The call that every yachtsman dreads
The main character of today's story is Nick Hayes, Managing Director of Digital Yacht. The company develops smart solutions for yachts, ranging from variations of AIS systems to portable marine PCs and software.
Nick was enjoying a quiet moment on dry land when the fateful call came. The marina manager where Hayes' yacht was located disarmed the Digital Yacht director with the scathing news: "Excuse me, but is your boat sinking?" Like any other yachtsman in a similar situation, Nick almost automatically began asking the manager: "Why? What happened? What exactly is broken on board?"
Bilge system failure is a serious problem for a yacht.
The marina manager confronted Nick about the problem, but by that point, the yacht's salvage operation was already in full swing. As it turned out a little later, the cause of the water filling the boat's hull was a problem with the shaft seal (reinforced cuff, ed.).
The Bilge iQ controller (right) and connected MFD display (left). Source: digitalyacht.net
Over time, the seal's poor sealing allowed water to leak into the bilge. This, in turn, forced the bilge pump to work harder, eventually giving way. The yacht nearly sank. Another problem was the discharge of contaminated bilge water overboard.
Hayes says, "It got me thinking. Digital Yacht makes smart solutions for connecting and monitoring yachts, and yet my own boat nearly sank while dumping contaminated bilge water simply because I wasn't aware the bilge pump was faulty. There had to be a solution." Nick's 30 years of experience in yachting equipment came to the rescue.
Remote Solution – Bilge iQ
Digital Yacht decided to cut to the chase and developed a new controller, dubbed Bilge iQ. The system will be used to monitor leaks, bilge water, and environmental pollution. The compact Bilge iQ is designed to help monitor critical systems onboard.
The Bilge iQ web interface, accessible via a browser. Source: digitalyacht.net
The controller uses the NMEA 2000 protocol. Bilge iQ connects to any bilge pump and transmits readings to a multifunction display (MFD). The device can be controlled both from the centralized MFD and via NMEA switching commands.
The Bilge iQ also features an additional wireless connectivity interface, allowing you to view bilge and pump status via mobile devices. Other controller features include:
- monitoring the operation of the bilge pump,
- real-time current consumption monitoring,
- recording of pump operating cycles,
- installation and configuration of alarm signals for dry running or overload,
- tracking abnormal loads and operating time,
- notifications of pump activation failures.
Additionally, Bilge iQ has the ability to connect to Victron Cerbo systems for remote monitoring and control via the free VRM cloud platform.
Bilge water and environmental pollution
Hayes adds, "We've developed a solution that allows boat owners to control their bilge pump. A sinking vessel certainly poses a serious environmental hazard, but even more importantly, the uncontrolled discharge of bilge water is a daily problem."
Bilge iQ controller. Source: digitalyacht.net
"The hold accumulates all sorts of pollutants—fuel and oil spills, paint particles, microfibers, and microplastics. Simply dumping all of this overboard made no sense; it would have been a wasteful waste of the marine environment. We knew we had to take Bilge iQ to the next level."
Digital Yacht approached Wave International, a British expert in advanced bilge water purification solutions, with the idea of taking their bilge water monitoring system to the next level. This brand's bilge filters remove oil and other contaminants before pumping out water, and their universal installation on all types of vessels makes them an excellent complement to the Bilge iQ system for environmental safety.
How Professionals Recognized Bilge iQ
The Bilge iQ system, introduced in September 2025, was a breakthrough, earning the NMEA "Best New Product" award. It was subsequently awarded the DAME Design Award for sustainability and received an honorable mention in the "Onboard Safety" category.
NMEA Award for "Best New Product 2025." Source: digitalyacht.net
This high rating confirms the uniqueness of this affordable and easy-to-install solution, which effectively combines vessel protection with environmental care.
New video on Interparus channel
We're continuing our coverage of the METSTRADE exhibition! In this episode, we'll touch on the DAME award and discuss the future of yachting (not again, but once again). Enjoy!
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19.12.2025
