CHICAGO — The best of the new products exhibited at last week's Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show have been announced. National Marine Manufacturers Association recognized the award winners at a special luncheon held at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas on the last day of MAATS.

The three winners of this year's MAATS Innovation Awards are:


  • Tie Down Engineering's Turbo Lube Hub


  • T-H Marine Supplies, Inc.'s Quick Flush


  • Xtreme Marine, Division of Marine Accessories Corporation, for its Universal Wake Board Tower


NMMA also recognized three companies with honorable mentions that were singled out by buyers as noteworthy. Walker Bay Boats received an honorable mention for its Walker Bay 10; Norcross Marine for its Wireless Depth Sounder; and Ritchie Navigation for its New Trek Compass series.

The MAATS Innovation Awards continue a tradition of recognizing innovative product at NMMA tradeshows. The Innovation Awards honor the top three innovative new aftermarket products as determined by the buyers attending the inaugural MAATS event.

Buyers at MAATS were asked to rank the top ten products presented during the New Product Snapshot Breakfasts and on the show floor that were submitted for Innovation Award consideration. Results were tabulated and the three products receiving the highest score were honored with this year's awards.

"Aftermarket buyers were impressed with the quantity and quality of great new innovative products at MAATS this year, and these represent the best of the best, chosen by the people who buy the products," said NMMA president Thom Dammrich. (Details on these products can be found on the MAATs website at maats.nmma.org.)

Innovation Award winners were presented with a crystal trophy recognizing this accomplishment and will receive additional recognition through the MAATS website at maats.nmma.org