Post about product development, the company and the sport evolving.
This started about deck plates, side accesses, wiring harnesses and developments, as technology changes abound today.
Going back 20 years ago, we started large in dash graphs in 2003 with the Cougar FTD model, as graphs went GPS with Lcx 15 and then the Lcx 15c (c=color screen). We outpaced Lowrance GPS production that year. That was followed by the Humminbird 997 Si and after that electronics upgrades became a flurry. Down Imaging came along and that eased into the market. It took a decade to bring boats up to where graphs were in the 2005 era, simply due to molds and tooling costs. Let alone a financial recession that further slowed things in 2008-2010. Since then it’s been a revolution of technology as the economy rebounded and fishing changed as well.
Even the homes we live in have drastically changed and your three bedroom home may have been top level in 2010. Todays homes have eclipsed that level of opulence and created mega monstrosities that seem to be popping up everywhere. Which also creates an entirely different conversation of wants and needs, or haves and have nots.
Let’s look back some and going back to 2003. After GPS in that era became popular then charts and more mapping came along. Graphs, MinnKota Ultrex and Spot Lock Trolling Motors (2019) have totally change the aftermarket install landscape as everyone wants the newest and latest technology.
With the advent of Live Scope in 2020 model year, following PanOptix, the electronics game has totally changed in 4 or 5 short years. The race to the front had been feverish development of graphs, systems, mounts, motorized turrets and much more we haven’t seen yet.
As this all develops, in 2000 era we had no need for larger access, improved harnesses and often we see comments that ask why didn’t we do this or that. People forget in the mid 1990’s cell phones were new technology and bag phones were the method. They don’t realize that Windows 95 (1995) was a revolutionary computer system (as with Apple) and the internet was not common until the mid 1990’s. iPhones were new in 2007 and after that the game ramped up in all technology aspects.
On our present Premium line we have stepped up big time in many areas. And we are continuing to review how we advance access, mounting and system usage beyond where we see it today. Many areas will have no need for access after the boat is new. And we don’t want to add future problems from poorly located panels, plates, and hinging areas, that may never be used by a consumer.
On Premium models today we have access plates in the bow and the control box comes free on a plate. Then the 6 gauge tinned and soldered harness is fine stranded wire, with the front and console terminal blocks it gives you “clean” power to both console and bow with no amperage drop. A Bronze buss bar and stud mounted terminals give you much better connection than any twist style, press in, or other connector. It’s hard mounted and has good contact.
As trolling motors advance, moving that further we moved trolling wire up to a 4 gauge soldered system and we continue to use the Battery Tender removable trolling motor plug, while others hard mount their trolling motor with crimp connectors. This is an area we would like to improve in the future, as those needs develop. For now this is the best system and the cost is considerable for both male and female parts. We don’t believe another manufacturer has yet stepped up to 4 gauge fine stranded tinned wire, let alone soldering those connections.
All of this post developed from a few comments on a 2014 model we saw, and as we exit 2023 model year soon, that’s over a ten year old boat now. Comparing the new 2023 Puma STS to a 2003 Cougar would be unfair, as it would be to a 1983 Ranger (R) 350.
It’s hard for people to remember Yamaha SHO came about in 2010-11 and Mercury V8 models are only 5 years old. Developments will come and the pace is almost Tesla exhausting, when you think about the speed things have changed our world lately. Just like the new Jaguar STS (2020)and Puma STS (2022) hulls, we will continue to develop that template and bring things to a new level that others haven’t.
Rick Pierce
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Originally Posted by krindgen
