Seven products honored at MAATS

LAS VEGAS – Seven marine aftermarket products were honored last night by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Boating Writers International at the 7th annual Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show.

Six products were recognized for innovative achievement, while another was honored with The Environmental Award, honoring the most environmentally-friendly product entered in the awards program.

The products recognized in their respective categories, included:

  • Aftermarket Electronics: McMurdo Smartfind Plus 406 GPS EPIRB from Revere Survival Products
  • Boat Care/Coating/Chemicals/Maintenance Tools: Check Up
  • Deck Equipment: The Floatstep Dock Ladder from Floatstep
  • Safety Products: Mustang Survival’s Survival Rescue Stick
  • Trailer Parts & Accessories: the F2 trailer jack from Cequent Performance and Rope-A-Boat
  • Environmental Award: Blue Water Marine Paint’s Enviro-Pads
  • The awards organizers say that the Innovation Awards, which are organized by NMMA and judged by BWI, recognize those products that best meet the following criteria: Innovative distinction from other products currently being manufactured; benefit to the marine industry and/or consumer; practicality; cost-effectiveness; and availability to the consumer within 60 days of the show’s conclusion. A total of 50 new products were entered in eight categories for this year’s MAATS awards program.

    “When the judges consider entries, we sometimes see products that feature incremental additions or improvements,” says Jan Mundy, Innovation Awards chair and editor of DIY Boat Owner magazine. “According to the definition of ‘innovation’ as it relates to these awards, a new product must be substantially different, not just an incremental change to an existing product. The key challenge for judges this year was to select products that met this criterion.”

    Additional BWI members nominated to the MAATS judging panel in 2007 include: Jim Barron, technical editor, Trailer Boats; Mark Corke, senior editor, BoatWorks and SAIL magazines; Scott Croft, assistant editor, BoatU.S. Magazine; Alan Jones, executive editor, Boating World; Zuzana Prochazka, staff writer, Latitudes & Attitudes; and Alan Wendt, editor, Marine CEO.

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