Winners lauded at Design Award METS
Innovation and approachability were the order of the day Tuesday morning in Amsterdam as Scanstrut was declared the overall winner of the 2017 Design Award METS for its RS Venture Connect Conversion Kit.
The fully self-contained Venture Connect Conversion kit enables a sailing instructor to retrospectively adapt an RS Venture sailing dinghy to suitable use by those with a wide range of disabilities, including paraplegia, in only 30 minutes.
The Award Jury praised Scanstrut for delivering a well-designed and fully integrated solution that will allow a broader range of disabled people to get on the water.
Additional category winners included:
- Category 1 – Marine Electronics And Related Software Category winner: Simarine Nereide Smart Marine Power Panel
- Category 2 – Interior Equipment, Furnishings, Materials, And Electrical Fittings Used In Cabins Category winner: Besenzoni P400 Matrix
- Category 3 – Deck Equipment, Sails, And Rigging Category winner: Scanstrut RS Venture Connect Conversion Kit
- Category 4 – Marina Equipment, Boatyard Equipment And Boat Construction Tools And Materials Category winner: Seabin
- Category 5 – Clothing And Crew Accessories Category winner: Zhik Isotak X Extreme Ocean Sailing Apparel
- Category 6 – Life Saving And Safety Equipment Category winner: CrewWatcher submitted by Weems & Plath
- Category 7 – Machinery, Propulsion, Mechanical And Electrical Systems And Fittings Category winner: Oceanvolt Servoprop
“The marine sector’s end users are changing – older and younger generations often have different ideas about what they want from a boat and their marine equipment, with younger people often foregoing their own boat and preferring more accessible products,” said Birgit Schnasse, chair of the DAME Awards Jury. “Wealthier customers’ tastes are diverging even more from those of other users. We are seeing welcome evidence that products are being developed to address these market changes.”
A total of 122 products were submitted for consideration in this year’s DAME awards, by marine parts and accessories manufacturers in 22 different countries.
A total of 64 products were nominated to enter the final round of judging, making this year’s DAME award one of the most hotly contested ever.
Now in its 27th year, the DAME Awards serve a purpose beyond rewarding innovation and design excellence.
Each year the combined registration fees for DAME Award entries are donated to a nominated charity. This year proceeds totaling €18,400 were donated in support of two children’s charities – Sailing Kids and VOKK, which organize sailing trips for young patients and survivors of childhood cancer.
The 30th annual METS runs through Thursday at the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre, the Netherlands.
