Marine electronics extend well beyond speakers and amplifiers, and certification can open the door to new revenue for a retailer. NMEA credentials qualify a shop to work on categories like chart plotters, GPS units, fish finders, depth finders, VHF radios, autopilot systems, radar, and AIS, in addition to standard marine audio work.
Gemeco Marine Electronics Specialists is offering a path into that certification this September. The distributor will host its annual Technical Training Event September 14 through 17 in North Charleston, SC. Registration costs $200 and includes most training sessions, daily meals, and two evening networking events.
The event offers four certification opportunities: NMEA Advanced Installer, AIRMAR Certified Installer, CZone Fundamentals, and NMEA 2000 Advanced Certification. NMEA 2000 refers to the shared network standard that lets a boat’s electronics communicate with each other. A depth finder, GPS unit, and engine sensor can all feed data onto the same network, and any compatible display on the boat can read from it.
Two of the categories a shop can move into with certification are radar and AIS. Radar detects the distance and shape of nearby vessels, land, or storms by bouncing radio waves off them. AIS, or Automatic Identification System, broadcasts a boat’s position, speed, and heading while receiving the same data from nearby vessels, and is used for collision avoidance.
A shop does not need to complete a full certification to benefit from the event. Sitting in on a session or two can offer a look at a market a shop may not have considered, and give owners a sense of what equipment and training exist outside their current offerings.
If a car audio shop currently installs marine speakers and amplifiers, this training points to categories outside that scope. Certification qualifies a shop to work on equipment most car audio competitors do not touch.
NMEA, the National Marine Electronics Association, oversees the certification structure used across the marine industry. Entry level credentials include the Basic Marine Electronics Installer, covering wiring, grounding, and basic equipment installation, and the Basic NMEA 2000 Installer, covering setup of the shared network described above. The Advanced NMEA 2000 Installer, one of the four certifications offered at the Gemeco event, requires a current Basic NMEA 2000 credential and at least one year of field experience, and covers commissioning full boat systems and troubleshooting more complex network installations.
Suzanne Hawley, Marine Marketing Manager at Airmar, said the event is designed to give marine industry professionals the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. She said the certification opportunities help dealers and installers differentiate their businesses and deliver service to customers.
Shops located outside the North Charleston area have other options. Marine electronics distributors and manufacturers run similar training events around North America throughout the year, often on a regional basis. Coastal areas, the Great Lakes, and other regions with significant boat traffic frequently host their own local sessions.
Registration for the Gemeco event is open at www.Gemeco.com.
