With the launch of the Nemesis display, B&G, Navico’s brand for sailors, introduced an entirely new operating system. While chartplotters and other established units still run on the classic NSS OS, the Nemesis display debuts the new “Neon” system.
To develop Neon, Brunswick subsidiary Navico brought in specialists from outside the marine world, including experts in automotive navigation, to rethink the user experience with a modern and expansive approach. The new OS is now available across B&G and Simrad’s latest product lines, serving sailors and motorboaters alike.
Neon is based on the Android platform, offering significant advantages for users and developers. New features and apps can now be added via app integration, streamlining the process significantly compared to previous systems.
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The Android foundation brings the onboard user experience closer to what we expect from smartphones and tablets. The interface is intuitive and highly customizable.
Flexible and personal
At the Navico event in Alicante, we got hands-on with the Nemesis display. It comes with pre-configured data pages tailored for various sailing modes, including upwind, reaching, downwind, and pre-start, and can automatically switch views based on the wind angle. Users can also design completely custom layouts to match their own preferences.
The result: simpler operation, more layout flexibility, and easier feature upgrades. However, Navico’s new B&G user manuals are noticeably shorter and more generalized than those for previous systems.
Following its debut in the Nemesis display, the Neon OS has been rolled out to Navico’s latest CPUs, including the Triton Edge, Hercules, and Hercules WTP processors. These show significant upgrades over the older H5000 series. For example, the web interface now includes a customizable dashboard and helpful assistive functions.
Previously, compass calibration on H5000 units required turning the boat at 2–3° per second, with the current rate displayed numerically. In the new generation, calibration progress is shown graphically, along with prompts to adjust the turn speed, making the process much more accessible.
These visual tools make it easier for everyday sailors to tap into the full potential of their devices.
Everyone gets along
B&G has added plenty of small, practical features, such as logging sail changes or mark roundings, which are especially helpful for racers reviewing post-race performance.
