Control and Automation

While Kerkhof expects that the small footprint of the recently announced Crestron Cameo® flush-mount keypads will be a hit with marine clientele, right now the Crestron line of Horizon® keypads and dimmers have proven to be in high demand on superyachts. “Marine clients really appreciate the look of those products, and that accounts for 80% of the decision to specify them,” he says.

And while intuitive, one-button controls for lighting and shading scenes are vital, no-touch control can be just as important. “Clock-based automation that’s in line with sunrise and sunset times can be a big plus for many yachts,” says Kerkhof.

Although the spaces for cable runs can be tight, Kerkhof notes that these projects can be huge. “The windows aren’t big, but they’re numerous — and when you factor in the need for two layers of shading (and each layer’s motor), the numbers can multiply quickly. I’ve seen yachts that require 200-plus systems — easily.”

Having everything live on the network, though, has been an enormous leap forward for marine integrations as a whole. “Sending everything from AV-over-IP to lighting and shading to climate control over Cat cabling has made everyone’s life easier,” says Kerkhof. “It was a development that we helped pioneer.”

“And Crestron will surely be on top of the next evolutionary step, whatever that may be.”