The DAME Design Award recognises outstanding product design in the marine industry and evaluates submissions according to various criteria such as innovation, sustainability, aesthetics, functionality, integrability and value for money. In addition to the Overall winnerLXNAV's E360 4-inch touchscreen chartplotter, winners were also awarded in eight categories as well as 18 special mentions and two environmental design awards.
Electronic and electrical systems
Winner: Simarine SAC15R - NMEA 2000 Smart AC distribution unit. Simarine's clever power management solution is a 115/230 VAC distribution unit with five circuits and motorised breakers that is NMEA 2000 compatible and splash-proof to IP33. The system enables remote switching from any control or navigation interface. A manual override provides redundancy in emergencies. The devices can be connected in series for system scalability.
Personal equipment
Winner: FLIR Ocean Scout Pro The Ocean Scout Pro. FLIR's latest generation of handheld monocular thermal imaging cameras offers performance previously only possible in fixed, much more expensive cameras and also enables wireless streaming to transfer live thermal images to mobile devices. A brilliantly designed new development that takes FLIR's handheld product range to the next level.
Comfort and entertainment
Winner: Dometic CSX refrigeration system. The CSX series was recognised by the Dame Award jury as Dometic's answer to the market demand for easy-to-install, ecologically improved, integrated cooling systems. This series offers coolers with a capacity of 60 to 400 litres and has a closed refrigerant system. The judges particularly praised the neatly packaged plug-and-play all-in-one design, which should appeal to retrofit and OEM installers alike.
Drive and dynamics
Winner: Dometic DG3 gyro. The first model in this new line of gyro stabilisers is aimed at 35 to 41 foot motorboats. It utilises electric drives, fast up and down roll times and a special 48V lithium battery for propulsion when turning up, which is regeneratively charged while turning down. Low maintenance and an easily removable protective housing reduce the requirements. The DG3 can be operated with 12, 24 or 48 volts, is designed to minimise power consumption and can be connected to multifunction displays via Ethernet.
Deck equipment
Winner: Softstep from One Palma. This mast step offers dual functionality with a safety anchor system for working at height. It is designed for a load capacity of up to 150 kilograms, is made of 100 titanium and is manufactured using additive manufacturing technologies, which prevents galvanic corrosion or oxidation. The curved shape of Softstep follows the natural curve of the foot, is equipped with soft-touch foam and can be folded flat against the mast. A good mix of aesthetic and user-friendly design, according to the Dame Award jury.
Security
Winner: Garmin Onboard System. This wireless MOB detection and engine shutdown system offers a variety of tags that are worn by the crew. These range from carabiner and key fobs to a watch-style tag worn on the wrist. Up to eight tags can be monitored with one system, and a skipper can be designated to enable the emergency shutdown of the engine if it falls overboard. As soon as one of the tags exceeds a defined distance to the control unit, it triggers an alarm.
Production and materials
Winner: Supersede Marine Board. This structural sheathing panel is made from recycled plastic waste and is characterised by higher strength and durability compared to marine plywood, GRP and foam composites. The material is equivalent in price to marine plywood, 100 per cent waterproof, rot-proof and non-toxic, and can be cut, drilled, laminated and glued like wood. A buy-back programme recycles scrap and discarded panels.
Environment
Winner: ONE Palma IFS Multi-Passat windsail. This is an evolution of the traditional passat sail. The double sail combines two flat furling gennakers and promises up to 35 per cent more surface area than conventional spinnakers. This multi-purpose sail has been developed to offer a simple and safe solution for less experienced crews who want to carry a highly efficient sail for a wide range of uses. This approach makes sailing potentially more accessible and reduces the use of resources. The jury also recognised ONE Palma's choice of materials. The cloth comes from a certified, 100 per cent climate-neutral production facility and is made from recycled PET bottles. Find out more here.
Winner: Digital yacht BILGE IQ. The Bilge system monitors and controls a boat's bilge pump, providing real-time data on status, run times and power consumption via NMEA 2000 and WiFi. It can be quickly integrated into any system and combined with NMEA 2000 multifunction displays and Victron's CERBO system. It can trigger flood warnings via the boat's NMEA network and record run times to optimise filter changes on compatible bilge filters. The Dame Award judges emphasised the ease with which the Bilge IQ can be retrofitted to help prevent boats from sinking (which carries significant pollution risks).
