Bill Haynes News

Taking the Furuno 15X8 series radar out for a spin; Furuno’s newest entry has found a welcome place on inland waters. Furuno’s newest radar is now on the market. The first workboat installation of the company’s FAR-15X8 series was completed in late February and early March. Following installation, test runs were carried out on the Bruce M, a 65-foot, 1,900 Hp inland pushboat operated by SDS Lumber based out of Bingen, Wash. The vessel works the Columbia Snake River system, mainly pushing either construction or wood chip barges.

While there are countless new product, system and service launches at major trade fairs such as the recently concluded SMM in Hamburg, Germany, when a company with the stature of Furuno unveils a system, it is a show within the show. Furuno, a $1 billion business with 80% coming from the marine sector and 2500 employees globally in the marine sector, introduced its new ECDIS models FMD-3200 and FMD-3300, saying they are ready for launch during the autumn 2012. The FMD-3200, with a 19-in. LCD, and the FMD-3300, with a 23.1-in.