Crest and Balise to Offer Savvy Navvy with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on 2027 Models
MasterCraft Boat Holdings’ Pontoon Brands Will Introduce Integrated Navigation via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as Standard on Selected Models.
Crest Marine and Balise Pontoons, the pontoon brands of MasterCraft Boat Holdings, have partnered with marine navigation app developer Savvy Navvy to integrate its navigation platform with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on selected 2027 model-year boats.
The companies said the collaboration marks the first factory-installed integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto featuring Savvy Navvy’s on-water navigation.
The system allows boaters to connect the Savvy Navvy mobile app directly to compatible helm displays, providing access to nautical charts, smart routing, GPS tracking, live weather forecasts and tidal data. Navigation is displayed alongside other Apple CarPlay applications, with users able to select day, night or satellite views.
The new functionality was demonstrated to dealers during Crest Marine’s annual dealer meeting on Lake Lansing on August 4.
Crest and Balise Pontoons are integrating Savvy Navvy’s navigation platform with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on selected 2027 models, offering boaters connected charting, routing and weather features at the helm. Pic creadit: Crest Marine
“Boaters have been asking for a modern infotainment system for years,” says Jelte Liebrand, founder and CEO of Savvy Navvy. “Plan your trip on the couch, step aboard, and it is already at the helm. No complicated ways to synchronise things; it just works. Savvy Navvy for CarPlay works on iOS and Android with any compatible display. I’m thrilled to see Crest and Balise put CarPlay in front of their boaters.”
Savvy Navvy said its navigation app has been downloaded more than three million times worldwide and is designed for use across lakes, inland waterways, coastal waters and offshore environments.
“At Crest and Balise, we’re always looking for ways to enhance the ownership experience through meaningful innovation, and this partnership with Savvy Navvy is another step in driving the industry forward,” said Rob Nye, director of Portfolio and Product Lifecycle of Crest and Balise. “Integrating Savvy Navvy with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto gives our customers a seamless, intuitive experience at the helm, increasing confidence and convenience every time they hit the water.”
The companies said Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with Savvy Navvy compatibility will be fitted as standard on all new Balise models, along with Crest Conquest and Caribbean models, from the 2027 model year, with launches scheduled to begin next month.
Customers purchasing eligible 2027 Balise and Crest models equipped with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto will also receive access to Savvy Navvy Premium, which includes the app’s full range of navigation features.