The following is text of a news release from the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA):
(SEVERNA PARK, Md.) — Ten manufacturers took home awards across 17 categories in the annual National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) Product of Excellence Awards. The plaques were presented at the combined NMEA and RTCM (Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services) Marine Electronics Conference & Expo, held Sept. 25-28 at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Also presented were the Manufacturer of the Year for support of their products in the field, and the annual NMEA Technology Award. More than 400 marine electronics manufacturers, dealers, distributors, standards developers, Coast Guard officials and others from the U.S. and abroad attended the four-day Conference & Expo.
NMEA members selected the Product of Excellence Award winners through an online voting process and at the Conference & Expo. "On behalf of the NMEA Board of Directors, staff and membership body, we congratulate all 2018 award winners," said Mark Reedenauer, NMEA president and executive director. "We saw a 25 percent increase in vetted votes this year, which means more members are engaging and taking part in their industry. The Awards Committee will continually improve the awards categories and our voting and vetting process as the industry evolves and we get feedback from the membership."
2018 NMEA Product of Excellence Award winners
Autopilot: Garmin GHP Reactor
Multi-function display: Garmin GPSMAP 8624
Radar: Furuno DRS4DNXT
Fish finder: Furuno DFF3D
Marine VHF radio: Icom M605
Satellite communications antenna: KVH TracPhone V7-HTS
Safety device: McMurdo SmartFind G8 AIS EPIRB
Commercial: Furuno FAR2127 IMO radar
Satellite TV antenna: KVH TracVision TV3 with HUB A+
AIS: Furuno FA170 Class A
NMEA 2000 sensor: Furuno SC33
Marine app-aids to navigation: Nobeltec TZ iBoat
Marine PC software: Nobeltec TZ Professional
Marine camera: FLIR M625CS
Multimedia entertainment: Fusion Apollo RA770
Remote vessel monitoring system: GOST Apparition SM GPS XVR
Marine app-utility (tie): Airmar SensorCheck TDT1000 and Garmin Active Captain
Manufacturer of the Year for support of products in the field: Garmin
2018 NMEA Technology Award
Garmin's Panoptix LiveScope won the 2018 NMEA Technology Award in a competition involving 15 nominated products. The annual award scores new products based on innovation, benefit to boaters, practicality and value. An independent four-person panel of judges selected the winner. Judges included NMEA certified marine electronics technicians (CMETs) Dave Luce of Atlantic Marine Electronics and Dave Laska of L&L Electronics, along with Sport Fishing executive editor Chris Woodward and Marine Electronics Journal editor Jim Fullilove.
"LiveScope is the first and only live, real-time recreational scanning sonar," the judges said. "The transducer has two modes-straight down and forward looking. LiveScope is an innovative system that combines scanning sonar and live sonar to deliver easy-to-interpret real-time images of bottom structure, bait and fish to 200 feet below or around the boat even when the boat is stationary. When the boat is moving it continuously adjusts the sonar beams to compensate for motion."
The 2019 NMEA Product Awards will be presented at the conclusion of next year's NMEA Conference & Expo, Sept. 17-20, 2019 in Norfolk/Portsmouth, Va.
