Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/467551
16 | Boating Industry | March 2015 www.BoatingIndustry.com that our SpotlightScan technology in the HDS Gen3, with all the functionality built into the single display is going to be a core feature that they're going to love. The fact that the unit is now connected and able to upload and down- load the tracks that they do automatically and share in that social map gathering is a core piece that those guys love. For sailing, B&G has come out with the H5000, which is the most advanced instrumen- tation series for a sailing vessel, and that's a very exciting piece. And then again, all the software features we have on the displays, we're really very excited about how that is going to come across to the sailing [segment]. OTTOSSON: And that's something that's very unique for our industry, right? How many industries do you see that are handing out software for free? We are continuously putting more value into the product. We are basically not charging the cus- tomer for it. Some people think that is bug fi xes … there may be one or two of those, especially in the beginning, but if you look at the feature list we showed [at the event], if you already owned one of our products, you're going to get a whole bunch of new features for free. There are not many industries that provide you that. They'd rather build them into the next generation product and charge you for that upgrade. We are changing that. That is also very exciting. Boating Industry: Based on what you're seeing with product orders from OEMs and dealers, what's your outlook for the market in 2015? OTTOSSON: It looks quite healthy this year globally. It is not only one market. We are going into the year with a better order book than we've ever seen. We are also noticing from the customers that we've talked to that they are very bullish, very keen to build a little bit of inventory. They don't seem to be afraid of not being able to move it. The sentiment feels very good for this year. Boating Industry: Obviously you guys are going to be biased, but what do you feel is the importance of electronics in helping people enjoy boating and bringing more people into boating? JOURLAIT: Why do you go out? You don't go out on your boat to enjoy the electronics. They're a means to an end. For me, the time on the boat was enhanced because electronics got you there and then you didn't have to think about it. That's what we're trying to provide – a greater sailing experience, a greater fi shing ex- perience and a greater powerboat experience. That's why you go out. That to me is the wow factor. All this technology makes it more fun, more pleasurable. CHEMI: It's exactly what Marc described. The reality is very few people go boating for the reason I go boating. I am that geek that [wants] to use elec- tronics to fi nd fi sh. Most people aren't like that. It's us providing those needs for the con- sumer in the best way possible and in a way that he can do it simply. By doing that, hopefully we get them to spend more time on the water … versus in an RV or camping or hiking, or what- ever those other activities might be. If you look at it in the broadest sense, we want to make it easier to do whatever you're after on the boat. We want to bring to bear all the data and analysis you can do on the back end to make it easier. Think of the future, where before you go out and try to turn over the boat and fi nd out your battery's dead, we're actually able to send you an email on Wednes- day with a 10 percent off coupon to go to your local retailer and get a new battery because we've sensed that you've got a problem. That's the future we want to see, where we're able to help that consumer's experience in that limited time he has. JOURLAIT: I think there's also a generational aspect. How do you get in the next generation of boat- ers, who are probably more tech savvy and will geek out on this stuff? For people that are used to iPhones and apps, GoFree is the perfect so- lution for them. They understand uploading a sonar log and downloading somebody else's. They get that. The Lowrance High Defi nition System Gen3 fi shfi nder/chartplotter offers a multi-touch screen, faster operation and a number of new features from earlier versions of the HDS.