Panbo

The Marine Technology Hub

Category: The Trade

Vessel Vanguard, world’s largest boat systems database? 28

Electrical & Engines / The Trade

Vessel Vanguard, world’s largest boat systems database?

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When I first met Don Hyde, founder of Vessel Vanguard, and his business development guy Gordon Ramseier at IBEX, I may have been a little hard on them. That’s because a similar plan to put all of a boat’s system information into the cloud had gotten me excited last summer, but then seemed to stall. I’d realized that doing this right meant arduously creating a huge yet flexible database of specs, manuals, parts lists, bulletins, maintenance recommendations etc. for thousands of different bilge pumps, AC units, marine toilets, etc. etc. So I came at Don and Gordon with something like “Show me your database!” and, by golly, they did…

METS 2011, a Kees Verruijt report 8

AIS / The Trade / NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K

METS 2011, a Kees Verruijt report

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Today I {Kees Verruijt} did a one day tour of the 2011 Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam. I knew before I started that it would be a hopeless task to cover everything so this is just my own take on things… This year is the first year that Ben had introduced me as the official Panbo representative and I was surprised at how much ‘clout’ I was carrying. This turned out to be both positive (people take you seriously) and a negative — some manufacturers clearly stated that some things were under embargo and they did not care for publication just yet…

Today I {Kees Verrujit} did a one day tour of the 2011 Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam. I knew before I started that it would be a hopeless task to cover everything so this is just my own take on things… This year is the first year that Ben had introduced me as the official Panbo representative and I was surprised at how much ‘clout’ I was carrying. This turned out to be both positive (people take you seriously) and a negative — some manufacturers clearly stated that some things were under embargo and they did not care for publication just yet…

NMEA 2011 Technology Award, the pace quickens 7

The Trade

NMEA 2011 Technology Award, the pace quickens

The Florida trip was a hell of lot more fun than the virus problems I came home to. For instance, just like last year’s NMEA Technology Award, I got to accessorize my noggin with an interesting gadget (though I’ve worn weirder). In this case it’s a David Clark Co. marine intercom system, which now has a wireless gateway that the company had nominated for the award. To test its claimed 300 foot range, my fellow judge Bill Bishop hiked down to the end of the Expo hall and eventually outside the huge building, all the while chatting with myself and third judge Tim Queeney, all of us in a beautifully noise-cancelled full duplex sonic cocoon. Though it’s quite expensive, Clark really has this technology down. There’s even a virtual lady in there somewhere who tells you when you’ve lost or regained contact with the base station…

America’s Cup 34, hat’s off to Stan Honey 8

The Trade / Zany

America’s Cup 34, hat’s off to Stan Honey

Oracle_AC45_capsizing_in_SF_courtesy_Reuters.jpg

Last week in San Francisco, Russell Coutts probably did the America’s Cup racing program a great service when he not only capsized an AC 45, but personally took a dramatic header right through its wing sail, all before a fleet of press boats!  You want to see the video.  Heck, Charlie Doane admits to watching the crash “about fifty times” and looking forward to more. I like a shot of NASCAR in my sailboat racing, too, but I’ll bet that an equally important element in making this sport more popular will be the broadcast TV wizardry being spearheaded by the remarkable Stan Honey…

MTA: Where we buy marine electronics 9

The Trade

MTA: Where we buy marine electronics

MTA_survey_sourcing_data.jpg

The MTA 2011 Survey is still underway. In fact, we could really use more responses. Yes, we’re running it a bit later this year, and boating season has begun for many, but remember the goal of helping marine electronics manufacturers and distributors to better understand what we want and how we buy stuff. Your response, for instance, might help to confirm or modify the following MTA analysis of which sources are on the rise, and which aren’t…

MTA: Reliability or price, what matters most? 1

The Trade

MTA: Reliability or price, what matters most?

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As I hope you know, the 2011 MTA marine electronics survey is underway right now, but what follows is another in a series of entries derived from the 2010 survey. As usual, I’m a bit amazed at how the MTA guys can slice and dice out of our opinions. Frankly, market intelligence is more mysterious to me than all the wires on Gizmo, but I do get how this could help the industry serve us better. At any rate, please take the 2011 survey, and here’s MTA….

MTA Survey 2011, let’s do it! 6

The Trade

MTA Survey 2011, let’s do it!

MTA_survey_brand_awareness_and_perception.jpg

The MTA Spring 2011 Survey is ready for your input.  One of several sections I’ll be quite interested in is the one where respondents write in the marine electronics brands that have exceeded or fallen below their expectations. As discussed last April, the results indicate both brand recognition and perception, and I wonder if we’ll see any significant changes. The poll is very similar to last year’s, taking about twenty minutes and earning either Doctors Without Borders or Internews (your choice) one dollar. The major reward, though, is the chance to let the industry know what you want. The MTA 2011 Survey awaits.