Anyone who has walked through a boat show knows how far marine technology has come in recent years.

From pod drives that allow you to dock the boat with a joystick to thermal imaging cameras that let you see in the dark, new and (sometimes) better gizmos are coming out at stunning speed.

But what is it that boaters really want and need? And which technologies will really make a difference on your boat? These are the topics of Mad Mariner's latest contest, a 15-question survey, sponsored by the Dallas Summer Boat Show, that attempts to provide some answers to those very questions.

Read the rules and take the survey before the deadline at 11:59 p.m. EST on July 3 and you will be entered in a drawing to win one of three prizes. We'll announce the findings of the survey – along with the winners of the drawing – on July 6.

First prize is a SPOT Satellite Messenger and one year of service, worth about $250. Second prize is a free one-year membership at Pier88 Diving Co., a nationwide network of diving professionals who perform damage inspections, remove propellers or cut away tangles anytime you call. Third prize is a free installation of Navimatics Charts&Tides, a marine navigation and tides program for Apple's iPhone.

FROM AIS TO ZEUS DRIVES

The survey takes about 10 minutes and contains questions such as which technologies are most likely to improve our boating experience and what are most common experiences are. We also delve into which technologies have made the greatest contribution in the last few decades – and which are likely to do so in the future.

By necessity, we left out some portions of the technology spectrum. For example, there have been many advances in hull design, as well as in construction techniques and materials, and we left that ground uncovered. But the elements we did cover are many – everything from hybrid propulsion to forward-looking sonar.

We do require some personal information, like your name and email address, but only so that we can notify the winners. But the individual answers you give us will be kept private. Nothing except a summary of the data – and some of your comments, should you choose to provide any – will be made public.

So read the rules and take the survey, and then check out the results two weeks from now. We are all likely to learn something – and you just might win something, too.