GoKawiilIn a nutshell: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are moving from the dashboard to the helm on new pontoons from MasterCraft Boat Holdings, bringing in-car tech to Crest and Balise boats with a clear emphasis on navigation. MasterCraft is billing it as an industry first: on-water navigation built into both platforms straight from the factory.
For tech-minded boaters, it's a sign that mainstream infotainment platforms are starting to show up in more specialized settings. Rather than build a separate interface for the helm, Crest and Balise are borrowing systems most people already know from their cars and pairing them with dedicated marine navigation software.
The goal is a single screen that handles charts, routes, weather and entertainment, all running on the same phone-based ecosystems that power CarPlay and Android Auto in cars.
Beginning with the 2027 model year, Crest and Balise Conquest and Caribbean pontoons will ship standard with CarPlay and Android Auto integrated at the helm, tied directly to Savvy Navvy's marine navigation app. The models launch next month.
Both platforms will run on compatible helm displays much as they do in a car, but with Savvy Navvy handling the on-water tasks that Apple and Google Maps don't cover. Through this setup, boaters get nautical charts, GPS tracking, smart routing, tidal data and live weather forecasts inside the CarPlay or Android Auto interface, alongside their other apps, with day, night and satellite chart views to choose from.
Jelte Liebrand, founder and CEO of Savvy Navvy, frames the integration as a direct answer to years of feedback from boaters wanting a modern, simple system at the helm. He describes a workflow where users plan trips at home on a phone or tablet, then find those routes already loaded on the boat's display, without extra syncing steps or technical hassle.
The system leans on CarPlay and Android Auto's ability to mirror phone apps onto an external screen. Savvy Navvy runs as one of those apps, handling the tasks that matter on the water: reading charts, building routes, and layering in weather and tidal data.
Smart routing on the water is a different problem than routing for cars, it has to account for water depth, hazards and navigation markers rather than roads and intersections, and the app's charts and tools are built around those marine factors.
Weather is another key part of the package. Live forecasts inside Savvy Navvy give boaters information that can affect whether they leave the dock, change course or head back early. Having that data in the same view as charts and routes can reduce the need to switch between multiple devices or apps while underway.
MasterCraft says CarPlay and Android Auto with Savvy Navvy will be standard equipment on all new Balise and Crest Conquest and Caribbean pontoons starting in 2027. Buyers will also get a limited Savvy Navvy Premium subscription with their boats. The intent is clearly to make the app part of the core system rather than an optional add-on.