FISHING WITH FUSION: A look at one of our favourite fit-outs.

Having spent his childhood out on his father’s boats most weekends, Eric Sidor claims he’s been a ‘keen boatie’ all this life. Eric’s current toy, the third vessel he has owned himself, is his prized 2006 32foot Fountain Center Console which holds 300 gallons of gas and runs at over 60mph.

With a convenient mooring right behind his house in St Petersburg, Florida, the boat gets out on the water often and offers the ideal way for the busy Vice President, Investments and Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch to unwind. A keen fisherman, Eric has fished tournament circuits and been to several shows with the boat. He enjoys taking clients out fishing regularly, which is always a hit, and has experienced the St Petersburg Grand Prix from his spot on the water.

However, it hasn’t all been relaxing on the boat. Eric has done a lot of work to bring her up to her current glory. “I recently did a complete overhaul of the boat and replaced every pump and wire onboard,” says Eric, who has also recently repowered it with twin 300hp Mercury outboard motors.

From an entertainment perspective, this speed machine has the best of the best from FUSION. The Ms-IP600 head unit is controlled by the MS-WR600 wired remote and powers six MS-FR7021 7-inch speakers and two MS-SW10 subwoofers. The front anchor locker area provides the box for the subwoofers and the electronics box in the T-top houses the speakers. “This ensures excellent sound, especially when we are running at 60mph,” says Eric.

VIP Audio and Security in St Petersburg did the acoustic install of FUSION’s top of the line equipment, but Eric says that the choice to go with FUSION for his vessel was easy. “I was drawn to the superior quality, sound and power of the FUSION products. As I was considering my entertainment system, the fact that FUSION incorporated the iPod into the unit was a key selling point for me. With alternative systems, the iPod is still out in the open, getting wet – that clearly wasn’t going to work on a boat like mine.”

Now that the FUSION gear is onboard and installed, Eric couldn’t be happier. He loves the user-friendly menu allowing him to easily find the specific music he wants and claims “the sound of the FUSION system is truly one of a kind!”

According to Eric, the sound system gets great feedback also. “When I’m out on the water, people are always coming over and asking for a tour of the boat and asking to hear the system. Just today, two of my buddies wanted to see everything from the wiring to the sound quality as they have different brands. They were hugely impressed by the superior sound and set up.”

Eric confesses that he’s just starting to enjoy all the fun he can have with his new boat. He hopes to get it featured in more shows and, no doubt, we’ll see it start snatching up awards in no time.

The Whale & Dolphin Explorer gets an audio upgrade

One of the first vessels in the world to be fit out with FUSION’s new 700 series stereo is the Whale & Dolphin Explorer, based in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour.

Running for 12 years in Auckland, the boat is a vastly popular attraction for tourists and locals alike, taking groups of up to 100 out seven days a week (weather permitting) on a total of nearly 300 days a year. The boat also partners with the Department of Conservation, and all of the Universities in Auckland, providing free access and trips to students doing research and completing Masters and PhD courses.

Whale & Dolphin Explorer Skipper, Andy Light, has been with the boat for 11 years and thought it was high time to take the plunge and upgrade the sounds onboard. “The stuff on here is really old school and has been in use for about 15 years. Technology has changed and moved on heaps and we figured it was about time we caught up.”

When asked why he chose FUSION for the install Andy replied “FUSION is all you think of for quality marine entertainment, isn’t it?” While we love his enthusiasm (and may just adopt that for our next marketing slogan) when pressed, it was also clear that there were some practical reasons as well. “The iPod functionality is important to us, so that people can bring their own tunes easily when chartering the boat and we love the ability to control individual audio zones, which is key to being able to create an environment on the boat,” says Andy.

From FUSION’s point of view, the Whale & Dolphin Explorer provided a prime test install, being almost the biggest they could do with a single stereo. “It was great for the team to start seeing the zones work in practice. You can explain how zones work until you’re blue in the face, but when you actually put someone in front of a stereo they instantly see the functionality,” says Marketing Manager, James Hunt.

“We also created a neat function in the form of a PA switch, which means one minute they can be listening to music onboard and then they can flick over to the microphone feed for important announcements in either one, or multiple, zones,” says James.

From ‘old school’ to ‘ahead of its time’, the Whale & Dolphin Explorer has become THE boat to party on, with the groundbreaking, world-first FUSION 700 series.  

FUSION: a ‘True Marine’ offering

Graham Brain, the brains behind FUSION’s True Marine offering (with Sir Peter Maire himself, of course!) knows more than a thing or two about designing fit-for-purpose marine products. The original designer for Navman marine products for 15 years, Graham has been with Fusion for the last five, heading up the industrial design team for their True Marine products and charged with the job of creating a consistent design ‘language’ across their offering.

A design evolution

From the 500 series, Graham led FUSION’s marine development onto the 600 series that replaced its predecessor on the market.  When asked, Graham admits that this remains his most proud piece of work from a cosmetic and industrial design point of view.  In fact, the aesthetics and easy use of this series were so well received that much of the same design has been used in the new 700 series, the premier FUSION marine audio offering with chrome finishing, a colour screen and additional functionality.

Diving into True Marine

To demystify the label, Graham explained how True Marine came about. “True Marine is a banner established by FUSION. It’s how we measure that our marine products are up to our high standards and there is a list of things that each product must comply with in order to make the cut. It’s also now become a status thing, a lifestyle…”

But the prestige of these products doesn’t stop there; they remain the only uniquely fit-for-purpose marine solutions on the market. According to Graham, FUSION have a different mindset. “Other manufacturers have solely car product backgrounds, so they’re starting from a different place. We’re starting from a base in marine products, like fish-finders and chart-finders and developing this knowledge into the audio space, creating purpose-built marine products, as opposed to adaptations that will do an OK job.”

This marine grounding comes through in the construction of FUSION products in their rubber seals and big, simple buttons, as well as in the user interfaces, which enable functionality specifically tailored to life out on the water. All of the products undergo an extensive range of tests and have guaranteed waterproof ratings.

The future for FUSION True Marine

While we can’t give too much away there is a growing focus towards whole entertainment units, like those in the home, housed inside larger boats. And of course, being pioneers in the iPod space with the innovative release of the iP600, the first unit ever designed to accommodate an iPod inside, FUSION will be retaining a focus on this technology as well as that of the burgeoning smartphone and iPad ‘apps’ as they look towards new product development.

FUSION rules the waves! 600 series demonstration…

At a recent international show, the cameras caught up with Matthew Forbes, General Manager for FUSION Electronics in Europe about the three FUSION 600 Series Marine Stereos, designed specifically for the marine environment.

Click here to watch the video.

‘Speaking’ of true sound, marine-style

There are not many people with more of a vested interest in the way that speakers sound than those who are musicians at heart. Not only is that exactly who FUSION has at its helm in owner, Sir Peter Maire, but the passion is also there in his ‘old mate’ Garry Lambert who is behind FUSION’s acoustic speaker design.

A keen guitarist, bass player and singer since the days of Elvis, Garry used to play music with Peter back in their younger days and has been specialising in high end audio electronics for decades. On board with FUSION since 2006, Garry leads the design team working on high quality ‘True Marine’ speaker technology.

It’s all about the details

According to Garry, the devil is in the details as far as speaker design goes. “Many people think a good speaker comes down to aesthetics, but it doesn’t. Speaker design must be tailored to produce the best acoustic result for the end environment, whether that be a boat, a car, a living room, or a stadium – they’re all different!” says Garry.

Most of what makes the sound from a loud speaker is the ‘cone’, the bit that vibrates. However, the manner in which this cone vibrates is critical – the aim being to use different materials to reduce the resonance from these vibrations. Garry’s passion over the last 30 years has been to find the least modifying cone, or more simply put: “to build speakers that are the most accurate reproducer of sound.” Not only has he achieved that, but FUSION’s customers can clearly hear the difference.

All of FUSION’s marine speakers are tested extensively, both in terms of how they sound and whether they will withstand the harsh marine environment. Parts are UV resistant and have stainless steel components that can endure extended exposure without deteriorating.

The future looks (and sounds) good

According to Garry the basic design of speakers hasn’t changed since the 1930’s; they still work the same. Once again though, there are differences in the details. While some manufacturers are using carbon fibre, others use a polypropylene heated cloth, woven especially for its light and strong performance in speakers.

Garry believes that FUSION’s high-end marine offering is a case of ‘right place, right time’. “Back in the day, cars didn’t have radios and speakers installed and this was an aftermarket modification. That’s where the boat industry predominantly is now… A combination of this and the team’s extensive marine background, experience and knowledge are the key ingredients behind FUSION’s growth and market leader positioning today.”

Good things come in small packages: FUSION goes compact

As a global company, FUSION usually does everything on a large scale – but now, they’ve launched a product with all the features and technological innovation that they are known for, bundled up in a smaller package.

Introducing FUSION’s MS-RA50, the most compact True Marine stereo ever. Perfect for small boats, or anywhere that space is an issue (even jetskis!), this model needs only 55mm (2.17 inches) of mounting depth.

With a maximum output of 80 watts, the 2 channel stereo can power a set of speakers and provide excellent sound quality and volume, straight from the box. Or, if top power is your aim, it has Aux in and Line out ports so that you can add a FUSION amplifier, subwoofer and more speakers.

Despite its size, there is no compromising on features with the MS-RA50. In fact, the unit has several specifications that are usually only found in FUSION’s premium models. For a start, you can connect to either an iPod or iPhone and control your entire music library through the integrated user interface. With the FUSION Dock (MS-IPDOCKG2) you can keep your device charged and protected from the elements while it’s in use.

Also available is the FUSION MS-HUGMS gimbal mount bracket, which allows you to install the unit anywhere easily, without having to cut any mounting holes. Not only easy to install, once on the boat, this nifty little unit is a breeze to use. Nearly all operations are controlled through the large Rotary Encoder and the customisable 2.3 inch LCD display enables you to easily read track and album information.

Like all True Marine products, the MS-RA50 is fit for purpose, designed specifically for use on the water, tested for protection against the elements and certified as Ipx5 water-resistant, both front and back.

An ideal entry level option, the MS-RA50 is in a class of its own. For more information about the MS-RA50 or associated products, visit www.fusionelectronics.com

700 Series receives honourable mention at the 2012 Miami Boat Show

Every year, in the middle of February, all available docks in South Florida’s waterways are populated by multi-million dollar yachts from around the globe, in preparation for the Miami International Boat Show. The show is so large that it is spread over three locations: Miami Beach, Bayside and Miami and runs for five consecutive days. The show boasts a gathering of more than 200 exhibitors from around the world and features seminars, charters and, for the first time this year, diving classes were available.

“There is no other boating event in the world that provides boaties with the opportunity to shop the best and biggest selection of boats and accessories. With thousands of products to choose from, in one of the best boating destinations, and dozens of activities the whole family can enjoy, the Miami International Boat Show is THE place to find out why life is better with a boat,” says Cathy Rick-Joule, Show Manager.

FUSION was on display in Miami with the 2012 range of Marine Entertainment which is already making waves in the industry. The flagship model of the 2012 line up, the 700 Series, was made public and attracted praise from boat builders and consumers alike.

Further cementing FUSION as the global leader in Marine Entertainment, the 700 Series received honourable mention for Innovation from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International (BWI) at the Miami Boat Show. 15 manufacturers, of all the exhibitors at the Show, were honoured in the Innovation category so this is no small feat for FUSION’s MS-AV700 system.

FUSION’s Owner and Managing Director, Sir Peter Maire, was in Miami for the award and was ecstatic when the 700 was honourably mentioned. Never in the history of Marine Entertainment has there been a product with the features and usability offered in the 700 Series.

Innovations in the 700 Series include FUSION-Link which transforms a compatible multi-function display into the entertainment control centre for the entire vessel, allowing the control of multiple audio zones and 700 Series systems from a single display. Users are also able to control the 700  Series ‘on the go’, with remote iPod, iPhone and iPad ‘Apps’ available for download. Just another way that FUSION is keeping the entertainment experience, literally, at your fingertips.

As if those features aren’t enough, NMEA 2000 integration is available on the 700 Series and MS-NRX200 wired remote control. In fact, the MS-NRX200 will function as a Repeater, displaying compatible NMEA 2000 sentences on screen from connected NMEA devices on the same network.

For more information on the unique specifications of the 700 Series, click here.

Also on display at the Miami boat show was the MS-RA50, FUSION’s smallest ever marine stereo. With a mounting depth of only 55mm 2-1/8”, this unit is perfect for installs on small vessels or personal watercraft where space can be an issue. An optional Gimbal Mounting Bracket is sold separately, which allows the MS-RA50 to be mounted externally rather than cutting holes, which can be impractical in a small metal boat.

For more information on the MS-RA5, click here.

2012 is shaping up to be a great year for Marine Entertainment and with FUSION at the helm you can’t go wrong.