The award season is in full swing - MarineBusinessWorld North America newsletter
by Peter Rendle 28 Jan 08:00 PST
2026 Minneapolis Innovation Award winners announced © National Marine Manufacturers Association
The NMMA and Boating Writers International (BWI) announced the winners of the 2026 Minneapolis Innovation Awards, recognizing groundbreaking new consumer marine products, during the new Breakfast Briefing and Awards Presentation on January 22 at the Discover Boating Minneapolis Boat Show, in partnership with Progressive Insurance.
The Minneapolis Innovation Awards honor manufacturers and suppliers who bring new, innovative products in the boating industry to market. This year's program honored six winners across four categories - one in the aluminum and non-fiberglass fishing boats category, one in the fiberglass category, two in the pontoon category and two in the furnishings category.
Brunswick Boat Group announced that three of its brands have received some of the marine industry's most respected innovation and performance awards, underscoring Brunswick's leadership in design, engineering, and category-defining products across global markets. The honors include: Sea Ray Boats receiving European Powerboat of the Year 2026 for the SDX 270 Surf during the Düsseldorf Boat Show, NAVAN Boats earning its first Motor Boat of the Year honors for the S30, also at Düsseldorf, and Princecraft Boats winning a 2026 NMMA Innovation Award for the Platinum 190 at the Minneapolis Boat Show.
Meanwhile Mark Jardine, Managing Editor of Sail-World, was in Germany and has filed this report: "At boot Düsseldorf this year I was very much looking for things which brighten up a cold and wet January. The Boards hall was vibrant with plenty of activity going on the pool, including a wing foil competition and pump foil racing. I loved the bright colours of everything and the energy, which was attracting a young audience into life on the water. The Sailing Yacht halls were dominated by white gelcoat, and looking at the bottom of hulls for the majority of the time didn't seem the best way to show them off.
"The Woy 26 daysailer really caught my eye. This beautiful wooden planing open dayboat looks like a lot of fun and received a Special Mention from the judges in the Best Specialist Yacht category of the European Yacht of the Year Awards. The boat combines a modern hull with traditional materials and had a striking finish, including a long carbon bowsprit for the asymmetric spinnaker. The combination of old and new here was stunning."
Ten things to like in the FY26 Appropriations Bills for the sportfishing industry! Last week, the U.S. Senate sent President Trump an appropriations package for Fiscal Year 2026 that includes funding for several federal agencies, including the Department of the Interior and the Commerce Department. While it's a wonky and tedious process to engage in, appropriations bills include important policy directives that can have real, on-the-water impacts for the sportfishing industry, anglers and communities that rely on the $230 billion economic impact from recreational fishing.
Suntex Marina Investors LLC, in partnership with Centerbridge Partners and its affiliates, the nation's premier owner and operator of recreational marina properties, announced the acquisition of Two Georges Marina in Shalimar, Florida. The property will now operate under the new name Shalimar Harbor Marina, a nod to its roots as the former Shalimar Yacht Basin. This acquisition brings Shalimar into the Suntex network as the second Emerald Coast property alongside Legendary Marina in Destin, Florida.
New products this week includes Simrad Marine Electronics, a global leader in marine navigation and electronics, who has released its 2.3 software update, introducing the first and only/exclusive Lenco Pro Control integration to select Simrad multifunction displays powered by the NEON operating system, including the NSX, NSX ULTRAWIDE and NSS 4.
Smartgyro are delighted to announce that customers can now enjoy the benefit of enhanced system display control and monitoring of their Smartgyro units on compatible Raymarine Axiom chartplotter displays. This new integration enables boat owners using gyroscopic stabilization to experience the latest interactive capabilities at the helm via Raymarine Axiom chartplotters. With native support for web-based apps, Axiom's LightHouse operating system makes integration with Smartgyro straightforward.
Boaters can now enjoy a noticeably smoother, more comfortable day on the water thanks to a new partnership between Seakeeper Inc, the leader in marine motion control, and Barletta Boats, one of North America's fastest-growing pontoon manufacturers. The companies announced that Seakeeper Ride is coming to the pontoon market for the first time — an advancement that significantly enhances comfort, stability, and on-water confidence across fresh and saltwater applications.
Floating Flame, manufacturer of portable fire pits ready for anything from boating to tailgating, announced the nationwide availability of its patented fire pit. Originally designed for use on pontoon boats, the Floating Flame has quickly evolved into the most versatile fire pit on the market. It offers over 20 hours of burn time; all while being optimized for operation in a marine environment with all marine-grade stainless steel components.
Peter Rendle - peter.rendle@worldmarine.media