Eight great gadgets

Boat/US Magazine, Sept, 2002 by Caroline Ajootian

What does a fire suppression system have in common with a scooter for snorkeling? And what does a boarding ramp have in common with a solar panel? The answer is that these and a select few other new marine products recently won awards for being innovative, practical and cost effective.

This year's Innovation Awards were announced at the Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show in Las Vegas. The annual honors are a joint project of Boating Writers International and the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

The following products won awards. Sharpen your pencil and get out your wish list.

Solara SM Series Solar Panel, Solara Energy, Inc., Gilroy, CA; phone 866 4-SOLARA; www.solaraenergy.com

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Although solar collectors for boats are nothing new, the Solara SM Series Solar Panel garnered an award because of its durability. Solara makes its panels with a tread surface so they can be placed on decks or walkways. Other solar collectors are so fragile that they can easily be damaged if they're walked on or if something heavy falls on them -- an expensive mistake when prices range from a few hundred dollars up to $500 or $600 per panel.

Energy-gathering photovoltaic cells are sealed in a polycarbonate sheet bonded to thin, flexible stainless steel that can be fastened with screws or glue to the mounting surface. The panel modules range in size from 10 watts, enough to keep a battery charged, to 56 watts, enough to run most of the appliances on the typical boat. Panels come with a 20-year warranty and the company says panels will last 50 to 60 years. Prices start at $200.

Sea-Fire Stinger, Metalcraft, Inc., Baltimore, MD; phone 410-687-5500; www.sea-fire.com

The Sea-Fire Stinger fire suppression system is an example of a simple idea with huge benefits, Designed for do-it-yourself installations, the Stinger consists of a polymer tube attached to a fire extinguisher. The tube is easy to thread into hard-to-reach areas such as generator compartments, consoles, electrical enclosures and fuel tank compartments where fixed fire fighting systems aren't installed or that can't be reached by hand-held extinguishers.

If there's a fire, the tube ruptures when it reaches 175[degrees] and the extinguishing agent is released. Because the Stinger doesn't require a power source, it works even if the boat's electrical system fails. FM-200, the fire extinguishing agent used in the Stinger system, has been approved as an environmentally safe replacement for halon.

The Sea-Fire Stinger is covered by a three-year manufacturer's warranty. Systems come in six different sizes and are priced from $399 to $699.

Deck to Dock Ultimate Boat Boarding Ramp, Delray Beach, FL; phone 1-866-DOCKTOR; www.decktodock.com

The Deck to Dock Ultimate Boat Boarding Ramp is an example of better-mousetrap innovation that makes it easier to overcome one of the big problems of boating: how to get from the dock to the boat while carrying ice, fishing gear and a squirming 3-year-old without landing in the drink or turning into a pretzel. Boarding ramps are nothing new but, typically weigh around 70 pounds. They're heavy to lug down the dock and set in place, bulky to store and their load-carrying capacity is often limited to only a few hundred pounds.

Carbon fiber makes the Ultimate Boat Boarding Ramp strong, handling loads of over 800 pounds. It weighs in at about 19 pounds and is buoyant. It can be mounted port, starboard or on the transom and comes in 6-foot, 7-foot and 8-foot lengths, as well as custom lengths to 18 feet, all of which are 20-inches wide and 1-inch thick.

Ramps come with a two-year warranty and are priced from $1099 to $1849.

Cayman Dive Gear TygerRay Unified Marine, Naples, FL; phone 800-282-8725; www.unifiedmarine.com

Simply put, the Cayman Dive Gear TygerRay is way cool. Think of James Bond sneaking up on the bad guys' tropical island hideout. What's not to love about a battery-powered scooter that will move divers under and swimmers through the water at 2 mph? The oval, tiger-striped polyethylene body has two handholds (with kill switch) in back and a propeller caged in plastic in front. The electric motor has 48 pounds of thrust and is rated to a depth of 100 feet, at least three times the depth of similar devices. It operates for 60 minutes on an overnight charge from a 110-volt outlet.

Kids are going to love it but Unified Marine recommends the TygerRay be used only by swimmers 16 and older, so it may cause some strife for parents. The device weighs 40 pounds and comes with a 90-day guarantee on the motor and electrical system. It retails for about $400.

Other Innovation Awards winners: Sahara Series Bilge Pumps, Attwood Corp., Lowell, MI; phone 616-897-9241; www.attwoodmarine.com

Compact bilge pumps feature non-mercury auto-switch, completely sealed components and a three-year warranty.

Rule Mate 1500 & 2000 bilge pumps, ITT Industries, Gloucester, MA, 978 281-0573, www.rule-industries.com. These bilge pumps differ from other high capacity units because they have integral float switches. When the switches rise, the pumps turn on immediately.

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Eight great gadgets

Boat/US Magazine, Sept, 2002 by Caroline Ajootian

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