Summer is here, and that means the weather is perfect for taking your boat out on the water. It’s also the season for boating manufacturers to debut the innovations they’ve been working on during the off-season. What boating novelties are making waves this summer?
Gyroscopic Stabilization to Counter Seasickness
Roughly a third of the global population suffers from seasickness, and not everyone can manage it with anti-nausea medication or acupressure wristbands. Soon, they might not have to worry about getting their sea legs at all. Technology is starting to catch up with the boating industry, in the form of a gyroscopic stabilizer installed on boats of trailerable size.
This technology-steeped craft, dubbed the Seakeeper, effectively eliminates up to 95% of boat roll. It doesn’t stop the up-and-down movement as the boat floats over the waves, but it keeps it from moving side to side, which is what tends to cause most motion sickness. This invention could entice a whole new generation of boaters to explore the water, especially if they’ve been avoiding it because they were worried about getting seasick.
Electric Inboards and Outboards for Green Boaters
Boating relies on oil and gasoline or diesel fuel, which means it isn’t the greenest activity. New electric inboards and outboards are starting to emerge to give you the tools you need to enjoy boating while reducing your carbon footprint. Torqueedo recently released a couple of new high-torque electric motors, as well as one for high-speed applications that won an Innovation Award at the Miami International Boat Show in 2019.
Torqueedo’s green motors also have a nine-year warranty on their battery capacity, so you never have to worry about getting stranded off the coast with a dead battery. If you want to shrink your carbon footprint, you don’t have to stay on land to do it. Swap your traditional inboard or outboard motor for an electric or hybrid option that will take you just as far without relying on fossil fuels to take you out to sea or bring you home.
Lightweight Outboards for Casual Boaters
There are always new outboard and inboard motors coming out every year, but not all of them make waves in the boating industry. The new 25- and 30-horsepower outboards by Suzuki are the lightest motors in their class, making them ideal for small craft that don’t need a trailer to move them to and from the water. The motor also contains a battery-less fuel injection system that eliminates even more weight from your boat. Plus, you never need to worry about ending up stranded with a dead battery!
Full-Color Low-Light Cameras for Nighttime Boating
Boating at night can be beautiful, but if you can’t see where you’re going, it can also be dangerous. That’s where Sionyx’s new camera comes in. Another Innovation Award winner for 2019, the Aurora Sport night vision camera helps you figure out where you’re going at night, but it doesn’t show you the landscape in the typical green-and-black color palette you usually associate with night vision. Instead, you can see in the dark in full color, which makes it easier to avoid obstacles and safely find your port of call for the night.
Now, these night visions cameras are no replacement for high-quality navigation and searchlights that will help keep you safe while you’re boating at night. They simply give you an edge to help you navigate once the sun sets or help you avoid obstacles you might not be able to see otherwise. Don’t neglect your lights just because you can see in the dark. You never know what might sneak up on you.
The Future of Boating
These are only a few examples of innovations in the boating industry that are making waves this summer. While you might not be able to get your hands on a Seakeeper to manage your aquatic nausea, the technology is there, and it will continue to grow and evolve in the coming years.
Most of the innovations we’ve seen for 2019 revolve around keeping boaters safer and working toward making the boating industry greener. Whether you’re renting a yacht for a party or taking a little dinghy out for a day of fishing, there are plenty of new and exciting boating inventions to keep you afloat and entertained while you’re exploring your local waterways.