SAFETY, SECURITY & SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
Marine cameras have become an increasingly important tool for boat owners, operators, and crew, offering a combination of safety, security, and convenience on the water.
Modern marine cameras are purpose-built to withstand the harsh marine environment. They’re designed to resist salt, spray, vibration, and UV exposure, with many models offering fully waterproof housings and anti-fogging lenses. From compact dash-mounted units to high-definition, gyro-stabilised systems, marine cameras now deliver crystal-clear images in virtually all conditions, day or night.
There are two main types of marine cameras:
Visible Light Cameras operate like conventional video cameras but are engineered to withstand saltwater conditions and perform effectively in low-light environments. Some Low-light cameras have an effective range of up to 450 metres for medium size targets under lightly star-lit, clear night conditions, they also capture real-time images in natural colour using sunlight and onboard lighting.
Many feature low-light sensors and rugged waterproof housings to ensure reliable performance. Some have high zoom & stabilisation as a “better than optical tool” when compared to binoculars, mostly in daylight conditions, even in rough seas. Prices typically range from $4,800 to $12,000. Visible light cameras can clearly detect object details, such as identifying people on board and the name on the side of the vessel. They are helpful when arriving & departing from the ramp or marina & provide far better performance than the naked eye in the right conditions at lower boat speeds.
The range and detection ability do reduce as vessel speed increases and conditions deteriorate; examples include rain, fog, and sea spray, resulting in significantly reduced performance.
Thermal Cameras detect heat emitted by objects rather than relying on visible light. This allows skippers to see better at speed and at night, through haze, rain, sea spray, rough sea conditions or in glare conditions where standard cameras struggle. They are the best for spotting smaller craft, such as PWCs and kayaks, in poor light conditions at dawn, dusk, or in complete darkness. With a detection range of up to 2.4 km for smaller target models, they can highlight the heat signatures of vessels, people overboard, or floating obstacles. They can also proactively alert the user to targets of interest in the field of view when integrated with the appropriate technology, essentially becoming the spotter under challenging conditions. This makes them invaluable for search and rescue operations, collision avoidance, and night-time cruising. Prices start at around $ 5,000 to $6,800, depending on whether the device is handheld or fixed-mounted.
There are also dual-payload cameras, which combine both visible and thermal technologies in one unit.
Marine Camera Applications
• Safety at sea: Cameras positioned around the vessel assist with docking, anchoring, and monitoring blind spots, reducing the risk of accidents. Night-vision and thermal cameras further enhance safety in poor visibility conditions.
• Security and surveillance: Whether leaving a boat unattended at the marina or cruising offshore, cameras provide peace of mind by recording activity and deterring theft. With connectivity solutions such as Starlink, monitoring can now be done from anywhere on board or even remotely via the cloud.
• Fishing advantage: For sport fishers, underwater and deck-mounted cameras capture the action and offer insights into fish behaviour, improving techniques and results. Thermal cameras can even indicate surface water temperature gradients.
• Onboard monitoring: Cameras in the engine room, machinery spaces, and anchor well allow skippers to check on critical systems without leaving the helm. AI-enabled visible light & thermal systems can now monitor the engine room, setting alarm thresholds on each pixel in real-time, alerting the helm to any irregularities.
360-degree monitoring systems, similar to those used in the automotive industry, are now emerging, offering all-around visibility and assistance during docking. When paired with digital video recorders, they also provide incident documentation. According to Mark Milburn of Lusty & Blundell, the distributors of FLIR camera systems, self- parking capabilities could soon be available. Watch this space.
Many of today’s cameras are gyro-stabilised (2-axis gimbals) and feature pan-tilt-zoom control via helm stations. They can also integrate with multifunction displays (MFDs), radar, and chartplotters via NMEA or Ethernet connections. This enables live video feeds to be overlaid on navigation screens, providing skippers with real-time visual confirmation alongside digital charts and radar plots.
AI is also playing an increasing role. With smart tracking, cameras can now lock onto approaching vessels or floating debris, further enhancing situational awareness. Companies such as SEA.AI Technologies have built massive databases of sea-state images. When a camera detects an object that doesn’t match recorded wave or sea patterns, such as a log, container, or another vessel, it can trigger an alarm to alert the crew.
Marine cameras add a vital layer of safety when visibility is compromised and are indispensable for collision avoidance, night cruising, and man-overboard recovery. With entry-level handheld cameras now transportable between boats and for activities such as hunting, combined with costs down to a third of what they were a decade ago, cameras have become both more affordable and more advanced. As marine electronics continue to evolve, cameras are no longer an optional extra; they’re fast becoming an essential part of modern boating, blending technology with seamanship to keep you safer and better informed on the water.
