Electronics

Industry News: See Top Electronics Products As Named by NMEA

BY FRANK SARGEANT

NMEA

NMEA presented 20 awards at its annual conference last week in California. See the tope products you might want aboard your boat this year here. (NMEA)

Twenty products garnered top honors in three separate award competitions at the 2022 NMEA Marine Electronics Conference & Expo, held last week in Anaheim, California.

Many of the products could immediately add safety, functionality and efficiency to your boating lifestyle.

NMEA members cast their votes online in 18 categories for the Product of Excellence Awards while a panel of independent judges named winners in both the NMEA Technology Award and Best New Product contests.

NMEA PRESIDENT

(Mark Reedenauer, NMEA president/ExecDirector)

 “On behalf of the NMEA Board of Directors, staff, and membership body, we congratulate all 2022 award winners,” said Mark Reedenauer, NMEA President & Executive Director.

“The entrant count for the Best New Product Award exceeded our expectations, which sends the message that there is extreme value for manufacturers to introduce new products at the NMEA Conference, where only the trade can view these new innovations. We will continue to improve the awards for 2023 by adding categories as the industry evolves and we get feedback from the membership.”

2022 Product of Excellence Awards



Marine VHF—ICOM M510

Radar—Furuno DRS4DNXT

Satellite Communications Antenna—KVH TracPhone V30

Multi-Function Display—Garmin GPSMAP 8616xsv

Multimedia Entertainment—Fusion Apollo MS-RA770

NMEA 2000 Sensor—Furuno SCX20 Satellite Compass

Marine PC Software—Nobeltec TimeZero Professional

Marine Apps-Utility—Garmin ActiveCaptain

Marine Specialty—Furuno CSH8LMK2 Omni Sonar

Satellite TV Antenna—KVH TracVision UHD7

Fishfinder—Furuno DFF3D Multi-Beam 3D Fishfinder

Marine Camera—Teledyne/FLIR M364C

AIS—Vesper Marine Cortex M1

Autopilot—Garmin Reactor 40

Remote Monitoring—GOST Apparition

Safety Device—Garmin GPSMAP 86sci Handheld

Commercial—Furuno FAR2228NXTBB IMO Radar

Wi-Fi/Cellular Device—KVH TracPhone LTE-1



Manufacturer of the Year Awards



NMEA members also voted on two manufacturers that demonstrated superior support of their products to those who install and service them in the field. NMEA and the membership congratulate Actisense for winning the Manufacturer Level 1&2 (small to mid-size company) award and Garmin for winning the Manufacturer Level 3 award for large Manufacturer.

Actisense

Actisense won the Manufacturer of the Year award for smaller companies with their service to systems to provide greater control of data on any vessel’s network. (Actisense)

Best New Product Award



NMEA’s Best New Product Award celebrates one product that was introduced to the market at the NMEA Conference & Expo, which a panel of four judges deemed best in the areas of innovation, benefit to boaters, practicality, and value. Five new products were entered in the competition.

maretron

Taking top honors in “Best New Product” was the Maretron WSO200 Ultrasonic Weather Station. (Maretron) 

Maretron's outdoor weather station won the top spot. The compact device measures wind speed and direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, and relative humidity. The wind measurement is performed using ultrasonic sensors, which means there are no moving parts to wear out or to get caught in the rigging.



NMEA Technology Award



The NMEA Technology Award names a single marine electronics product that scores highest in the same four criteria categories that are used for the Best New Product Award. The judges chose Airmar’s SmartBoat System as the winner from among seven entries.

Airmar's

Airmar’s SmartBoat system keeps tabs on every system aboard, assuring full functioning as well as improving safety. (Airmar)

Judges this year for both the Technology and New Product Awards were Jim Hendricks of Bonnier Corporation, Scott LaRoche from Honor Marine, Jason Young from Milltech Marine and Marine Electronics Journal editor Jim Fullilove.