Panbo

The Marine Technology Hub

Panbo News and Reviews

9

LiFePO4 / Network & control / Electrical & Engines

Mastervolt MLi 12/1250 premium system integraged LiFePO4 battery

Mastervolt’s MLi batteries are some of the most capable, premium batteries in the marine marketplace today. With features like native MasterBus, CZone, and NMEA 2000 support they underpin some of the most complex marine installations you can find. These batteries are built on a foundation of quality, engineering, and reliability. The 12-volt, 1250 watt hour battery is the smallest entry into the line but gives up nothing to its larger brothers and sisters. The obvious question is, how do I benefit from this battery and how is it different from others in the marketplace? Let’s take a look at the battery and what it can do.

11

Wireless & Apps / Network & control / The future / NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K / Monitoring & Tracking

DBMIBS 2025: Digital Yacht’s NjordLINK developer friendly boat monitoring solution

Digital Yacht’s streak of specialized and interesting NMEA 2000 products continues with NjordLINK. NjordLINK is a $139 gateway that connects to a boat WiFi network and shares data from the NMEA 2000 network with Digital Yacht’s Njord cloud. But, NjordLINK and the Njord cloud aren’t just a one way repository of data. Digital Yacht plans an entire ecosystem of cloud apps that can alert the boat owner and send data back to the boat.

23

Wireless & Apps / Communications

Starlink 2025, here we go again

I’ve run out of ways to say that Starlink changes things a lot. My most frequent refrain about SpaceX’s low earth orbit satellite internet offering is the only constant is change. For a while, it looked like they were going to make a liar out of me. We haven’t seen much change recently. But fear not! Starlink is back with another round of major changes. This time those changes affect their mobile priority data and plans and most notably, eliminate unlimited high speed data from those offers.

10

Cabin & deck gear / What's on board...

DBMIBS 2025: Dometic DG3 Gyroscopic Stabilizer

Dometic made quite the splash at the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show this year. They introduced the DG3 gyroscopic stabilizer and with that introduction launched an advertising blitz. Ads for the DG3 were everywhere: on the floor of the convention center, on the walls, and seemingly everywhere you looked. Obviously, Dometic thinks the launch of a new gyro is a big deal and I agree.

24

Sailing & Racing / Navigation / Charts

Simrad NSS 4, a new Simrad flagship chart plotter

It’s been three years since Simrad introduced the NSX at the 2022 Miami International Boat Show. That chart plotter was the first to run Simrad parent Navico’s new Neon operating system. At the time, I expected that Simrad would introduce new models across their line running the Neon. Although that took a bit longer than many, myself included, may have expected, that’s just what they’ve done. The new NSS 4 — and corporate sibling Zeus SR — updates the flagship of their lines with new hardware and a crisp, modern operating system.

6

LiFePO4 / Electrical & Engines / The future

DBMIBS 2025: Lithium Pros’ sodium-ion starting battery

Lithium Pros regularly pushes the state of art in marine batteries forward and they’ve done it again. This time with, to the best of my knowledge, the first sodium-ion in the marine marketplace. Their S2460 is designed primarily as a starting battery. Sodium-ion batteries have grabbed attention for their temperature flexibility, tolerance for deep discharge, and improved raw materials availability. Although it is early days for these batteries, it is quite exciting to see them available for purchase.

0

Wireless & Apps / Navigation / Safety & SAR

DBMIBS 2025: FLIR Ocean Scout Pro

I’m trying something a little different for my coverage of this year’s Miami show. I am going to try and produce a series of short videos with company representatives introducing their products. First up is FLIR’s Ocean Scout Pro thermal monocular. FLIR’s Jim McGowan gives us an overview of the new thermal scope.

6

Wireless & Apps / Network & control / Communications / NMEA 2000, 0183 & Signal K

Icom’s M510 Evo VHF radio, a modern feature packed radio with an app

Icom introduced the world to its M510 about 3 and a half years ago. The M510 came with a slew of features including a bright, crisp color display, WiFi, AIS receive option, remote CommandMic second station capability, and control of the radio via a phone app. However, access to a NMEA 2000 network as well as hailer functionality required a separate interface box. Now, Icom has refreshed the M510 line with the M510 Evo. The Evo offers all the M510’s features and NMEA 2000 and a hailer with listen-back in a single unit. So, with a new radio from Icom and a new boat for me, the timing was for an extended test on the water.

4

LiFePO4 / Editors' Blog / Safety & SAR / The Trade

ABYC 2025 Standards Week, improving safety and evolving standards

ABYC published their first lithium-ion battery standard in the summer of 2022. At the time, I wrote an entry on the standard and expressed some concerns about some requirements not in the standard as well as a strong reliance on manufacturers’ documentation and specifications. My first paragraph began with the words, “I’m not an expert on the many intricacies involved in getting a standard ratified.” Attending this year’s ABYC Standards Week provided me with a deeper understanding of the process. Additionally, since I had some concerns about the initial version, it only seems fair that I participate in its revision. So, here’s what I’ve learned so far.

4

LiFePO4 / Getting Technical / Editors' Blog / Wireless & Apps / Network & control / Safety & SAR / Electrical & Engines / The future

Getting Technical: Top tier technologies

Innovation in the past five years or so has been a little bit lumpy. The impacts of a global pandemic, followed by severe supply-chain shortages, slowed the pace of product introductions and advancements. Even so, three major innovations are hitting the marine marketplace with a big splash. Each one is changing the way boaters use their boats, and leaving a lasting imprint on the industry.