Marlin exhibited at IBEX ’23 and featured our digital switching system including our brand new Legend Series keypads – interchangeable icons and bright LED lights. We also showed our MFD gateway connecting our system to Garmin and Simrad multifunction displays. The well attended show had >9000 visitors and every boat component you could imagine was on display. The outside docks included additional displays on boats in and out of the water. Who knew you needed two 500hp outboards on a pontoon boat?!
Boat manufacturers that previously used fuse panels and rocker switches continue to convert to digital systems. There are fewer points of potential failure, savings in wire and wiring labor, and an improved boating experience. This transition continues! Builders already using digital systems have been doing so for years, and they like what they have learned. Get ready by scheduling your prototype build with the Marlin team to see the system in action!
Economic indicators show a mild recession next year, which is unusual in an election year. The models we saw indicate 2025 will be a recovery though, so this is not a deep depression. Our take is 2024 is a great time to line up new components for the future, as builders have more time available to make changes. 2024 is the time to add new features to products and extra capacity to handle the demand coming in 2025. That includes adding a Digital Switcher System to differentiate your boats from the competition.
Builders appreciate a simple user interface for digital systems, and they want the ability to make simple changes on their own without running back to the manufacturer. Deutsch-style connectors make wiring faster, easier and overall there’s less of it. Builders like that! They also like a component-based system that allows them to mix and match different elements to fit their boat models just right. If you need something more than the standard M-Flex Digital Switcher System, know that Marlin Technologies was built on custom solutions. If you want a keypad with a custom brand or look, that is not a problem. Let’s get together and create a custom solution that speaks your brand to your boat buyers!
Contact your William F. Miller rep or contact Marlin at Marlintech.com/marine or 920-485-4463 to talk with any of our team that attended this great show!
