The boating industry has always attempted to stay on the cutting edge to provide customers with a smoother, safer, and hassle-free boating experience, because they know it is these experiences that keep boaters coming back to the water. Every year, the industry hands out innovation awards to those who’ve improved boaters’ experiences.
The Miami International Boat Show is just one of many that celebrate innovative products, and this year 18 new products were awarded a 2020 Innovation Award at the Innovation Breakfast. This year’s winners were selected by a committee of seven members of Boat Writers International (BWI). The committee was co-chaired by Zuzana Prochazka and Ben Stein. The other judges were Kaylie Jasinski, Lenny Rudow, Alan Wendt, Alan Jones, and Ed Sherman.
Included in the winner’s circle is Finsulate, an antifouling paint that uses tiny spines to prevent the growth of barnacles, mussels, and algae. This new style of paint works to prevent marine growth, all without the use of toxic chemicals. ACR won for their ResQLink, a buoyant personal locator beacon with an interactive digital display. Chaparral Boats grabbed an award for their Infinity Power Step, a swim-step extension that lowers into the water with the push of a button, making the water accessible for anyone on board, regardless of age. The Ingenity Electric Drive System from Correct Craft won in the electric motor category. The Ingenity is an electric drive powerful enough to be used in high-speed watersport boats.
These are just a few of the 2020 Innovation Award winners, selected from more than 71 finalists. And these finalists were just a few of the array new products that were introduced this year in an industry that is always pushing the boundaries.
2020 Innovation Awards Winners
- Boat Care and Maintenance, Finsulate Panama – Finsulate
- Cabin Cruisers, Cutwater Boats – C-32 CB
- Center Console/Walkaround Fishing Boats, Solace Boats – SOLACE Boats 345 Luxury Center Console
- Consumer Electronics/Mobile Applications & Software, Maretron LLP – Maretron N2KView Anchoring
- Consumer Safety Equipment, ACR Electronics – ACR ResQLink View Personal Locator Beacon
- Cuddy Cabin and Bowrider Boats, Sea Ray Boats – SLX-R 400e Outboard
- Deck Equipment & Hardware, Chaparral Boats – Infinity Power Step
- Docking & Fendering Equipment, Golden Boat Lifts – Golden Dock Stabilizer
- Electric Motor/Battery Powered Propulsion, Correct Craft – Ingenity Electric Drive System
- Fishing Equipment/Gear and Tackle, GemLux – Coastal Base
- Inboard Engines, Pleasurecraft Marine Engines – PCM Z Series Engines
- Mechanical & Electrical Systems, Seakeeper Inc – Seakeeper 1
- Outboard Engines, Mercury Marine – Mercury Racing 450R
- Personal Gear/Soft Goods, Stay Put Systems – Magnetic Coasters
- Personal Watercraft (PWCs), Hobie Cat – Mirage Drive 360
- Propulsion Equipment & Parts, Sharrow Engineering – Sharrow MX1
- Tow Boats, Nautique Boat Company – G23 Paragon
- Watersport Equipment, International Leisure Products Promarine Division – Pup Plank
