Marking its 85th run in 2026, the February 11-15, 2026 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show enjoyed a five-day run of warm temperatures, sunny skies and plenty of new boats and marine products.
This year’s Miami show introduced two new in-water locations for big boats. Power yachts up to 135 feet, including both new boats and brokerage offerings, were on display at The Miami Beach Yacht Collection on Collins Avenue, not far from the Fontainebleau Hotel. The Sailor’s Cove location, at the IGY Yacht Haven Grand Miami marina—closer to the Miami side of the MacAruthur Causeway—was the place to see new sailboats (mostly catamarans) and sail-oriented accessories.
The new in-water locations were connected to the show’s Miami Beach Convention Center home via shuttle buses and electric golf carts, though plenty of time-pressed attendees and exhibitors skipped the lines and resorted to Uber and Lyft rides to get around. The educational “Discover Boating” aspect of the show included how-to seminars for power boaters presented by Fred’s Shed and workshops for sailors presented by the Annapolis School of Seamanship.
Check out the slideshow at the end of this article for a quick sampling of some of the new accessories and motors on display.
Aquila Enters the Sail Cat Market
Among the new sailboats debuting in Miami was the Aquila 50 Sail, marking the power catamaran builder’s entry into the sail market after nearly 14 years in business. The Aquila 50 Sail isn’t just a power cat hull fitted with a mast. Executives of Aquila, which is stacked with veterans from sailboat builders including Leopard, Lagoon, HH and Excess, noted that the new sail model was developed by renowned yacht design firm J&J Design.
Extensive computer fluid dynamic testing of the hull was performed to maximize sailing performance, according to the builder, while load analysis reinforcement ensures structural integrity for the stresses of the rig.
The Aquila 50 Sail model at the dock in Miami featured the Hybrid Ocean Drive option, which is powered by Torqeedo’s Deep Blue hybrid propulsion system. As configured for the Aquila 50 Sail, the system features two 50 kW straight-shaft electric motors, an 80 kWh battery bank, 4 kW of solar capacity and a Kohler generator managed by the Torqeedo Deep Blue energy management system.
Aquila execs noted differentiators including a closed bridge deck, accommodation of up to six cabins in a 49-ft. 4-in. LOA boat, independent entries for each cabin, a bar with two fixed stools between the cockpit and the galley, a built-in dinghy crane system, and direct access to the bow from the bridge. The builder plans to launch an Aquila 44 Sail model later this year and an Aquila 65 Sail flagship model in 2027.
Beyond the Boats
Turning to accessories and propulsion, click on the slides below to get a closer look at six standout new products for sailors seen in the Miami Convention Center and nearby Pride Park outdoor exhibit and seminar space.
1. Airmar TriSonic Smart Sensor
Category: Through-hull transducer for measuring depth, speed-over-water and water temperature
Manufacturer: Airmar Technology Corp.
Cost: $1,500 (price available online in February 2026)
Description: What sailor hasn’t been frustrated by those paddle wheel speed sensors that invariably get fouled by sea creatures after spending just a few days in the water? Airmar developed the new TriSonic Smart Sensor to measure speed-over-water, as well as depth and water temperature, while doing away with the paddle wheel. Designed to fit in the same through-hull fittings used by the vendor’s popular Airmar ST800 Triducer, the TriSonic Smart Sensor uses an ultrasonic sensor to measure boat speed over the water. The transducer also delivers heel and trim data, connecting via Bluetooth to Airmar’s CAST smartphone app for calibrating depth offsets and speeds at up to five heel angles.
2. ACR ResQFlare Pro
Category: High-intensity electronic visual distress signal
Manufacturer: ACR Electronics Inc.
Cost: $199 (price available online in February 2026)
Description: The days of single-use pyrotechnics that fail when wet, expire within a few years, and threaten to burn hands, arms and inflatable vests and rafts may be coming to a close. Electronic signaling began with first-generation devices, like the original ResQFlare shown at left in the inset above. The slightly larger ACR ResQFlare Pro, shown at right in the inset, was demonstrated at the show, as shown in the larger pictures, with a blast of high-intensity flashing light by Mikele D’Arcangelo of ACR Electronics. The Pro model is buoyant, waterproof and meets the latest RTCM (Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services) international standards embraced by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Flashing red-orange and cyan LEDs combined with an infrared component, the ResQFlare Pro offers three hours of high-intensity signaling with eight user-replaceable 123 Lithium batteries (not included). Together with its included daytime distress flag, the ResQFlare Pro meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements to be carried in lieu of traditional pyrotechnic flares. There’s still a place for aerial flares and parachute rockets that can be seen over the horizon, but the ResQFlare Pro is rated for effective visibility within eight miles without the short burn time and burn risk.
3. Dockmate Pro
Photo/ Doug Henschen
Category: Wireless remote docking controller
Manufacturer: Dockmate
Cost: Varies with the complexity of the installation
Description: Dockmate puts helm control in the palm of your hand with palm-sized remote devices that control shifting, throttles, thruster(s), the windlass and even the horn, from anywhere on a boat. The new Dockmate Pro, introduced in late 2025 and seen in Miami, is billed as a “more affordable,” easy-to-use, push-button model offering proportional (rather than on/off binary) control.
The Dockmate Pro’s proportional lever controls are said to give captains more precise, tactile control that mirrors the natural feel of manual throttles. Independent magnetic and capacitive communication channels offer redundancy in the event of a system fault. The remote also features a two-inch, backlit and sun-readable black-and-white LCD display to provides immediate access to status updates, configuration settings, alarm codes and visual position indications. A built-in light sensor dynamically adjusts backlighting on the display and keypad, ensuring optimal visibility in all conditions.
Dockmate remotes require three points of propulsion, whether that’s two engines and a bow thruster or a single engine plus bow and stern thrusters. The remotes interface with all major engine and thruster control protocols. If you already have a joystick control at the helm, you can add a Dockmate joystick-style remote and take control from whatever spot offers the best visibility. Articles on past-generation Dockmate remotes quoted costs of upwards of $17,500 for the remote, communications hub and installation, but pricing will vary depending on the model of the remote, the number of channels and the complexity of the installation.
4. ePropulsion Spirit 2
Category: 2 kW electric outboard motor
Manufacturer: ePropulsion
Cost: $4,199 including the battery
Description: If you read last year’s “Buyer’s Guide to 14 Electric Outboards,” you know that the market is stacked with models between 900 and 1,100 watts. These 1 kW models are marketed as 3-hp equivalents, but they won’t get even the lightest inflatables up on plane because the real power of electrics is in the low-end torque. The new ePropulsion Spirit 2 offers 2000 watts of nominal power, which fills a gap in the market, but it also offers a special “Sport Mode” that delivers 3,000 input power watts for up to 60 seconds.
Dealers and ePropulsion executives in Miami said that extra burst of power is enough to get light inflatables (with one passenger) up on plane. With displacement boats it’s enough to punch through high-currents and chop or take evasive maneuvers. You can keep hitting the Sport Mode button as long as the battery charge level exceeds 20 percent, but you’ll drain the battery quickly. With the throttle at 500 watts (about 1/3 power), the Spirit 2.0 will power a 143-lb., 11.5-ft. aluminum boat with one passenger at 4 knots/4.6 mph for three hours, according to ePropulsion tests.
In other upgrades from the Spirit 1.0 Plus/Evo (seen in the background above right and still available), the Spirit 2 eliminates the battery connection cable with a quick, slide-in connecting, 1,539 watt hour battery. The battery also features a USB-C port for charging phones and a built-in, four-bar state-of-charge gauge that can be checked without installing the battery. The Spirit 2 motor and battery each weigh 23 lb. while the quick-release mounting bracket, which can stay on the boat, weighs 5 lb.—for a total weight of 51 lb. The Spirit 2 is set for availability in June.
5. LiCell Lithium Battery Fire Extinguisher
Category: Lithium battery fire extinguisher
Manufacturer: LiCell, distributed by Summit Fire & Security
Cost: $110 to $800, depending on size/capacity (price available online in February 2026)
Description: If you’ve ever seen a lithium battery fire, it’s fierce and potentially catastrophic. What’s worse, ordinary fire extinguishers can’t stop thermal runaway combustion. Hand-held, portable LiCell fire extinguishers are specifically formulated to smother lithium battery fires. LiCell uses Aqueous Vermiculite Dispersion (AVD) technology based on a naturally occurring mineral that is both chemically and physically inert. The chemical exfoliation of vermiculite produces microscopic platelets that act as a lithium battery fire extinguishing agent. U.S. distributor Summit Fire & Security, which exhibited LiCell products in Miami, also offers fixed fire suppression systems specifically formulated for compartments containing lithium batteries.
6. Tohatsu Alaris MEP 6.0
Category: 6 kW electric outboard
Manufacturer: Tohatsu
Cost: $7,995 (price available online in February 2026)
Description: This 9.9-hp equivalent electric motor features power trim and tilt, a 3-in. display offering built-in, GPS-based speed and range data, tiller or remote control with side- or top-mount controls, and passive cooling of the underwater motor with no impeller or plumbing to foul. The 6.0 kW, 48-V motor works with the customer’s choice of third-party batteries (not included), whether that’s four 12 V batteries or one big 48 V lithium battery. The unit includes a massive 11-in., three-blade prop and is available in short (15 in.), long (20 in.), and ultra long (25 in.) shaft lengths weighing in at 71, 73 and 75 lb., respectively.
Two footnotes about new electric outboards seen in Miami: 1. The ePropulsion Spirit 2 seen above received an Innovation Award at the show. 2. I was tempted to include an update of the Torqeedo Cruise 3.0, which was recently upgraded to use the vendor’s 48V/5000 watt hour battery (while also gaining the latest color screen). The old 24V/3500 watt hour battery has been retired. I did NOT include because Torqeedo, now owned by Yamaha Marine, did not actually have the updated model on display at the show.