Electronics 2020
Trade Only magazine has a great new booklet with all things electronic for 2020 with the newest and most inventive electronics for the year 2020, called "New Electronics to the trade guide 2020." One of the new electronics on the market is the Garmin's GPS-enabled quatix 6 smartwatch which integrates with Spotify accounts, downloading music to internal storage so it can stream to headphones or Bluetooth speakers. New for 2020, the quatix 6 adds specialized boating features to the company's flagship fenix series of watches. It also connects to onboard electronics, and records a myriad of activity data from chart-plotters to offer autopilot control, data streaming for speed, depth, temperature and wind. The watch also acts as a controller for Fusion entertainment systems, and supports BlueChart g3 coastal charts and LakeVu inland maps.
Entertainment electronics include the Raymarine Axiom, which, in addition to supporting Spotify, host a Netfilx app. The Axiom XL 24 logs double duty as an edge-to-edge, glass MFD and an HDMI monitor, enabling connectivity to household devices such as Roku and Apple TV via satellite internet services like weBBoat 4G Plus from Glomex, or WebWatch from Shakespeare. Additional features include an integrated multi-zone volume program for Fusion source units. Though the latest Axiom XL units were launched in 2018, the company continues to pump out upgrades via LightHouse operating-system updates. Lowrance HDS Live units also support video streaming, via smartphones through their LiveCast portal. Using an HDMI cable, LiveCast mirrors smartphone screens on the MFD, a particularly useful feature for boaters running multiple units who want to stream entertainment on one and navigational data on another.
As for Antennas and Satellites there is a lot coming out from Lowrance, Simrad, Garmin and Raymarine. Solid-state radomes are increasing in capability while decreasing in size, affording smaller boats the luxury of tech typically associated with larger yachts. The HALO20 and HALO20+ radomes from Lowrance and Simrad, Garmin GMR 18 HD+, Raymarine Quantum 2 and Furuno DRS2SDL+ all have radomes less than 2 feet in diameter. Satellite receivers might not sound sexy, but they're one of the most essential components of gear on any vessel. Shakespeare is taking aim at kayaks, inflatables, jet skis and other crafts that need an emergancy antenna with the Galaxy INFL8-5. This five-foot VHF antenna folds into a small pouch and unfurls for mounting via hook and loop straps. The package also includes an adapter to fit handheld VHF devices in addition to fixed units.
Now on to Autopilots coming to a shelf near you. Like radomes, autopilots have become smaller and more affordable. Products like Garmin's Smartpump, Lowrance's Outboard Pilot and Raymarine's Evolution Autopilot are lowering the learning curve for helmsmen new to autopilot systems. Many also integrate manual takeover and automatic course correction for obstacle avoidance. The latest trend in autopilot technology is gesture controls. Furuno's NavPilot 300 includes a Bluetooth-enabled, handheld remote that lets pilots alter course by pointing in the desired direction and pressing a button. Elsewhere in gesture control, Garmin has paired its all-new Force trolling motor with a similar device. And while autopilot for years has been a feature in top-level trolling motors - like the Ultrex and Ulterra from Minn Kota - Garmin is the first company to integrate gesture control with a trolling motor, earning a 2019 ICAST Best of Show trophy. Meanwhile, hydraulic autopilot systems are incorporating algorithms and self-learning software. Raymarine's Hydro-Balance technology automatically compensates for deficiencies in vessel hydraulic systems, adjusting for variables such as propeller walk and off-balance steering rams.
Mounts, chargers and more.... JL Marine Systems' Power-Pole Charge is a battery-management system that constantly monitors the flow of power among onboard batteries to keep them charged. When connected engine is running, the system can refill accessory batteries. Excess power from accessory batteries can also be transferred to the cranking battery, ensuring that juice is always available to fire up the engine. The Charge is most commonly seen on bass boats. Precision Sonar, meanwhile, is distributing Rub Rail Lights, which replaces a vessel's rub rail with an all-new rail embedded with customizable, energy-efficient lighting. New to the lineup of adapters is the JL Marine Systems Gateway. Gateway connects accessories like JL Marine's popular Power-Pole to NMEA 2000 communication platforms like VesselView, Lowrance and SIMRAD via C-Monster Network to control accessories within that network.
Be on the look out for these awesome new gadgets!