Apple CarPlay debuts on pontoon boats with Savvy Navvy integration for 2027 models

Beginning next month, the first Apple CarPlay–enabled pontoon boats will reach customers, with Crest Conquest, Crest Caribbean, and all new Balise models set to ship with the interface as standard equipment for the 2027 model year.

Crest and Balise — both brands under MasterCraft Boat Holdings — announced the integration during Crest Marine’s annual dealer meeting earlier today. Dealers participated in on-water demonstrations of the system, experiencing its functionality and customer-facing benefits firsthand.

Navigation features powered by Savvy Navvy

Savvy Navvy provides the marine navigation layer for CarPlay on these vessels. Its capabilities include Savvy Charts™ displayed in day, night, or satellite view; 2D and 3D chart rendering; smart routing that allows route planning either at the helm or remotely — with automatic sync upon boarding; search functionality for marinas, harbours, and anchorages; access to saved markers; Nav mode showing live ETA, speed, remaining time and distance, next manoeuvre, and current position; toggleable display of nearby boat traffic; and live location sharing to view friends’ positions directly on the chart.

“It just works” — founder’s statement

Jelte Liebrand, founder and CEO of Savvy Navvy, said: “Boaters have been asking for a modern infotainment system for years. […] Plan your trip on the couch, step aboard, and it is already at the helm. No complicated ways to synchronise things; it just works. Savvy Navvy for CarPlay works on iOS and Android with any compatible display. I’m thrilled to see Crest and Balise put CarPlay in front of their boaters.”

The announcement was first reported by MacRumors. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be standard across all new Balise models, as well as Crest Conquest and Caribbean models, beginning with the 2027 model year.