Fitting Out Series – Best Boating Tech for 2025

As the 2025 boating season approaches, there’s no better time to upgrade your boat’s tech and take your on-water adventures to the next level. In this first edition of our Fitting Out series, we dive into the latest and greatest in boating technology – helping you make the smartest investments for cruising, navigating and docking with ease.

We spoke with Chris Giles, Managing Director at Lumacon Accolade Group (t/a Aztec Marine) – located at our Shamrock Quay and Hamble Point marinas – about why staying on top of the latest tech trends can transform your boating experience. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a weekend explorer, there’s something here for everyone.

Investing in the right tech can dramatically enhance your time on the water. It’s all about making your vessel safer, more efficient and a pleasure to operate – whether you’re upgrading for performance, convenience or sustainability.

Best boat tech overall

“The Garmin GPSMAP 923xsv is an all-around winner, excelling in versatility, ease of use and value for money. Here's why:

Versatility

• Combines a chart plotter, sonar and fish finder in one device, making it suitable for both navigation and fishing.
• Offers built in support for ultra-high-definition scanning sonar, including traditional Chirp, High-Definition SideVü and ClearVü.

Ease of use

• The intuitive touchscreen interface allows for quick, simple operation, making it user-friendly for boaters of all experience levels.
• Easy to access navigation, sonar and map features without complex menus.

Value for money

• Compatible with premium features, like high-definition Garmin Navionics, but at a competitive price.
• Durable design and built-in Wi-Fi to connect to your active Captain app on your mobile device.

“The Garmin GPSMAP 923xsv is a standout device that delivers exceptional performance for both seasoned boaters and newcomers, offering a great mix of features, usability and affordability.”

Best boat tech on a budget

“If you're looking for affordable boat tech that offers great value without breaking the bank, here are some of our top picks:

“Starting with Class B AIS transponders, we recommend fitting a Digital Yacht AIT2000. They come in at around £700 for a full system including the antenna, keeping yourself and others around you safe and visible while on the water.

“Another great bit of tech to keep you heading in the right direction is the Navionics boating app. This app provides detailed marine charts for the UK and Ireland, including navigational aids, depth contours, tides and more. It also offers route planning, weather updates and synchronisation with other devices. The subscription is around £40 for the year, so for tech on a budget you can’t go wrong.”

Best for safety

“For safety systems, we recommend all boats should have some sort of remote monitoring system and we work with numerous manufacturers such as Sentinel and Link that can provide 24/7 smart monitoring, real-time data and security alerts for year-round peace of mind.”

Best for performance optimisation

“For the boater that is all about efficiency, we recommend fitting the Ray91. This is Raymarine’s modular dual station VHF system, which combines VHF and Automatic Identification System (AIS) in one unit. The dual station package comes with a wired handset paired with a black box that is discreetly mounted to save space on your helm. This package also comes with a wireless handset, giving you the freedom to roam around your boat while using the VHF.

"Whether you’re in a tricky docking situation or relaxing below deck you have the capability to use VHF radio or see vessels with Class B AIS. In addition to being a full featured VHF radio system, the Ray91’s built-in AIS receiver means it can receive navigation and safety broadcasts from nearby AIS-equipped vessels and share them with your compatible MFD, chart plotter, radar and instruments.”

Top energy-saving tips for greener boating in 2025

“As Lumacon originally started as a specialist company in LED solutions and control systems we always recommend any yacht owner that hasn’t upgraded their lighting on-board to LED do so. The technology has come such a long way and generally performs better at a tenth of the power consumption of traditional lighting.

“We also recommend that power generation solutions are always made up of a combination of sources such as wind and solar. Owners are often surprised at the limitations of what solar or wind alone can achieve. Manufacturers such as Victron provide a user app so the owner can see exactly where the vessel's power is being used and generated.”

Preparing to install upgrades or handle your boat’s winter maintenance? We offer ten fully serviced boatyards, spanning from Devon to Kent, equipped with everything required – including expert lifting services, ample storage ashore and a wide range of tenants providing specialised marine services.

Whether fitting out a vessel with the latest technology or preparing it for greener cruising in 2025, our facilities are designed to help boaters make the most of the upcoming season. To learn more, visit our dedicated boatyard page: www.mdlboatyards.co.uk.