Monthly Archive: June 2026

4

The Q Experience from Next Four, A fresh take on chart plotters

Rarely do I have the opportunity to review a truly new chart plotter. For as long as I have been reviewing equipment, chart plotters come from Furuno, Garmin, Navico, or Raymarine. So, it is pretty exciting for me to get my hands on a truly new line of chart plotters. Although NextFour’s Q Experience is new to me and Panbo readers, Q is not as new as you might think. The company just marked ten years of building chart plotters designed to feel as natural as a smartphone. Panboat has spent the past several weeks running around with a dual-display unit suction-cupped to the helm, and I’m ready to share my early impressions. Is Q really as natural to use as your phone? Let’s find out.

6

TZ iBoat 4 comes to Android with a redesigned navigation experience

Nobletec today announced the release of TZ iBoat 4, a major update to its mobile navigation app, now available on Android for the first time. This update introduces a new design and a reimagined navigation experience, along with key features and enhancements designed to better support users at sea. The new design delivers a more intuitive and streamlined experience, allowing users to move seamlessly between dedicated screens, each tailored to a specific use. Enhancements to the Weather feature bring…

14

Safiery Solid State battery – testing begins

Over the last few months, I’ve been hearing some rumbling about Safiery’s new solid state batteries and the sublime specs they offer. So, it was a bit of good fortune when I ran into Bruce Loxton, the man behind Safiery’s impressive mix of products, at the Palm Beach International Boat Show. A short conversation with Bruce left me excited about what the batteries offer and his promise to send me a battery got my wheels spinning. How would I test this battery and just what is it capable of delivering?