Garmin OnBoard System Earns Top Honor in the 2025 DAME Design Awards
Garmin, widely recognized as the world’s largest and most forward-thinking marine electronics manufacturer, announced today that its groundbreaking Garmin OnBoard™ system has been named the winner of the Safety & Security Aboard category in the prestigious 2025 DAME Design Awards. This honor highlights Garmin’s continued leadership in marine innovation and its commitment to enhancing boater safety with intuitive, reliable and accessible technology.
The winners of this year’s DAME Awards were revealed during Metstrade, the globe’s largest and most influential trade show dedicated to marine equipment, components, materials and systems. Held November 18–20 in Amsterdam, Metstrade brings together industry professionals, product developers, designers and decision-makers from around the world. Each year, the show serves not only as a showcase for the newest and most impactful advances in marine technology, but also as a powerful indicator of larger trends shaping the future of boating. Against this dynamic backdrop, Garmin OnBoard stood out for its innovative, wireless approach to man-overboard (MOB) detection and engine cutoff functionality.
A Record-Breaking Competition
The 2025 DAME Awards reached new milestones, underscoring the rising importance of innovative design in the marine sector. This year’s competition included 146 product entries from 37 different countries—an all-time high for the program. The global reach and diverse field of submissions demonstrated both the competitive nature of marine product design and the growing emphasis on safety, efficiency and user experience across the industry.
A jury composed of internationally respected design experts, product engineers, industry veterans and marine media professionals conducted a thorough review of each entry. Their evaluation process focuses not only on aesthetic quality, but also on functionality, innovation, ergonomics, accessibility, the use of materials, environmental impact and overall design execution. From the initial field, 67 products were selected as nominees across eight categories ranging from machinery to personal equipment. Garmin OnBoard ultimately emerged at the top of the Safety & Security Aboard category, with judges praising its thoughtful design and meaningful contribution to onboard safety.
A Bold New Approach to Man-Overboard Protection
Garmin OnBoard attracted the jury’s attention for rethinking a critical aspect of boating safety: the moment when a person unexpectedly falls overboard. Traditionally, engine cutoff systems have relied on tethered lanyards attached to the vessel operator’s body. While useful, these systems present a variety of challenges, including limited mobility, tangled lines, and reliance on the captain remembering to clip in.
Garmin’s approach eliminates those constraints by using lightweight, wireless tags rather than physical tethers. These unobtrusive tags can be worn in multiple ways—on a wristband, clipped onto a carabiner or attached to a floating key ring—making adoption much easier for boaters of all ages and experience levels. Each tag can be designated for either a captain or a passenger, and the system supports up to eight tags simultaneously. This means boaters can extend the same layer of protection not only to the vessel operator but also to children, pets or valuable objects on board, giving peace of mind to families and captains alike.
When a tag moves out of range or enters the water—indicating an MOB event—the Garmin OnBoard system instantly reacts. The connected Garmin chartplotter saves an exact waypoint showing where the incident occurred, enabling a rapid and efficient return to the location. Audible alarms sound immediately to alert everyone on board. If the MOB is the captain, the system automatically triggers the engine cutoff, bringing the vessel to a controlled stop and preventing additional hazards that can occur when a boat continues moving without an operator. The captain’s tag also includes an optional button-press function that allows the operator to disable the engine manually if needed.
Recognition for Innovation and User-Centered Design
Garmin leaders expressed deep appreciation for the recognition from the DAME jury. Susan Lyman, Garmin’s Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing, emphasized how the award validates the company’s dedication to designing technology that addresses real-world challenges faced by boaters.
Winning a DAME Design Award shines a spotlight on the bold design and innovative technology behind the Garmin OnBoard System,” Lyman said. “Instead of a traditional tethered design, Garmin OnBoard uses wireless, non-intrusive tags that will bring the boat to a stop and alert those on board if a captain MOB event is detected. We’re honored to receive this recognition which further underscores our commitment to making boating not only safer, but more enjoyable for everyone on the water.
Her comments reflect Garmin’s broader strategy: to merge advanced engineering with elegant design, ensuring that safety-enhancing tools are not only functional but also convenient, intuitive and widely adoptable.
Seamless Integration for a Wide Range of Vessels
One of the defining strengths of Garmin OnBoard is its compatibility. The system works with virtually any boat equipped with an engine cutoff switch, and it integrates effortlessly with Garmin’s ECHOMAP™ and GPSMAP® chartplotters—two of the company’s most widely used marine navigation systems. This ensures that both new boaters and long-time Garmin customers can take advantage of the technology without the need for major upgrades or complex installation procedures.
In addition to its focus on convenience, Garmin OnBoard complies with U.S. federal laws requiring the installation and use of an Engine Cutoff Link (ECOS). By meeting these safety standards, the system provides boaters with a solution that is both legally compliant and operationally advanced.
Availability and Pricing
Garmin confirmed that the OnBoard System is now available for purchase at a suggested price of $499.99. Additional MOB tags—ideal for expanding coverage to more individuals or objects on board—are offered separately at $149.99 each. Given the system’s capabilities and its potential to prevent serious accidents, it represents a meaningful investment in onboard safety for boaters of all types.
A Meaningful Step Forward for Marine Safety
The selection of Garmin OnBoard as a 2025 DAME Award winner underscores the growing importance of user-friendly safety systems in recreational and commercial boating. As the marine industry continues to evolve, innovations like Garmin OnBoard point toward a future where boaters can operate with greater confidence, knowing that advanced technology is actively working to reduce risk and protect everyone on board.
Garmin’s achievement not only highlights the company’s design excellence but also reinforces its ongoing mission: to create products that enrich experiences on the water, blend seamlessly into everyday boating routines, and—most importantly—help save lives when unexpected events occur.
Source Link:https://www.garmin.com/
