Category Winner for the SAC15R – NMEA2000 Smart AC Distribution Unit
We are proud to share that our SAC15R Smart AC Distribution Unit has been selected as a Category Winner at the 2025 DAME Design Awards, the most prestigious recognition in the marine equipment industry.
This award celebrates innovation, engineering excellence, and smart design. For Simarine, it is an important milestone: a confirmation that practical simplicity, vision and compact performance truly matter to boatbuilders and marine electricians.
A New Standard for Smart AC Distribution
The SAC15R is our newest NMEA2000-enabled AC distribution unit, engineered to bring clarity, control, and safety to onboard AC systems.
It features:
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5 motorized AC breaker channels
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NMEA2000 remote control and monitoring from any compatible display
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Manual safety override in emergencies
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Daisy-chain expansion for scalable installations
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IP32 protection in a compact, marine-ready form
Built for both sailing boats and motorboats, the SAC15R was designed to make AC distribution smarter, safer, and easier to integrate into modern digital systems.
When the DAME jury announced the 2025 finalists, the SAC15R stood out for its:
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clear functional design
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compact and practical layout
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thoughtful integration of safety and digital control
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overall ease of use for installers and vessel builders
As our nomination statement highlighted, the SAC15R bridges the gap between traditional AC distribution and the evolving expectations of connected marine systems.
Winning the category confirms that this direction is both needed and recognized across the global industry.
Behind the Build: A Word from the Lead Programmer
We asked Tadej Vidovič, Lead Programmer at Simarine, to share the story behind the product and what made this project special.
The biggest challenge: compact engineering
“Packaging was the hardest part! Our goal was to make the unit as compact as possible, and fitting every component including thick power cables, into a small housing was extremely demanding. Tight packaging created risks like overheating and complex assembly procedures, but we managed to solve these issues.”
What makes him proud
“We succeeded in making the assembly and testing procedure relatively quick and simple, despite the complexity of the hardware.”
Why the industry recognized it
“The unit offers a very practical solution for AC distribution and control. It’s straightforward to use, and it’s easy to understand its versatility and functionality.”
Why This Award Matters for Simarine
This DAME award honors our team’s dedication to precision engineering and practical innovation.
It also reinforces our belief that digital switching and modern distribution shouldn’t be complicated or inaccessible.
The SAC15R is only the beginning, part of a broader ecosystem of smart, modular solutions designed for installers, builders, and boat owners who want reliability without complexity.
Thank You to Our Team and Community
A huge thank-you to everyone who contributed to the SAC15R: engineering, design, production, testing, and our partners who trust us to power modern marine systems.
And thank you to the DAME jury for recognizing the value of user-focused, compact smart distribution.
More innovations are on the way.
Stay tuned! The next chapter of Simarine is only getting smarter.
