The Miami International Boat Show (MIBS) held from February 15-19 features over 1,300 vessels and a lot of innovative products. Among them is the Mercury VesselView Suite, the closest the industry has come to a driverless boat.
VesselView displays rpm, speed, fuel flow and efficiency, temperature, trim, and much more on an LCD screen. It can monitor up to four Mercury engines at a time and its autopilot and cruise technologies not only take the craft to a final destination but also offer signals and alarms—similar to today’s cars—that alert the skipper if, for example, water is becoming too shallow or another boat is approaching.
The VesselView Suite includes the “Joystick” piloting system, “Active Trim,” and “Skyhook.” The latter is a GPS-enabled system for precision positioning. Working with Joystick, it will maintain a steady position while waiting for a bridge to open or for vessel traffic to clear. Additionally, it gives the skipper the ability to adjust and lock the heading in 1 and 10-degree increments. Its “BowHook” feature unlocks any heading and simply maintains vessel position—allowing the craft to point in whatever direction the winds and currents dictate.
“It takes the guesswork out of boating, gets you where you want to go, and makes life on the water that much more enjoyable,” a Mercury spokesman commented.
Read more about boat displays on NauticExpo website.
