It's always a risk to stare into the future and make predictions – and always worthwhile.
Looking around the marine landscape, from engine technology to marine electronics, there will be much to read about in 2008. To get a sense of the year ahead, Mad Mariner's editors put their heads together and came up with 12 stories to look for in coming months.
Some of these stories are probably already on your radar. Others may be entirely new. Some may even be wishful thinking. But all, we hope, are worth your time.
Video by CMD shows Zeus Drive in action.
#12 ZEUS COMES TO MARKET
Cummins MerCruiser Diesel will finally bring it's Zeus pod drive system to market. And, though Volvo Penta's IPS drives have several years of head start, Zeus will have its proponents.
The differences between the two drive systems, the most obvious of which is that IPS offers forward-facing props and Zeus offers traditional rear-facing propellers, have ignited a debate about which system is better that is sure to continue.
One other item to note is that buyers usually purchase boats, not propulsion systems, and Zeus will be aboard some popular boats this year.
Look for it on Grand Banks' new 41 Heritage EU, with a new interior layout made possible by the space-saving drives. Also, Sea Ray will be offering Zeus aboard the 38 and 44 Sundancer models, as well as the 47 Sedan Bridge model as soon as higher horsepower Zeus models are announced.
#11 MANDATORY EDUCATION
It is highly likely that we will end up with a requirement to pass mandatory education classes in order to get on the water – and carry some form of government-issued identification, perhaps a driver's license, once we are there.
Members of the National Boating Safety Advisory Council this fall unanimously voted in favor of a resolution recommending that that U.S. Coast Guard continue to seek authority to require boat operators to pass an education course and carry a certificate saying so. The Council recommended that the Coast Guard assemble a task force to develop draft requirements
Identification requirements may be coming too. There are those in the Department of Homeland Security, and in Congress, who would like to see the Transport Workers ID program, which requires all licensed mariners to carry a special ID card, expanded into the recreational boating world.
This topic generates a lot of heated discussion, with opponents arguing it is an unnecessary expense and hassle. But one state, Alabama, already has a licensing requirement and has seen boating-related injuries and fatalities drop dramatically.
RaymarineNetworked systems and 3D displays will become more common.
#10 ELECTRONICS AND MONITORING
It was just a few years ago that we first saw truly integrated marine electronics, led by companies like Furuno, Raymarine, Northstar and Garmin. Now these systems have significantly matured.
Better component integration, faster processors, black-box options and the adoption of the NMEA 2000 protocol, which makes it easier for components to share information, will continue to make today's systems ever more flexible and feature rich (though not cheaper).
But there's more to be done in this arena. Look for truly networked systems and three-dimensional displays to become more common. Now that most new engines are electronically controlled – and monitored – we will see better integration of this data into our navigation systems. On new boats, look for dedicated monitoring like that supplied by Krill Systems, which can watch batteries, tanks and almost everything else.
#9 SCREENS GROW, PRICES SHRINK
Slowly . . . slowly . . . slowly . . . monitors are becoming cheaper and"¦slowly . . . slowly . . . slowly"¦they are getting bigger. Five years ago, a 10-inch chartplotter screen was a big deal. Now, we are increasingly seeing 12-inch screens.
