The first day of Metstrade 2022 opened yesterday at RAI Center in Amsterdam with a marine industry breakfast briefing. Among the speakers were International Council of Marine Industry Associations president Sara Anghel and Ampaire co-founder Cory Combs, who gave the keynote address.

Anghel noted that post-pandemic boat sales continue to be strong but that she expects more normalization to occur in 2023. Additionally, she said that many boatbuilders and manufacturers continue to struggle with supply-chain issues and a shortage of skilled labor.

DAME Design Awards
The breakfast included the presentation of the 2022 DAME Design Awards, which showcase critical aspects of marine equipment design including aesthetics and functionality, integration and packaging and price efficiency and lifecycle management.

The DAME Design Award 2022 was presented by jury chair Andre Hoek to the Ocean Signal for its RescueME PLB3 AIS Personal Locator. Six products took category wins, the jury named its first Environmental Design Award and 13 entries received special mentions.

“As time passes, the boundaries of products that we examine in the DAME jury room get even wider,” Hoek said in a statement. “This year, we assessed everything from a tiny boat and outboard tracker to a 65-ton travel hoist. Whatever its size, price or complexity, though, the jury remains very focused on examining the design of products in all aspects including function, form, environment, innovation, and price to performance. All 48 nominees are to be congratulated on meeting the scrutiny of this process.”

Regarding the RescueME PLB3 AIS, Hoek said, “Our overall DAME Design Award winner is an excellent example of how you can never stop pushing to make new improvements, even in a segment of the marketplace where products are already impressively advanced in what they achieve for the size and price.”

The highlight of the PLB3 is its combination of AIS man-overboard device and GPS with a Cospas-Sarsat personal locator beacon, Galileo Return Link Service and incorporation of visible and infrared signal lights. The combined technologies provide the best chance for survival in an emergency. The jury pointed out the extra detail of a Near Field Communication app that lets a user test the unit with a mobile phone.

The first DAME Environmental Design Award went to the Aceleron Essential, a cobalt-free lithium-iron phosphate battery with replaceable and upgradeable parts. A faulty cell no longer requires the replacement of the whole battery and returned parts are redistributed or remanufactured for second-life use.

The full list of DAME category winners include:

Marine Electronics and Marine Related Software
YachtSense Link 4G Marine Router by Raymarine

Marina Equipment, Boatyard Equipment and Boat Construction Tools and Materials
MarineShift360 Lifecycle Assessment Tool by Marineshift360

Deck Equipment, Sails and Rigging
Arya by Amare

Clothing and Crew Accessories
Aquafleece Robe by Rooster Sailing

Lifesaving and Safety Equipment
Ocean Signal RescueME PLB3 AIS Personal Locator Beacon by Ocean Signal

Machinery, Propulsion, Mechanical and Electrical Systems and Fittings
The Next Generation [generator replacement] by Integrel Solutions

Environmental Design Award Winner
Essential [LiFePO4 battery] by Aceleron

Special Mentions:

Marine Electronics and Marine Related Software
IC-M510E (with AIS receiver) by Icom
MAX Mini by Sailmon

Marina Equipment, Boatyard Equipment and Boat Construction Tools and Materials
Aqua superPower marina fast-charging system by Aqua superPower

Deck Equipment, Sails and Rigging
FXe 4500 Electric Code Sail furler by Facnor
Karver Sharing Center by Karver Systems
Karver Jammer Staysail Kit by Karver Systems
Rollable Boat Hook by Seaview Progress

Clothing and Crew Accessories
X-Over Eco Cork by Forward WIP

Lifesaving and Safety Equipment
GlobalFix V5 AIS EPIRB by ACR Electronics
Regatta Safelock by Regatta and Aalesund Protective Wear
FURIO by SECUMAR

Machinery, Propulsion, Mechanical and Electrical Systems and Fittings
Seakeeper Ride by Seakeeper
ZF POD 4600 by ZF Group

New Products
New products were launched throughout the day across the show’s many halls, which Soundings Trade Only publisher Michele Golsdsmith observed, “Were filled with strong crowds and continuous traffic that appeared to surpass pre-pandemic levels.”

A handful of products announced on the first day of the show include the following:

Vetus Bow Pro Boosted Thrusters
Yacht accessory maker Vetus introduced a new series of dirrect-current bow thrusters. The Bow Pro Boosted thruster is for 400-mm (15.75-inch) tunnels. The series also includes the Bow Pro Boosted 385 and 420 models. Vetus says they are the most powerful brushless thrusters available with 48-volt DC compatibility.

“Vetus is proud to expand the Bow Pro family to 24 thrusters with these units for 400mm tunnels,” Thijs Boegheim, director of sales for EMEA Vetus-Maxwell, said in a statement. “The launch of the BOW385 and the BOW420 will make life easier on board for even more boaters, answering demand for powerful, reliable and efficient bow thrusters which offer built-in safety features and easy integration with 48-volt platforms.”

The new units bring the benefits of the Vetus Bow Pro series to owners of larger boats ranging from 82 feet to 131 feet. All the thrusters in the line have an intelligent motor controller with integrated boost and an internal three-stage charging process. This permits use with a 24-volt power supply to recharge a 48-volt battery bank and also keeps thruster batteries at optimum levels.

The proprietary motor controller also regulates the brushless induction motors. Active heat control and a lower power consumption give the thrusters a runtime that’s only limited by the size of the dedicated battery pack. The BOWB 400 series can be used with Vetus’ standard proportional control panel with a hold-to-dock function. The thruster is controlled by Vetus’ proprietary V-CAN system.

ePropulsion I-Series Electric Inboard Engines
Marine electric motor manufacturer ePropulsion introduced its new I-Series electric inboard engines. The latest product on display is the I-20 inboard, which is part of the I-Series family that includes the I-10 and I-40.

“The I-Series is our most advanced inboard electric motor and is the result of ePropulsion’s enduring innovation and investment in smart-system solutions,” Danny Tao, co-founder and CEO of ePropulsion, said in a statement. “We chose [Metstrade] to debut our first product in 2013 and it is fitting that we introduce our smartest motor yet at this year’s show. We are proud [that] the industry and market have embraced our products as we continue to gain market share around the world.”

Available with 10kW, 20kW and 40kW input power, I-Series motors are designed for commercial and recreational applications for small- and medium-sized boats. They have a compact footprint, and the motor, gearbox, motor controller, system-control unit and cooling system are all contained in a unit that ePropulsion says requires 60% less space than a typical internal combustion engine. The I-Series engines are packaged with a lithium-iron phosphate battery.

The company’s ePropulsion Smart System Architecture has hardware and software technology that integrates the electric-drive, battery and cloud storage into a single electronic control unit. The modular design includes a fault-diagnosis system and redundancy and can be used with a variety of batteries.

The I-Series also works with the ePropulsion Connectivity Service that uses cloud-based connectivity without the need for additional accessories. An owner can remotely check a boat’s location, battery level, speed and more.

HP KILO Watermaker
High Pressure Watermakers unveiled its new HP KILO. The watermaker is designed to provide freshwater for boats ranging from 35 to 50 feet. The company also introduced Part-NET 2.0, a system that manages a watermaker via a multifunction display and MWT Basic, a softening and filtration system for marina water.

“HP KILO was born from the demand that came mainly from the French market,” High Pressure Watermakers co-founder Gianni Zucco said in a statement. “However, having plenty of fresh water on board is a need that is very much felt by all yacht owners, on both motor and sailing yachts from 35 to 50 feet. Until now, if limited amounts of electricity were available, the solution [has generally been to use a] 12- or 24-volt, direct-current watermaker … When operating continuously for long periods, [these units] have unfortunately proven to not be fully reliable.”

Zucco continued, “HP Watermakers has therefore chosen to solve the problem with an innovative solution that promises to shake the market; a 220-volt watermaker that uses only 1 kWh [of energy] to continuously produce 120 liters per hour of fresh water. The use of alternating current guarantees undoubted advantages: it extends the life of the electric motors and their efficiency, electricity absorption is more fluid and installation is simpler with smaller cable sections.”

The HP KILO is built on the same compact frame as the HP SCA model that was launched in 2021. Its dimensions are 33.07 inches by 17.91 inches by 16.54 inches.

Additionally, HP Watermakers’ Part-NET 2.0 allows a user control the watermaking system from a multifunction display or smartphone when an internet connection is present. It’s compatible with products from Raymarine, Garmin, Furuno, Simrad, B&G and Lowrance. Part-NET 2.0 retains the functions of previous models and adds flexibility with the ability to customize parameters without needing intervention from HP Watermakers.

eD-TEC eD-QDrive
Electric propulsion supplier eD-TEC showed off its eD-QDrive integrated electric drive system. The system is scalable, and up to four eD-QDrive units totaling 2,400 kW can be installed on boats up to 98 feet long.

The system was developed by Michael Jost, former Volkswagen group chief strategist with support from Mike and Marc Jost. It’s intended for smaller day boats and tenders up to cruisers measuring 98 feet. The scalable design of the eD-QDrive units and accompanying battery bank allows for installations from 50kW to 2,400kW and a modular battery bank that offers power from 80kWh to 320kWh.

“Michael (Jost) really drove the change for the automotive industry and pushed the transformation of the entire VW brand,” Marc Jost, chief strategy officer at eD-TEC, said in a statement. “But there’s a clear mismatch between transforming the automotive into a more sustainable market and then hopping on a vessel and blowing out diesel fumes. That led us to think about how one can achieve a sustainable drive train — or a sustained, measured method of propulsion — without sacrificing convenience, performance or range.”

Six core principals make up the eD-Tec platform. It starts with ensuring that all components operate in their optimal performance window. Next is a lightweight, efficient hull with steps or foiling technology. Third is a drivetrain that uses axial flux technology to provide a high performance-to-weight ratio. The company says the 100-kW eD-QDrive unit weighs 20 kg (44 pounds) with the entire drivetrain weighs 100 kg (220.46 pounds). It installs with a plug-and-play interface.

Fourth is the application of a platform that delivers access to the firmware of every internal component through a central AI box coupled to cloud-based connectivity and analysis. Fifth, a software-driven platform enables over-the-air updates of the system, remote monitoring and predictive maintenance. The sixth pillar draws on a subscription model for software updates.

2022 Boat Builder Awards
Organized by IBI and Metstrade, and held in association with Raymarine, the 2022 Boat Builder Awards were presented offsite at the National Maritime Museum after the 6 p.m. show close at RAI Center.

“Tonight, we have celebrated many important achievements across the world of boatbuilding and it was great to do so once again in Amsterdam at the National Maritime Museum — the spiritual home of the Boat Builder Awards,” IBI editor and chair of the Boat Builder Awards judges Ed Slack said in a statement.

“Since we were last gathered in this venue, we’ve all experienced COVID, lockdowns, supply chain mayhem, war in the Ukraine and an ongoing economic roller-coaster ride,” Slack added. “We’ve seen our industry adapt and flex in the face of adversity. It’s fitting that we were able to celebrate the brilliant responses of boatbuilders and their valued partners to these challenges in a place with such a great maritime heritage. Our congratulations to everyone who entered and especially to those who were honored this evening.”

According to the statement, the eighth installment of the Boat Builder Awards received 99 accepted nominations. Thirty-two companies from 16 countries were named as finalists, from which 13 winners and two Honorable Mentions were named.

The results of this year’s judging are as follows:

Retail Marketing Initiative
WINNER — Astondoa — 677 Coupe launch and social media interior design campaign
SHORTLISTED — BRP — Manitou Pontoon Boats multi-channel launch
SHORTLISTED — De Antonio Yachts — Partnership with Cupra

Collaborative Solution between a Production Boat Builder and its Supply Chain Partner
WINNER — Fairline Yachts and Lippert Marine Group Europe — Fairline 68 Squadron side access door
SHORTLISTED — Aquila and Sino Yachts — Close collaboration to overcome disruptive events
SHORTLISTED — Beneteau Group and Sailectron / SOLBIAN Solar — Lagoon 51 photovoltaic system

Collaborative Solution between a Superyacht Builder and its Supply Chain Partner
WINNER — Benetti Yachts and Siemens Energy — Benetti B.Yond 37M hybrid solution HONOURABLE MENTION — Amer Yachts and Simrad Yachting — Green Assistant system
SHORTLISTED — Numarine and Lippert Marine Group Europe — Patio doors for Numarine 37XP SHORTLISTED — Sanlorenzo and ABA Yacht — Floating door system

Innovative On-board Design Solution
WINNER — BRP — Manitou Pontoon Boats new generation design features
SHORTLISTED — Azimut Yachts — Grande 26M design features
SHORTLISTED — Balance Catamarans — Versa-Helm
SHORTLISTED — Ferretti Yachts — X-AID Adaptive Integrated Docking System
SHORTLISTED — Sanlorenzo — SD110 design features
SHORTLISTED — Sunseeker International — 100 Yacht design features

Environmental Improvement in Manufacturing Process
WINNER — Beneteau Group — Integration of bio-sourced materials and recyclable resin
SHORTLISTED — Baltic Yachts — Sustainability strategies
SHORTLISTED — Boston Whaler — Fully recyclable GRP boat R&D

Eco-Focused Boat of the Year
WINNER — Northern Lights Composites — Ecoracer
HONOURABLE MENTION — Spirit Yachts — Spirit 30
SHORTLISTED — IMPACD Boats — 3D printed sustainable boat

Designer of the Year
JOINT WINNER — Carrie Fodor and Kristin McGinnis — Sea Ray
JOINT WINNER — Tony Castro Yacht Design

Best Apprenticeship or Training Scheme
JOINT WINNER — Riviera Australia — Apprentice training program
JOINT WINNER — Sunseeker International — Technical apprenticeships and graduate training
SHORTLISTED — MAST Academy — apprenticeship program

2022 Rising Stars
Garrett Koschak — Manitou Pontoon Boats
Hayley Spencer — Princess Yachts

Lifetime Achievement 2022
John Lu — Horizon Yachts

Trade Only Today’s coverage of Metstrade 2022 will continue tomorrow.