Odds are good you’ve made a special nonslip shoe when country-music crooners are just as eager to buy it as Florida Keys fishermen.

That’s what is happening with the Rogue Wave line from Huk—which is pronounced hook, if you want to sound like the cool kids out there. The South Carolina-based company launched its Rogue Wave line in 2020, and its 6-inch boot remains popular today. Huk just added a lower-profile men’s shoe and a women’s clog, in response to customers from warmer cruising grounds in Florida and the Bahamas, with the company’s Grip-X Slice outsole for traction on fiberglass boats.

Skippers, though, aren’t the only ones who’ve found this footwear. Scott Smith, Huk’s vice president of marketing, says a country-music artist recently spoke on a podcast about doing a sound check in the rain, and he said, “Buddy, these boots ain’t slippin’.” Now the country-music crowd is clamoring to buy them too, as are guys in the pressure-washing business, who are ordering them by the case. “It provides the grip,” Smith says. “It provides the protection they need to do their job.”

The traction in that Grip-X Slice outsole comes from a grid pattern. “Each little pod is a 360-degree traction control,” Smith says. “No matter whether you’re going forward, sideways or backwards, it will rotate with you and really lock you into that fiberglass hull.”

On the men’s shoe, there’s also an 8 mm neoprene kick plate. It flexes down to slide a foot in, then pulls up.

“We talked to a bunch of guys we work with, and one of them was telling me how nice it is to just slip into it when he gets into the truck and heads down to the dock,” Smith says. “Then when he gets to the boat, he pulls it up for stability.”

The whole Rogue Wave line, Smith adds, is meant to handle all kinds of action around the water: “We use a really pliable proprietary rubber. That’s one of the things that makes our boot different. It moves better as you move, without giving up durability.”  

Take the next step: huk.com

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Full wrap. Thin temples. Arched brow. Integrated side shields. Vented adjustable nose pads. Bioacetate frames. Recycled fishing-net frames. Upcycled plastic frames. Tri-Pel lens coating. Bio-based polarized lenses. Sports hinges. Spring hinges.

The list could go on for pages when describing all the features and options available these days for buying sunglasses—with styles now also being made not just for use on the water, but in particular for use on fresh or salt water, and during inland or offshore boating and fishing.

Some brands are going so far as to get species-specific when describing new sunglasses options. Bajio, in announcing its Zapata style, told this story: “This frame was named after the Zapata swamp in Cuba. Felipe, a local legend, lives there, teaching kids to fly-fish in the streets. This swamp is infested with permit, bonefish, snook, tarpon, snapper and barracuda. They are keen to eat anything in front of them, so we made a frame you can feed them in.”

Polarized lenses and ultraviolet protection are standard features in performance eyewear these days, as are hydrophobic and oleophobic lens coatings that repel water, sunscreen and more out on the boat and back at the beach. At the same time, there really are differences between, say, needing the best lens and frame shape for spotting fish in the shallows, and needing the best glare protection at high noon on a flybridge slathered in bright-white gelcoat.

It’s the basics plus the nuances that create a great pair of sunglasses for any activity—all the more reason to have multiple pairs on board.

A Pair for Every Activity

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In 2013, I purchased a 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt display, which I’ve used as a docking station for multiple generations of Mac mini black-box computers. The monitor still looks great, but more important is its longevity and the relatively affordable price of Mac minis. I’ve enjoyed better, faster computing without purchasing new glass. And should my trusty display fail, I only need to replace the monitor, not the entire setup.

I’m sure Apple’s marketing department would love to claim credit for inspiring my setup; however, it’s more likely that I got the idea from the marinized black-box computers and stand-alone displays that I’ve seen aboard high-end yachts.

Marinized computers come in two forms: all-in-one multifunction displays, and black-box chart plotters that use a separate networked display. While MFDs work well, black-box chart plotters allow owners to refresh their yacht’s computational powers without replacing compatible glass, which can be expensive and sometimes complicated to install.

Furuno and Garmin both have newer black-box offerings. Let’s start by looking at Furuno’s.

Furuno TZTBBX

In early 2024, Furuno released its line of NavNet TZtouchXL MFDs. Now some eight months later, the company has released the NavNet TZtouchXL Black Box Chart Plotter ($4,100).

“The TZTBBX is a compact processor with the same processing capacity as other TZtouchXL-series MFDs,” says Matt Wood, Furuno’s national sales manager. The TZT2BB has dual processors and dual video outputs in one housing. Its single hexacore processor and single video board allow it to drive a single touch-enabled display.

That last bit means users can also buy off-the-shelf splitters, allowing TZTBBXs to run multiple or mirrored screens.

Wood says the TZTBBX is “by far” the smallest black-box chart plotter that Furuno has built across six generations of black-box offerings. “It has a single HDMI output [and input], which can drive an 8-inch marinized display up to a 75- or 80-inch TV,” he says. “It’s light and easy to install.”

The TZTBBX’s smaller form factor, he adds, makes it suitable for well-appointed center-consoles along with superyachts: “It’s small, but it punches above its weight.”

In addition, the TZTBBX has all the same features as Furuno’s flagship TZtouchXL MFDs. “There’s no gap in functionality,” Wood says. Features include Furuno’s eye-pleasing TZ Maps, which are built using data sourced from official hydrographic offices and supplemented with privately sourced data. They currently encompass Australian, European and North American waters.

TZTBBXs also have Furuno’s AI Routing feature, which determines safe routes using chart data and vessel-specific parameters such as draft and air draft. If a TZTBBX is paired with a Furuno DRS-NXT radar, the black-box chart plotter also delivers Furuno’s Risk Visualizer feature, which color-codes targets based on their threat level, and AI Avoidance, which calculates safe routing in real time around potentially dangerous targets.

While TZTBBXs come with TZ Maps, Wood says, owners of bigger yachts can run networked blended systems that involve a black-box chart plotter or an MFD along with a Windows-based PC running Timezero’s TZ Professional or TZ Navigator software. With this setup, the PC is often the primary navigation tool, while the black-box chart plotter provides networked sensor input to the Windows-based computer.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” Wood says. “If we take the computer offline, or if we get the Windows blue screen of death, we can still navigate on our dedicated device.”

Garmin GPSMap 9500 Black Box

When it comes to big glass, Garmin’s 27-inch GPSMap 9000-series MFD leads the market. This series has impressive features, including large-format 4K screens, built-in Global Navigation Satellite System receivers, embedded LiveScope and Panoptix sonars, and the ability to support three downstream black-box sonars and to display Garmin Navionics+ cartography. Its four BlueNet ports, which hustle data at 1 gigabit per second, are most impressive.

More recently, the Olathe, Kansas-based technology giant released the GPSMap 9500 Black Box ($5,000). “It’s a GPSMap 9000-series MFD, but without the display,” says Dave Dunn, Garmin’s senior director of marine and RV sales. “The guts are exactly the same.”

Dunn says Garmin designed the GPSMap 9500 for owners of large yachts who use large marinized displays or TV screens and want more flexibility with their dash layouts and screen sizes.

“MFDs are great, but customers are limited to the screen sizes we offer,” he says, noting that each GPSMap 9500 Black Box can drive one touch-enabled screen.

This same flexibility, it turns out, makes the GPSMap 9500 Black Box attractive to owners of other vessels, including small boats. For example, Dunn says, some bass-boat owners are installing large-format displays on their bows that they network with GPSMap 9500 Black Boxes. The setup allows them to view Garmin LiveScope sonar returns.

“We’re seeing GPSMap 9500 in places we didn’t expect,” Dunn says. “They are a fraction of the cost of an MFD.”

Like the GPSMap 9000-series MFDs, GPSMap 9500 Black Boxes come with four BlueNet ports. “If you’re running more traffic on your network, BlueNet will shine,” Dunn says. BlueNet architecture can easily support Garmin’s Surround View Camera System, which uses six factory-installed cameras to deliver live bird’s-eye and 360-degree imagery around a yacht, plus distance markers for docking as well as third-party thermal-imaging cameras, digital-switching systems, radars, black-box sonars and other downstream instrumentation.

“We tried to be as expandable as possible,” Dunn says. “If you run out of BlueNet ports, you can expand your system with a network switch.”

Also, GPSMap 9500 Black Boxes can be added to existing Garmin ecosystems using Garmin Marine Network adapter cables.

The GPSMap 9500 Black Box’s BlueNet ports, Dunn says, create a future-proof system that can handle heavy data loads. BlueNet’s 1 Gbps bandwidth—one can imagine—will also be important if and when Garmin releases autonomous docking or autonomous navigation features.

GPSMap 9500 Black Box systems also come with high-bandwidth digital content protection distribution, allowing customers to enjoy the same multimedia content across all networked screens.

Alternative Interfaces

Furuno’s TZTBBX and Garmin’s GPSMap 9500 both support third-party touchscreen displays, but touch-based user interfaces don’t always pair well with sloppy seas. Furuno’s optional MCU006 and MCU006H (horizontal) controllers have RotoKey and buttons, while Garmin’s optional Wireless Remote Control (GRID 20 Vertical and GRID 20 Horizontal) offers hard-key user interfaces. 

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Boat-show season is the time when new-product announcements drop faster than daylight hours. This is great news for anyone looking to upgrade a boat’s electronics, and it’s also a chance to see all the fascinating ideas that have been percolating in companies’ R&D departments.

As you’re touring the docks and tents, keep an eye out for these products, which are all worth a closer look.

Fusion

While achieving playlist consensus can be tricky, all ears can agree that high-quality speakers outperform the low-end alternatives. Fusion’s Apollo speakers ($550 to $800) and subwoofers ($450 to $950) use redesigned motors and composite materials for everyone’s listening pleasure at higher volumes. Embedded dual-hue LED lighting, hexagonal-shaped tweeters and interchangeable grills enhance the onboard aesthetics. The coaxial speakers come in three sizes—6.5, 7.7 and 8.8 inches—and the subwoofers are available in 10- and 12-inch models. Apollo speakers and subwoofers have IP66/IP67 environmental ratings as well as marinized connectors, and are optimized to work with Fusion-built stereos.

Garmin

Seeing is believing, and Garmin’s GC 255 Flush Mount Camera makes it easier to believe that an approach to the dock will be successful. The GC 255 ($1,000) comes bundled in a stainless-steel body and delivers up to 1080p high-resolution imagery across a 160-by-90-degree field of view. It can present bird’s-eye, fish-eye or standard views, along with vessel-specific distance markers and customizable guidance lines that help to defang docking and close-quarters maneuvers. The GC 255 has an IPX7 rating, weighs 22.9 ounces, measures 3.2-by-3.2-by-3.3 inches, and has a plug-and-play setup with compatible Garmin-built multifunction displays.

JL Audio

This brand arrived at the fall shows with two new options for generating good times afloat. The MM55 ($400) provides full stereo control via its eight hard buttons, volume-control knob and 2.8-inch color screen, while the white-box MM55-HR ($350) networks with a compatible multifunction display or JL Audio-built controller for its user interface to provide a clean-looking helm. Both stereos support three audio zones, each with dedicated subwoofer outputs and independent or unified volume controls. They also sport built-in 100-watt amplifiers and digital AM/FM tuners. Additionally, both stereos have Bluetooth, USB 2.0 and NMEA 2000 connectivity, and come with auxiliary inputs for connecting external analog devices.

Lumitec

Visibility is paramount for safe anchoring and nocturnal operations. Lumitec’s Contour Masthead Combo Light is designed to ensure that a vessel can be seen from at least 3 nautical miles. The slim, lightweight light is available with an antenna mount ($250) or an Angler motorized base ($1,050) that raises and lowers the light as needed. Both versions have a 225-degree masthead light, a 360-degree anchor light and a 135-degree stern light that sit atop a 39-inch shaft. (Custom lengths are available.) Both are certified to US Coast Guard and National Marine Manufacturers Association standards.

Maretron

The WSV200 MConnect Web Server lets users take deep dives into their NMEA 2000 networks. Users can view graphically rich custom-built or pre-built user-interface screens for a wealth of vessel and systems data. Boaters also can access the MConnect Web Server ($600) while aboard using a compatible networked multifunction display, or from afar using embedded virtual private networks and any third-party device that has a web browser. Each MConnect can pair to two NMEA 2000 networks and more than 400 N2K data points. MConnect black boxes can also connect with digital-switching systems (third-party and Maretron-built systems), giving owners and three other users the ability to control and monitor systems and real-time information via a single platform. Additionally, each MConnect has an RJ45 Ethernet port, a USB 3.0 port and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity.

Sea.AI

Optical-based systems for collision avoidance are one of the most exciting instruments in years, but adding a full system can be redundant for boaters who already cruise with thermal-imaging cameras. Sea.AI’s Brain ($8,990) is a black-box system that processes imagery from a compatible thermal-imaging camera (one that conforms with the Open Network Video Interface Forum’s Profile S standards) and applies its embedded AI to detect nonwater objects in the video feed to provide warnings and alarms. Sea.AI’s Brain has three operating modes (collision avoidance, 360-degree surveillance and manual), and it’s compatible with Android, Apple iOS and Windows operating systems. Sea.AI’s Brain connects to a thermal-imaging camera via Ethernet, and it connects to a third-party device via Wi-Fi. Boaters use third-party software to display their camera’s video feed—plus Brain-detected targets and alarms—on their device.

Siren Marine

For years, connected-boat technology was mostly reserved for vessels with lengthy waterlines. This changed when Siren Marine introduced the Siren 3 for tenders and outboard-powered side rides. Each Siren 3 ($300) can network with six Siren-built wireless sensors (including bilge, high-water, entry and temperature sensors) via SirenWave, which is Siren Marine’s proprietary communications protocol. Additionally, each Siren 3 system can monitor one hard-wired battery, network with the boat’s NMEA 2000 backbone, and network with Yamaha’s Command Link network. Users can monitor all the information using a smartphone or smartwatch, and via the Siren Connected Boat app. Siren 3 is designed to be DIY or builder-installed, and it has a new internal antenna that makes it fit aboard smaller rides easier than its big brother, the Siren 3 Pro.

Tocaro Blue

Radars may be powerful sensors, but they can be challenging to read, especially for occasional users. Tocaro Blue’s Proteus Hub ($2,950) simplifies this task by connecting to a vessel’s NMEA 2000 data backbone and accessing networked radar and sensor data (depth, automatic identification system, heading and location information). Tocaro Blue’s ProteusCore software then applies AI machine learning to remove radar clutter and determine the nature of each target, such as buoys, markers and vessels. The system communicates with the radar to help optimize target detection, and it leverages the radar feed along with data from other networked sensors to predict the movement of its own vessel and all gathered targets over a 30-second horizon. This information is presented on a compatible multifunction display as a two-dimensional top-down map or a 3D view. Users can jump between views to find their best presentational fit.

The post New Yacht Tech for a New Season appeared first on Yachting.

The big one is coming: “The most powerful storm ever seen on Earth will form from a cluster of convective supercells sometime around 2100. The hurricane will be presaged by a half-century of droughts, wildfires, floods, famine and sea-level rise.” And New York City will take a direct hit: “Those lucky enough to live in a modern, structurally sound skyscraper in midtown or upper Manhattan will watch from upper floors as foaming brown channels of water rush through the streets and float cars, ferries, trees and buses down Third Avenue and Broadway.”

Mercy.

This dire, doomsday forecast is just one arresting moment in award-winning writer Porter Fox’s book Category Five: Superstorms and the Warming Oceans That Feed Them. For seafarers, especially, this work is vitally important.

Fox comes from a sailing family. His father, Crozer, was a Maine boatbuilder who founded Able Marine, maker of the salty Whistler line of yachts. A few years ago, Fox and I sailed together on mutual friend John Kretschmer’s cutter in the Caribbean. (Full disclosure: That voyage plays a significant role in Category Five.)

Fox’s previous book, The Last Winter, was a deep dive into the effects of climate change to northern climes. Category Five is another examination of extreme weather, but unveiled on a much broader canvas: the vast oceans from which all weather derives.

Literally and figuratively, Category Five covers a lot of water. It delves deeply into the scientific realms of oceanography and meteorology that shape our contemporary understanding of the seas, and the ways oceans “have shaped the arc of human civilization and the genesis and growth of nations throughout history.”

What makes this book such an absorbing read, however, is the sometimes eccentric and always eclectic cast of characters—all intensely intertwined with the oceans across multiple pursuits, studies and disciplines.

Kretschmer, a lifelong offshore sailor and noted marine author, is the first of these characters; his harrowing tale of getting ambushed at sea by lethal Hurricane Bob in 1991 is not for the faint of heart. Next is Jimmy Cornell, a Romanian refugee turned broadcaster and then circumnavigator; his oceanic obsessions led to a career in nautical publishing, and his book Cornell’s Ocean Atlas charts the snowballing growth and intensity of tropical cyclones.

Then there are the scientists. From his base in South Florida, Greg Foltz of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was able to enter the eye of Hurricane Sam virtually in the North Atlantic—with 125 mph winds swirling—via a 20-foot unmanned sail drone, a vessel “never intended to outrun hurricanes, [but] designed to sail into them.” The builder of that drone, oceanographer Richard Jenkins, launched his career chasing land-speed records across lake and salt beds in wind-powered vehicles.

And then there’s “carbon modeler” Galen McKinley, whose studies “transect many fields: computer science, oceanography and climate science.” She’s a carbon-dioxide detective, chasing a riddle with elusive clues. Fox writes: “The journey of CO₂ from the sky to the ocean—where gradients, currents and processes yet to be fully defined either sequester or release it into the air—was in fact the tale of climate change itself, of our fate on this warming planet, and of the future of superstorms. I wanted to see the carbon cycle for myself and find some answers.”

Woven through it all is Fox’s journey as a sailor charting his own course through life, the son of an enigmatic father who navigated his own bumpy seaway. In that regard, Category Five is not only a beautifully written rumination and dissertation, but also a memoir. One that comes from a mariner. One of us.  

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Boat shows brutalize your feet. Yes, mile after mile of boats looks like a dream come true, but wearing the wrong shoes can make walking the docks a nightmare.

Yachting Editor-in-Chief Patrick Sciacca feared the worst as he placed a brand-new pair of Amberjack loafers into his suitcase when bound for a show earlier this year.

“I was expecting sore feet at the end of a day, maybe even a few blisters, but none of it came to fruition,” Sciacca says. “The shoes have an almost sneaker-like sole and a well-cushioned lining, making the loafers comfortable over the long haul, about 45 miles in my case. Additionally, they easily slid on and off my feet, a benefit when you’re constantly stepping on and off boats at a show.”

None of that is by accident, says John Peters, Amberjack’s CEO. He founded the company in 2019 because, like our editor, he wanted style without pain.

“In dress shoes, you had some really comfortable stuff, but style was an afterthought,” Peters says. “And conversely, you had the handmade beautiful brands, but they hurt your feet. We wanted to combine style and comfort—look beautiful but feel good.”

Read More: Discover 21 Incredible Boating Gifts to Wow Enthusiasts This Holiday Season

The trick, he says, is that Amberjack does extensive testing on the insole, which molds to the individual’s foot over time with every wearing. The company also uses customer feedback and testing to create a fit that works for most men within a given size range.

“Everybody’s feet are different,” Peters says. “If you took a hundred guys at Size 9, you’ll have a hundred different types. That’s the complexity of mass production in getting that fit correct. We try really, really hard to get as many feet as we can into that spectrum.”

Leather is by far the most popular style customers choose, he adds, which is why Amberjack is also “maniacal” about getting that element right.

“Every single batch is different,” he says. “You have to have so much manual filtering and processing [of] the hide that give you a beautiful, natural look. You don’t want it to crease quickly. You want it to retain its structure, but you also want it loose enough to be comfortable.”  

Sustainability

Amberjack places a priority on sourcing its materials from reputable, sustainable tanneries. Lesser facilities do not properly dispose of waste. “They’ll just dump this stuff in the river or the lake,” says CEO John Peters. “We only work with the highest level of certification.”

Tender-Ready

Amberjack’s shoes are non-marking with nonslip soles. Natural leather styles resist water on their own. Suede styles are treated to hold up too. “That’s not to say you can walk underwater with our shoes,” Peters says, “but they are treated with a water-repellent coating.”

Take the next step: amberjack.shop

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ACR ResQLink AIS PLB-450

The more ears that hear a call for help, the better chance there is to get it sooner. Add in greater position accuracy and you get the ACR ResQLink AIS PLB-450. This personal locator beacon uses AIS and 406 mHz frequencies to broadcast a user’s location. To help pinpoint that location, the PLB-450 harnesses the global navigation satellite system. When we tested the ACR ResQLink PLB-450 on land, the system quickly identified three satellites within view and acquired its first fix within 35 seconds, with a position accuracy of about 215 feet. The ability to add a wearable beacon that broadcasts to local vessels and rescuing authorities provides highly accurate location data The fact that the device broadcasts for 24-plus hours makes the ACR ResQLink PLB-450 an option for boaters of all types. 

ePropulsion X40 Outboard

The X40 is ePropulsion’s largest electric outboard in a three-model series, which also includes an X12 and X20. The engine’s number designation indicates power in kilowatts. When the company tested its X40 on a 20-foot V-hull aluminum boat, the engine produced a top speed of around 19.4 knots (22.3 mph), which it can maintain for one hour. Dial it back to 8.3 knots to double the run time. At 6.7 knots, it’s four hours. The X40 has 88.2 percent total powertrain efficiency. ePropulsion designed the engine’s electric steering, power trim and tilt, electric control unit and motor controller as a single unit.

Compass 11.1 Limo Tender

Yacht owners seeking an all-weather ride that accommodates 12 passengers from the big boat in a climate-controlled environment may want to consider the Compass 11.1 Limo tender. The cabin is outfitted with custom leather seating, a teak sole with an eye-catching geometric pattern, warm interior lighting that follows the curve of the superstructure, and a glass roof that opens and articulates in several directions. Windows are a clear-coat carbon fiber and provide ocean views at all points. There are steps forward and aft, as well as a swim platform to ensure seamless boarding in any scenario. The Compass 11.1 Limo tender is powered with a pair of twin 320 hp Yanmar diesels paired to sterndrives. Top speed is 34 knots, but with a great ride, what’s the rush?

Dockmate Dynamic Positioning

Dockmate’s Dynamic Positioning System is an upgrade to the company’s remote-control technology, adding next-level confidence for boat owners who are ready to take a break from being stuck at the helm when waiting for a bridge opening. The Dockmate hand-held remote control gives the skipper access to two modes. The first one is designed for operating on open water, where the positioning system uses only the engines to hold station. It will keep the vessel into the wind or current to stay in place. In close-quarters scenarios, Dockmate’s system will engage the engines and thrusters to stay on the waypoint. A 4-inch screen at the helm displays the vessel’s position at all times, and the skipper has the ability to activate the dynamic positioning system with the push of a button.

Furuno TZTouchXL

The latest from Furuno is an upgraded version of the TZtouch line of multifunction displays. Dubbed the TZtouchXL, these wide-bodied displays are not only equipped with faster processors, but they also deliver better imagery. In fact, they are the only displays that can render TimeZero’s TZ Maps. TZtouchXL displays come in 10-, 13-, 16-, 22– and 24-inch screen sizes, and have 1920-by-1080 high-definition displays, which highlight TZ Maps’ rich colors and bathymetric details. Skippers can also use Furuno’s AI Routing, where they select start and end points, and the software uses the chart’s bathymetric data to generate safe routes. Anglers can use this tech to access Furuno’s Dynamic Fishing Maps with five different resolution levels, including hybrid satellite and contour charts, and 3-inch contour lines to help pinpoint a hot bite.

SipaBoards

Imagine enjoying a relaxing morning paddle amid light winds but then finding yourself a bit farther from shore than you initially thought. What if there was the option of a power assist that could kick in and return you safely to your boat or terra firma? That was the thinking behind the SipaBoards line of power-assisted SUPs. Each of the three models—the Neo ($3,255), Tourer ($3,900) and AllRounder ($3,900)—has a water jet paired with a power-pack battery and a Bluetooth-enabled remote control. There’s also a self-inflate system to help ease the task of getting the boards prepped and ready for the water. Launched with a Kickstarter campaign in 2015, SipaBoards has now sold more than 5,000 SUPs in 26 countries.

Lomac GranTurismo 14

Dubbed a “maxi RIB” by the builder, the Lomac GranTurismo 14 is the culmination of three years of research and development in a 100 percent made-in-Milan design by Federico Fiorientino. It has hulls optimized by computational fluid dynamics as well as vacuum-infusion lamination incorporating vinylester resins and neopentyl gelcoat. Aramid fibers also reinforce the T-top, deck and hull without adding substantially more weight. The 16-person capacity means owners will have plenty of room for family and friends. Standard power is triple 300 hp outboards, although speed demons can upgrade to triple 450 hp engines for even greater performance. 

Garmin GPSMap 9000 Series

The latest from Garmin, the GPSMap 9000 series of chart plotters offers up to seven times the processing speed of previous generations of Garmin multifunction displays. Available in 19-, 22-, 24– or 27-inch versions, each display has 4K resolution and edge-to-edge clarity. They can also be flat- or flush-mounted for an all-glass helm. In-plane switching ensures sunlight readability from virtually any viewing angle, even while wearing polarized sunglasses. In addition to enhancing navigation, the large-format 4K displays can also be used to display streaming entertainment or for watching stored content. GPSMap 9000 displays also utilize high-bandwidth digital content protection distribution, allowing users to play the same content simultaneously across all networked GPSMap 9000 screens. 

JL Audio MediaMaster 55

Guided by a philosophy that great audio has real value, Garmin and its brands—JL Audio and Fusion—develop and deliver world-class audio entertainment. The JL Audio MediaMaster 55 is a next-generation source unit designed specifically for the often harsh maritime environment. Built for nonstop playback of the skipper’s favorite tunes, it has multiple connectivity options, including a digital AM/FM tuner, DAB+ radio, Bluetooth connectivity, analog auxiliary input, and a USB connection with charging. It is also equipped with a built-in amplifier, providing the ability to drive multiple speakers per channel. Rugged and weatherproof, the MM55 has a silicone button pad and new rotary knob. The 2.8-inch full-color LCD screen has larger icons than on previous models, simplified menus and a refreshed color palette. It still has separate day and night lighting themes for easier viewing if cocktail hour runs past sunset.

Valo Hyperfoil

In a clever combination, this company introduced foiling technology and electric propulsion to personal watercraft. Founded in 2019, Boundary Layer Technologies initially worked on several commercial marine concepts. In late 2022, the company shifted its focus to the recreational market, building a prototype of an electric foiling PWC. That led to the updated design, which was unveiled at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in October 2023. The Valo Hyperfoil has a control system called Skyride, which uses advanced algorithms to adjust the foils hundreds of times every second. This technology comes at an early-adopter premium. With a suggested retail price of $59,000, the Valo Hyperfoil is more than double the price of most traditional PWC. Projected range is more than 60 nautical miles at an average speed of 27 knots.

Winch Design’s Arc in Colour

Winch Design worked with Summit Furniture on this updated line called Arc in Colour. It’s built from sustainable, plantation-grown teak, along with fabrics made from recycled fishing nets and textile waste. The idea is not so much to make furniture that looks like it came from recycled and sustainable materials, but instead to make furniture that looks luxurious while being crafted in a way that’s better for the planet. Plans call for expanding the Arc in Colour line into bar chairs, dining chairs and modular  sofas. It’s not going to be a custom line; instead, the goal is to make the furniture accessible for many clients, since more and more yacht owners are making verified sustainable materials part of their project briefs.

Mercury Avator 7.5e

Mercury Marine can forever say that it was the first major manufacturer of marine internal-combustion engines to offer an electric outboard option. The company’s Avator 7.5e delivers comparable performance to Mercury’s 3.5 hp four-stroke gasoline outboard engine, minus the carbon dioxide. The Avator 7.5e was also introduced as the only outboard on the market with a transverse flux motor, a design that Andrew Przybyl, Mercury’s technical manager and engineer for the Avator line, says has high torque-density characteristics. The Avator 7.5e comes with a 1 kWh lithium-ion battery, and a color display with GPS that gives operators a bevy of real-time range information.

Raymarine Axiom 2

Raymarine’s Axiom 2 is an updated version of displays the company first unveiled in 2017. Axiom 2 displays come in three models with screen sizes ranging from 9 to 24 inches. All of them have six-core processors, global navigation satellite system receivers, 64 gigabytes of solid-state storage, the latest version of Raymarine’s Lighthouse 4 operating system and next-generation screen coatings. Axiom displays can include angling-and cruising-specific versions, and they use different transducers than previous-generation Axiom offerings. These transducers have piezoceramic elements inside that are larger, equating to greater acoustic sensitivity and better beam-shaping capability. With the new transducers, boaters can realize the system’s full acoustic capabilities.

Williams Sportjet 520

The spy film Argylle hit the big screen worldwide with a star-studded cast that included Bryce Dallas Howard, John Cena, Bryan Cranston, Ariana DeBose, Catherine O’Hara and Samuel L. Jackson—along with the debut of the Williams SportJet 520, which the filmmakers used for a chase scene along the River Thames in England. The SportJet 520, at 17 feet long, is the flagship vessel in the Williams SportJet line. It has seating for seven people and is intended for use as an all-purpose tender with yachts about 98 feet and larger. 

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I’m a cartography geek. I can invest hours studying charts of enticing coastlines or yawning offshore canyons. So, you can imagine my reaction when I checked out TimeZero’s TZ Maps displayed on Furuno’s new TZtouchXL multifunction displays. The image quality and customizable color palettes are outstanding. TimeZero’s bathymetric data pairs with Furuno’s newest chart engine to enable Furuno’s AI Routing, which generates safe routes based on a vessel’s parameters and TZ Maps’ embedded data.

But this just dings the gelcoat when it comes to the capabilities of the TZtouchXL family. While Furuno has long built multifunction displays, previous generations of TZtouch MFDs needed more screen real estate. Today’s versions deliver better imagery, faster processors and improved RAM.

Most importantly, TZtouchXL displays are the only MFDs that can render TimeZero’s TZ Maps. Furuno owns a 49 percent stake in TimeZero, and the two companies collaborate.

TZtouchXL MFDs come in 10- ($3,000), 13- ($4,000), 16- ($5,900), 22- ($10,500) and 24-inch ($12,000) screen sizes, and have 1920-by-1080 high-definition screens, which highlight TZ Maps’ rich colors and bathymetric details. All five MFDs also have in-plane switching, which brightens the displays for readability in direct sunlight and from many viewing angles. The 10- and 13-inch MFDs sport hybrid user interfaces, while the 16-, 22- and 24-inch displays are touchscreen-only.

According to Matt Wood, Furuno’s national sales manager, the three larger TZtouchXLs have smaller bezels than their predecessors. This change allows for more glass in a comparable box and lets owners create all-glass bridges.

TZtouchXL MFDs are powered by hexacore processors, with extra computational overhead. “There are six primary central processing units doing the navigation processing, plus two processors dedicated to video presentation,” Wood says. “So there are eight processors total, with some shared responsibility for six of them.” This combination lets the MFDs display TZ Maps. “Speed and RAM have also been improved,” he adds.

While the three smaller TZtouchXL displays come with embedded fish finders and side-scanning sonars, the 22- and 24-inch displays also work with Furuno’s networked sonars. Likewise, the three smaller displays come with internal GPS receivers, while the bigger MFDs work with external GPS (or GNSS) receivers. All five MFDs play nicely with Furuno’s satellite compasses and digital radars, the latter unlocking some of the displays’ finest features.

TZ Maps are visually engaging and data-rich. “TimeZero’s MaxSea group is a reseller for every hydrographic office,” Wood says. “TZ Maps are based on HO data that’s amplified and augmented with private data and with bathymetric lidar. Users can add community edits and points of interest to their TZ Maps, but users’ depth measurements aren’t included in TimeZero’s data sets.”

Currently, TZ Maps cover Australia, Europe and North America, with global coverage in the works. They can be viewed across all networked displays. TZtouchXLs come with a one-year TZ Maps subscription.

Anglers can use this tech to access Furuno’s Dynamic Fishing Maps with five different resolution levels, including hybrid satellite and contour charts, and 3-inch contour lines. BathyVision lets anglers adjust onscreen terrain shading to highlight undersea structure and contours.

All kinds of boaters can use Furuno’s AI Routing to simplify navigation. Users select start and end points, and the MFDs interrogate the chart’s bathymetric data to generate safe, vessel-specific courses. Users can edit these routes and add waypoints.

Incorporating Furuno DRS-NXT radars can unlock two important safety features. First is Risk Visualizer, which color-codes targets based on their threat level and depicts areas that pose high risk. This provides quick information and ETAs to dangerous waters.

Second is Furuno’s AI Avoidance feature, which calculates the safest routing around dangerous targets. This removes radar guesswork, especially for yachts in busy shipping lanes or hectic harbors. “It’s not dead reckoning,” Wood says. “It’s taking dynamic [radar] data into account.”

This is also where Furuno’s hexacore processors come into play, as AI tools require fast math. “We’re allowing the processors to do work that we weren’t letting them do before,” Wood says, noting that the intention is to help navigators make safe decisions. “The sky is the limit for TZtouchXLs.”

For yacht owners who want glass bigger than 24 inches, Furuno builds black-box marine processors that can drive 70-inch displays. The company has yet to introduce a TZtouchXL black box, but Wood says this is coming.

All products have their pros and cons, and TZtouchXLs are no exception. Pros include simplified installation, competitive pricing, and software for European and North American markets. Cons include the fact that AI Routing doesn’t consider weather (GRIB files) when creating routes. To solve that problem, Wood says users can add a separate Furuno BBWX4 ($500) to access SiriusXM Marine weather, and access free worldwide forecasts through Furuno’s NavCenter Weather feature.

A word of warning based on my experience: It’s easy to invest significant parcels of time being mesmerized by TZ Maps. But, given the importance of safe navigation—and for anglers, of finding fish—there could be strong returns on this investment.  

Interface Options

If you cruise on lumpy seas, Furuno’s MCU006 and MCU006H (each $450) remote controls add to the TZtouchXL’s touchscreen interface. These hardwired remotes use beveled buttons and rotary knobs. The MCU006 is oriented vertically, while the MCU006H accommodates horizontal installation spaces.

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Color temperature can be hard to get right in underwater photos and videos. The term refers to hue. Just as some lightbulbs throw off a warmer, orange hue compared to bulbs that mimic bright daylight, underwater imagery can have a distorted color temperature that looks awful.

Auto-correcting that problem is one of several updated features on the DJI Osmo Action 4 that can help boaters capture truer-to-life memories. “Probably the best part about our Action series is that they’re incredibly easy to use,” says Brett Halladay, product education manager for DJI. “You don’t have to know any of this stuff to pick up our camera and start recording things and have it look amazing.”

Previous versions of the DJI Osmo Action were waterproof to about 50 feet. The Osmo Action 4 can go to almost 60 feet, and to nearly 200 feet with a DJI case.

This camera also has a 155-degree angle, which means photos and videos include more of what the human eye experiences. “Typically, photos on your phone have a field of view of about 80 degrees,” Halladay says. “This means that with the Action camera, peripheral vision is now being included in what you’re recording. It’s a feeling of being there when you’re viewing the footage. People feel like they’re with you swimming with the sharks.”

Stabilization settings can eliminate the kinds of bumps and shakes that come with, say, riding a personal watercraft. “There’s a virtually limitless number of ways that you can mount this thing,” Halladay says. “There’s a physical, click-in connection that secures the device. It’s almost impossible to knock it free. If you combine it with the stabilization, you can fly at 70 mph and have it look like you’re gliding.”

Take the next step: dji.com

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Helly Hansen’s original crew midlayer jacket was introduced more than a decade ago. It was based on a shelled fleece that the company made to take a real beating for a Volvo Ocean Race team. Since then, it has become one of the brand’s bestsellers among all kinds of boaters who want to stay warm and dry out on the water. Tweaks have been made to the design here and there, but this year Helly Hansen did a full-on upgrade as part of the new Crew 2.0 Collection.

One of the big evolutions is a main zipper that does a better job of resisting saltwater corrosion. Helly Hansen incorporated Vislon on this element, trying to give an assist to cruisers who can’t always douse their gear with a freshwater rinse before damage from the elements sets in. Vislon is made of injection-molded plastic, not metal, so it also reduces weight a bit.

Also new in the Crew 2.0 Collection is an update to the fleece lining. The styles are now made with Polartec fleece, which is known for being water-resistant in addition to being warm and lightweight. Polartec is further known for being fast-drying, which makes it a real benefit for cruisers who get caught on deck in a squall.

Helly Hansen worked on an improved fit with the Crew 2.0 Collection too. In particular, the company focused on shoulders and sleeves, trying to make the material move as one with the person wearing it. Shoulders are articulated, which means they are made in a way that allows a greater range of movement while pulling up fenders or handling lines.

And fear not, group cruisers: Helly Hansen also made sure there is still adequate space for teams and clubs to add their favorite logos on the chest and back.  

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