DAME Awards: Torqeedo, Navionics, DeLorme, & Furuno

Torqeedo_Deep_Blue_video_capture.jpg

They did it! Torqeedo has apparently pulled off a giant leap in electric outboard technology with Deep Blue, an 80hp motor that can give even a sizable boat some serious gitty-up. I heard a little about it at IBEX — like there may be a 440v lithium battery involved — and I’m sure the Torqeedo site will reveal much more soon. What we do know now is that the METS DAME Design Award judges “inspected 115 products from 25 countries” and first chose Deep Blue as one of 39 nominees (PDF here), then as winner of the propulsion category and finally as the grand DAME that “will bring great benefits to both the users and builders of marine craft.” Other interesting products were also honored in Amsterdam this morning…



The winner in the Marine Electronics & Related Software category (also called Marine Equipment and Related Software in some places) was Navionics SonarCharts, the crowd-sourced depth soundings collection and distribution system that’s just about to come out. I’ve contributed data as part of the beta testing, which was easy, and in Fort Lauderdale I saw samples of the new-style “fishing” charts that result, which looked great, but I’m hoping to learn and share a lot more about how this is going to work.

Navionics_SonarChart_illustration.jpg

Meanwhile Furuno NavNet TZ Touch got a Special Mention in the same category, much as it did in NMEA Technology Awards, and isn’t there an argument that it should have won both? In the safety category the DeLorme inReach I just tested for 1,000 miles added a DAME to its remarkable trophy collection, and the Special Mentions in that category — Ocean Safety’s AQ40 lifejacket LED and Odeo’s Mk2 laser flare (below) — also seem worthy. There’s even an electronic aspect to the winner of the furnishings category, Vision Systems’ SPD Smart Nuance dimmable glass (which I remember well from touring the Choey Lee Alpha 76).
   See anything else of interest on the lists, or on the floor of METS?  I can tell you that some products are so new that no one knows about them until today, and that includes what’s by far the world’s smallest PLB, which you’ll hear about tomorrow. 

Odeo_marine_laser_flare.jpg



Ben Ellison

Ben Ellison

Panbo editor, publisher & chief bottlewasher from 4/2005 until 8/2018, and now pleased to have Ben Stein as a very able publisher, webmaster, and editing colleague. Please don't regard him as an "expert"; he's getting quite old and thinks that "fadiddling fumble-putz" is a more accurate description.

11 Responses

  1. Dan Corcoran (b393capt) says:

    You asked about anything interesting to us?
    How about:
    – Actisense – Engine Monitoring Unit (EMU-1) analog –> n2k, is there an advertised price?
    – New sensors from Maretron, Airmar, and others ? (I don’t see any listed)
    – Any innovation in the area of ultrasonic or other tank sensors (water, fuel, waste)?
    – Any new announcements on the TackTick product line?
    – Any practical solutions to reading iPad’s in bright sunlight? Special coatings? Special sun glasses?
    – Anything new in the area of combined chargers / inverters. E.g. Victron Energy, Mastervolt ?

  2. Batteryman says:

    Did you see
    http://www2.raymarine.eu/free-apps
    Wish I had seen this two months ago 🙁

  3. Kees says:

    Hi Dan,
    I’ve been ‘hired’ by Ben again. Actisense, Airmar, Maretron, Victron and Mastervolt were on my list already. I’ll keep an eye out for your other requests.

  4. Hendrik says:

    Snif,
    Have Tickets for METS and the train , but don’t have the time.
    I’m seeing prices at PRScomms GBP 354 for EMU-1 and GBP 275 at JGtech.
    Contacted Actisense and first production is now planned in februari 2013
    http://www.prscomms.com/productimages/Actisense/emu-1.jpg

  5. Ben Ellison Ben Ellison says:

    Good catch, Batteryman! I just got the announcement and am happy to add that Raymarine’s free app offer lasts until January 13. Stock up!

  6. Batteryman says:

    It looks like Actisense are getting in on the act like Noland with their MD33 engine monitoring system.
    It was noted on this site I think thst the Noland version got its power from the lan and this broke some rules. I have no data yet on the Actisense unit, and rules or no rules, I am interesting in what actually works for me.

  7. Hendrik says:

    Since Noland RS11 is not working as wished on my boat.
    And Maretron won’t help me with their EMS100 for my Yanmar 6LP like Yamaha ME432 diesel.
    I got all my hopes up to the EMU-1 to connect to my Simrad plotters and Gofree Ipad(s).
    Want to use an ipad mini on the dash as engine panel.
    (Who can write me an App?)

  8. Kees says:

    Batteryman,
    It looks as if the new Noland MD33 fixes the issues that the RS11 had (see https://panbo.com/archives/2010/05/noland_rs11_analog_to_nmea_2000_engine_monitoring.html ).
    Hendrik,
    Can you explain why the RS11 doesn’t work for you?

  9. Hendrik says:

    Noland service was great, they replaced the unit three times.
    With version 1 I had problems with the Tach that was not stable.
    The second one seized working after a few months use.
    The third one had the same issue as the second on after about 6 months use.

  10. boatpad says:

    Deep Blue means what? I have not see it at to toqedoo website.

  11. Ben Ellison Ben Ellison says:

    Watch the video at the top of this page:
    http://www.torqeedo.com/us/
    I’m sure more detail on the Deep Blue electric outboard will be there soon.

Join the conversation

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *