Goal is a better boating experience
SEVERNA PARK, MD–In the past three months, marine electronics manufacturers have invested nearly $100,000 in technical training from the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA).
Two major manufacturers–Furuno USA and Humminbird–have had 125 employees take NMEA's Basic Marine Electronics Installer course and a course in NMEA 2000®, the standard that provides the most advanced networking available for marine electronics devices onboard a vessel. Six other manufacturers had one or more participants take the training, including Bass Products, FLIR, Garmin, Johnson Outdoors, Navico, and Victron Energy B.V.
"We are very honored that these manufacturers feel it is worth this investment to train their staff to our NMEA 0400 installation standard," said Johnny Lindstrom, chairman of the NMEA. "This further supports our belief that training, standards, and the various other NMEA initiatives to raise the skill set of our industry have great merit."
"We thank these manufacturers and all who have invested in our training programs and encourage all dealers and manufacturers to keep their crews trained to the latest standards," Lindstrom said.
NMEA's new managing director, Mark Reedenauer, explained that the strong manufacturer participation shows the high level of commitment to and importance of proper marine electronics installations.
"All three of our NMEA courses are non-manufacturer-specific, so the practices our expert instructors teach can complement manufacturer installation instructions and make for a better overall installation, resulting in a better boating experience for their customers," Reedenauer said
In December, the NMEA will release a fully updated version of the 0400 Installation Standard. Training classes will be updated to reflect the new, improved standard. The NMEA training schedule for 2015 will also be released, listing specific training dates and venues around the country.
Founded in 1957, the NMEA has led the way in establishing technical standards for data exchange in marine electronics, with the widely accepted NMEA 0183 data protocol, NMEA 2000®, and certification standards for marine electronics technicians. NMEA standards and programs focus on ensuring that the boating consumer is provided with reliable products and professional service. For more information, visit the NMEA website at www.NMEA.org or call 410-975-9425.
