Skyhook wins MotorBoating Best of 2009 award, will be featured in Miami
February 2009
News
FOND du LAC, WIS. (Feb. 10, 2009) - Mercury Marine's Skyhook Electronic Anchor, recognized by MotorBoating magazine as the 2009 "Best of the Year" positioning system, will be available at the Miami International Boat Show, Feb. 12-16, for consumer and media demonstrations.
Skyhook, Mercury's "virtual anchoring system," allows boaters to position their vessels for hands-free operation. For example, Skyhook will let you electronically anchor your boat almost anywhere, even in the wind, deep water or moving water. The award-winning anchoring system will be available for demos at the Miami Boat Show on Axius-powered Rinker and Fountain boats at the SeaLine Marina.
Winners of the MotorBoating awards were notified in advance of the Miami International Boat Show and will be recognized at a Feb. 12 awards ceremony in Miami. The publication's editors present the "Best of the Year" awards to the top advancements in technology, boat design, electronics, engines, gear and events that make boating better, safer and more fun for boat owners everywhere.
MotorBoating also recognized the Zeus-powered Sea Ray 43 Sundancer as the Best Cruiser, crediting the vessel's joystick docking and SmartCraft Vessel View displays with making it "possible for boaters with modest handling skills to take the helm with confidence."
"Mercury continues to lead the industry by developing unique features on its Zeus and Axius propulsion systems to make boating easier and more fun," said Mercury President Mark Schwabero.
The Skyhook system is designed to hold a vessel on its heading and within approximately three meters of a GPS coordinate. This amazing station-keeping ability is possible thru the use of a dedicated GPS antenna and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), essentially an electronic compass.
The heading feature is useful for boaters who want to use Skyhook to hold their boat over a fishing location, wait for a spot at a busy fuel dock, wait for a drawbridge to open, create shade for the cockpit, or increase or reduce wind blowing into the cockpit area.
Skyhook is standard on Zeus and comes with an upgrade to the Axius Premier System.
