability initiatives, the recreational boating industry hopes to achieve a comprehensive framework that provides a methodology to quantify the environmental performance of a recreational boat through every phase of its life. This includes raw materials, production, use phase, disposal and recycling. The announcement…

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…

19 Dec

Maretron and Raymarine Announce Collaboration

Eric ColbyBluewater Gear, Electronic charting, Industry & Company News, Marine Electronics, Marine Technology

Marine electronics maker Raymarine has partnered with Maretron to integrate the latter’s vessel monitoring systems into the former’s Axiom chartplotter displays. Maretron’s MConnect is a client-server technology that offers access to real-time data across hundreds of data points on a vessel. Integrating MConnect with Raymarine’s Axiom family of multifunction displays lets users monitor and control vessel components from Raymarine’s LightHouse interface. MConnect’s data visualization and customization tools are compatible with Raymarine’s MFDs. They let a user configure personalized interfaces and control vessel systems with ease. By combining MConnect’s graphics editor with Raymarine’s high-definition displays, users can create dashboards that consolidate…

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,…

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…

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…

31 Dec

Victron BMS wins 2021 Husick award

Tim QueeneyBatteries, Marine Technology

The 2021 winner of the Ocean Navigator Chuck Husick Marine Technology Award is the Lynx Smart Battery Management System (BMS) (www.victronenergy.com/battery-management-systems/lynx-smart-bms). The Lynx unit is a full-featured BMSystem for managing lithium batteries, with capabilities like a battery monitor showing state of charge, a pre-alarm signal, Bluetooth connectivity, local and remote monitoring using a Victron GX device and more. Husick award judge and voyager Rebecca Childress wrote in an email, “Victron makes amazing products and this one sounds like another great way to stay on top of your electrical setup!” The runner-up finalist was the Groco E Valve series with a…