Must-See Marine Electronics at the 2024 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show

This year’s big Fort Lauderdale Boat Show takes place October 30 to November 3, 2024. Courtesy Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

Planning a trip to the big boat show? And by big, we mean BIG! As in the big Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, taking place this year October 30 to November 3!  While you’ll find lots of boats and motors, you’ll also be able to check out some of the newest and coolest marine electronics at company booths, on boats and at retailers exhibiting at the show. Here are some items you must see while at Fort Lauderdale.

Garmin InReach Messenger Plus Courtesy Garmin Garmin InReach Messenger Plus

Garmin’s newest SOS satellite communicator—the inReach Messenger Plus—now gives boaters the ability to send photo and voice messages even beyond cell service. With a battery life that can last for weeks, this two-way satellite communicator also has two-way texting, locating sharing and SOS capabilities. It is also water rated to IPX7 and can withstand incidental water exposure up to a meter in depth for up to 30 minutes. In the event of an emergency, the inReach Messenger Plus and Garmin Messenger app can send an interactive SOS text message to Garmin Response, a 24/7-staffed international emergency assistance coordination center. $499.99 and an active satellite subscription is required starting at $14.99/month; garmin.com/marine.

Seakeeper Ride 750 and 750 Quad Courtesy Seakeeper Seakeeper Ride 750 and 750 Quad

Seakeeper has two new Ride underway stabilization systems designed for boats from about 37 to 42 feet in length overall. The Seakeeper Ride 750 and 750 Quad join Seakeeper’s three existing Ride systems capable of eliminating up to 70 percent of pitch and roll while underway on boats as small as 19 feet length overall. The Ride 750 consists of two larger controllers, while the 750 Quad has four smaller controllers for transoms with restricted space.  Both the systems are designed with aluminum components, a deviation from previous products that use composite construction. The Seakeeper Ride 750 system retails for $17,500, and the Seakeeper Ride 750 Quad system retails for $20,500; ride.seakeeper.com.

Recon Trolling Motors From Lowrance and Simrad Courtesy Navico Recon Trolling Motors From Lowrance and Simrad

New saltwater trolling motors from Lowrance and Simrad share the same model name—Recon—and possess the same design, including a brushless motor that operates on either 24 to 36 volts and produces 90 and 115 pounds of thrust, respectively. These manually deployed, electric-steered trolling motors boast a unique joystick remote called Freesteer. Incorporating a color LCD display, the remote is lightweight and wearable, providing 360 degrees of manual steering, as well as activation of automatic functions, including GPS-guided virtual anchoring.  system that holds boats within a 3-foot radius. Available in 54-, 60-, and 72-inch shaft lengths. Starting at $3,499; lowrance.com or simrad-yachting.com.

Skyhawk Oversea Boat Monitoring Courtesy Skyhawk Oversea Skyhawk Oversea Boat Monitoring

This American-made Skyhawk Oversea system is affordable, simple to install and practical for any vessel. It features a compact wireless hub that by itself provides location on demand and monitors vessel bearing to detect movement. A network of battery-powered RF wireless sensors is offered to monitor bilge-pump activity, battery voltage, shore power, temp/humidity/water, motion, door entry, and sound. All alerts and data come to the Oversea app via cellular network. Both the hub and sensors provide years of operation using standard replaceable batteries for continuous year-round monitoring with no drain on the boat’s batteries. Starting at $249 for the hub, $389 for the hub plus three sensors; cellular subscription is required; oversea.boats.

Minn Kota Riptide Instinct Trolling Motor Courtesy Minn Kota Minn Kota Riptide Instinct Trolling Motor

Minn Kota’s top-of-the-line Riptide Instinct trolling motor features Quest brushless motor technology and push-button deploy and stow, the Riptide Instinct operates on either 24 volts for 90 pounds of thrust or 36 volts for 115 pounds of thrust. Shaft lengths include 60, 65, 87 and 100 inches. It also has a beefy composite shafts and pivot points, as well as real-time battery monitoring. Built-in i-Pilot and i-Pilot Link GPS enable guidance functionality such as Spot-Lock virtual anchoring. Control options include a wireless remote to drive the motor from anywhere in the boat. One-Boat Network functionality allows control via a Humminbird multifunction display. Available in black or white. Starting at $4,399.99 for a 60-inch-shaft model; minnkota.johnsonoutdoors.com.

ACR Bivy Stick Mesh Courtesy ACR ACR Bivy Stick Mesh

The new Bivy Stick Mesh from ACR Electronics, the first satellite messenger to integrate advanced LoRa-enabled mesh networking with the Iridium Satellite network, creating a seamless communication without relying on cellular coverage. This dual-mode connectivity proves ideal for cruising boaters, offering device-to-device message transmission significantly faster than traditional satellite communication. Its ability to relay messages through the mesh network ensures that communication is always possible. This device had not yet received FCC approval, but will be on display at the show. Visit bivystick.com.

ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Electric Dinghy Outboard Courtesy ePropulsion ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Electric Dinghy Outboard

The Spirit 1.0 Plus outboard from ePropulsion features a 1276 Wh battery, the largest available for a motor of this size. With a high-efficiency propeller design, the 48-volt Spirt 1.0 Plus can reach up to approximately 5.7 mph with a range of more than 7 miles and 1-hour-15-minute run time at full speed, according to ePropulsion. At lower speeds, run time can be extended to around 20 hours and a range of 52 miles. Designed for portability, the outboard weighs 24 pounds and stores in a customized bag. The battery weight is 19.4 pounds. $1,999 with battery; epropulsion.com

ProMariner Gen 3 Battery Charger Courtesy ProMariner ProMariner Gen 3 Battery Charger

Watch the boater on your list get all charged up after receiving a ProTournament Elite Gen 3 battery charger from ProMariner with advanced thermal modeling to deliver fast recharge times.

It also features an LED Charge Status AC Glow Plug. When ­connected to an extension cord, it illuminates three individual colors for charging (red), conditioning (orange) and auto-maintaining (green). This eliminates the need to climb into the boat or open a hatch to check the status. Boaters can select charging profiles for flooded-cell lead acid, AGM, and approved lithium-iron-­phosphate batteries. Multibank chargers feature distribute-on-demand technology that senses and delivers greater charging amps to the battery or batteries that are lowest in juice. Ranging from $339.99 to $699.99; promariner.com.

Standard Horizon HX320 Handheld VHF Radio Courtesy Standard Horizon Standard Horizon HX320 Handheld VHF Radio

Standard Horizon’s HX320 handheld VHF radio is an impressive holiday gift that’s also affordable. It provides 6 watts of transmit power, and also can be set to 2.5 or 1 watt of transmit power to maximize battery life at closer ranges. Its speaker is engineered with 700 mW of power for clear audio reception, and the large channel display proves easy to read. The HX320 ­also enables wireless operation using the optional Bluetooth Standard Horizon SSM-BT10 headset. A built-in rechargeable 2,100 mAh high-capacity lithium polymer battery provides up to 17 hours of operation on one charge. The HX320 also features an IPX7 water-submersion rating and floats. A water-­activated emergency strobe light helps guide rescuers. $149.99; standardhorizon.com

IC-M510BB Black-Box VHF Radio Courtesy Icom IC-M510BB Black-Box VHF Radio

Make sure the boater on your list can stay in touch with Icom’s IC-M510BB, which enables expansion of VHF accessibility throughout the boat. All operations, including DSC, can be made from the CommandMic, allowing the VHF radio unit to be installed in an out-of-sight place and as far as 60 feet from the CommandMic. Up to three CommandMics can be connected, allowing it to double as an onboard intercom system. NMEA 2000 networking capabilities provide plug-and-play data communication with other electronics. The radio can also share GNSS/GPS position data, AIS, and DSC calls with other onboard equipment. The unit has a last-call voice-recording function that automatically saves up to two minutes of a recent incoming call. There’s a built-in hailer function that also sounds foghorn patterns. $799.95; icomamerica.com

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