Back in February the boating industry completely took over the Miami Beach area as the world came together in Florida for the five-day Miami International Boat Show. Each year buyers from around the globe descend upon southern Florida to shop the most comprehensive showcase of the newest boats, yachts, tech, gear and marine innovations. For us, it’s an excuse to break away from cold temperatures and see what’s new that pertains to the pontoon and deck boat world.

Hosted across six locations, there were an estimated 100,000 attendees and the show once again provided a platform for hundreds of debuts, spotlighting cutting-edge marine products and boats. From the pontoon perspective, Avalon, Bennington, Harris, Manitou, Montara, Sea-Doo, Starcraft, Sylvan, Ventura, Veranda and Viaggio each had at least one boat on display with some having boats in the water too. Here are the highlights from what we came across at the show.

Manitou

A lot of manufacturers offer twin engine pontoons, but for years Manitou was arguably best known for it. At the Miami Show, Manitou had a pair of twin Mercury outboards in its booth at the convention center, but it was its other twin model that seemed to draw the most attention. The all-new Manitou Explore MAX dual engine models are being released in 24- and 26-foot lengths with twin Rotax S150 outboards. Above the partially submerged engines is the new MAX deck platform that is 2 feet longer than the original version and slightly elevated, providing more than 6 feet of usable, unobstructed space at the stern. It’s an exclusive deck, only available on Manitou pontoons powered with Rotax outboard engines. This model was also on the water at the Venetian Marina location of the show along with traditional outboard models.

Hydrogen Outboard

The world’s first prototype hydrogen-combustion outboard motor by Yamaha was revealed, along with a prototype fuel system integrated into a vessel that the company plans to further refine for testing later this year. The effort is part of Yamaha’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality: deploying multiple technology solutions. And its booth sure attracted a lot of attention.

Besides Yamaha, other marine technologies including sustainable fuels, hybrid engines and electric options also debuted. This underscores the industry’s dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship, which was illustrated during the Propelling Our Future event, which unveiled new research outlining multiple technologies needed to further propel recreational boating toward decarbonization. Sustainability partners at the show included Suzuki and Allini Water Filters.

“This year’s boat show was a hub to see some of the latest next gen marine technologies, from sustainable fuels to more efficient boat hull and engine designs, plus hundreds of boat debuts and new marine innovations,” said NMMA President & CEO Frank Hugelmeyer. “We’re proud to showcase the best in boating, delivering an annual sales boon for boat and marine engine manufacturers and the thousands of marine businesses who exhibit year after year.”

Honda’s Advanced Technologies

Looking into future technology, Honda is developing automation and intelligence-based technologies to improve safety and increase maneuverability on the water. These include 360-degree surround view cameras that help eliminate blind spots and autonomous docking and trailering, all of which reduce boater anxiety about maneuvering around fixed objects.

On the water at the Honda slips at the Venetian Marina was the Avalon 2585 Catalina Platinum Quad Lounger that was equipped with a new, ergonomic cockpit system and a multi-view camera system, powered by the Honda BF350 V8 outboard motor.

Honda Marine outboard motors have earned a reputation for fuel efficiency and reliability, and the Honda BF350 is the newest evolution in the company’s product line. Honda is planning to introduce six new models by 2030 and is also pilot testing small 4kW electric propulsion technology in Japan, using the same motors that power small Honda electric motorcycles. The company intends to apply the same proprietary electrification technology to small outboard motors.

Further, to reduce its environmental impact, Honda worldwide is working toward achieving carbon neutrality at the factories that produce these products. Mr. Tsuruzono explained that the Honda marine outboard factory aims to achieve carbon neutrality (100 percent of the electricity used in production) by FY2026.

Suzuki Goes Stealth

Suzuki Marine USA unveiled its new Stealth Line of outboards for 2024, designed to provide boaters and anglers with a bold yet “stealthy” look that sets any boat apart from the crowd. Brandon Cerka, Suzuki Marine USA general manager sales and marketing, introduced the Stealth Line (“Shinobi” in Japanese) that has a new, all-matte black finish and matching chrome black graphics. With their “sneaky” good looks, this family of motors has a way of giving any boat an extra dose of attitude — whether sitting at the dock or racing across the water.

Starcraft Success

With a solid mix of pontoons and deck boats, Starcraft once again had a booth full of boats on display at the convention center. It seems its versatile lineup of both Starcraft and Sylvan pontoons attracted a lot of attention, but this year the Starcraft SVX center console line of deck boats stole the show. The deck boats will continue to be a popular option on any body of water, but feel like a natural fit for the Florida market where center console models dominate the area.

Ventura

With six different locations as part of the show, you never knew where you were going to spot a pontoon boat. The Herald Plaza location is known for being the part of the show that offers massive yachts yet we still found this Ventura model on display. Ventura Texas Marine had other types of boats in its booth, but naturally we were drawn to this pontoon.