Innovation Awards: Miami International Boat Show
Eleven products receive boating industry’s prestigious Innovation Award, RBFF earns Honorable Mention
MIAMI – Eleven recreational boating products received the 2011 Innovation Award and another product received Honorable Mention for innovative achievement by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International (BWI).
The awards were announced at the 70th Annual 2011 International Boat Show & Strictly Sail. The Innovation Awards, organized by NMMA and judged by BWI, recognize products that best meet the following criteria: innovative distinction from other products currently being manufactured; benefit to the marine industry and/or consumer; practicality; cost-effectiveness; and availability to the consumer within 60 days of award receipt.
“We had an outstanding group of entries this year and saw innovations that are sure to pave the way for boating industry advancement,” said awards Zuzuna Prochazka, president of the BWI Board of Directors. “The judges were impressed with the depth of products submitted this year, needing to select multiple winners in two categories, and are looking forward to what the future of the industry has in store for boaters.”
Among the Innovation Awards winners were the SidePower SEP Speed Control Thruster Series, built by Imtra, in the Docking and Fendering Equipment category; and the BSM-2 Broadband Sounder, recreational sonar that incorporates commercial-grade frequency sweeping pulse compression (CHIRP) technology, built by Simrad, in the Consumer Electronics and Software category.
The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) received Honorable Mention for its Take Me Fishing Boat Ramp Mobile App, also in the Consumer Electronics and Software category. Introduced in July 2010, the mobile app features an interactive map showcasing the nearest boat ramps and also allows users to manually search based on zip code or city. The app’s technology supports a database of more than 35,000 ramps across all 50 states and offers turn-by-turn directions to each location.
“We’re extremely proud to have received this honor,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “It demonstrates that we’re providing a product that boaters and anglers consider beneficial. We continually strive to be the go-to resource for this audience by providing useful tools and information just like the Boat Ramp App.”
