One phone call changed everything for Digital Yacht Managing Director Nick Heyes. The harbour master delivered the words every owner fears: “Your boat is sinking.” Heyes was hundreds of miles from his marina when the call came. His immediate question was simple: what had gone wrong?
A Small Leak With Big Consequences
Marina staff acted quickly to save the vessel. Later inspections revealed a persistent leak in the shaft seal. Over time, water entered the bilge unnoticed. The pump expelled contaminated bilge water overboard. Eventually, the pump overloaded and failed completely. The boat came dangerously close to sinking.
From Near Disaster to Innovation
The incident forced Heyes to reflect. He had spent 30 years developing connected marine technology. “Digital Yacht builds smart onboard systems,” Heyes explained. “Yet my own boat nearly sank without warning.” He realised owners lacked visibility over bilge pump performance. A better solution clearly became essential.
Designing a Smarter Bilge System
Digital Yacht’s engineers responded with Bilge iQ. The system combines intelligent bilge monitoring with environmental protection. Bilge iQ uses NMEA 2000 connectivity. It links to any bilge pump, old or new. The system works with or without a float switch. Pump status appears instantly on the vessel’s MFD. Owners can control pumps directly from the display. Simple NMEA switching commands also provide manual control.
Remote Monitoring, Anywhere
Bilge iQ includes a built-in wireless interface. Users connect phones or tablets with ease. The system displays real-time current draw. It logs pump cycles automatically. Owners can set alerts for abnormal run times. Dry-run events and pump failures trigger instant alarms. Bilge iQ also integrates with Victron Cerbo systems. Victron’s free VRM cloud enables global remote monitoring.
Protecting Boats and the Marine Environment
Heyes wanted more than pump monitoring. Environmental protection became the next priority. “Unmonitored bilge discharge creates constant pollution,” he said. Bilges collect oil, fuel, paint flakes and microplastics. Pumping these contaminants overboard made little sense. Digital Yacht decided to push the concept further.
Digital Yacht partnered with Wave International. The UK manufacturer has led bilge filtration technology for 25 years. Wave’s Lloyd’s Register-approved Wavestream filters remove hydrocarbons before discharge. They reduce pollution to just 5 parts per million. Wavestream filters suit new builds and retrofits alike. Their compact design complements Bilge iQ perfectly.
Award-Winning Innovation
Digital Yacht launched Bilge iQ in September. The product immediately gained industry recognition.
It won the NMEA Association Best New Product Award. In November, it secured the DAME Design Award for Environmental Design. Judges also awarded a special mention for On Board Safety. The double accolade confirmed Bilge iQ’s impact.