Dometic Marine's SailVac(TM) Vacuum Holding Tank has won a prestigious 2011 SAIL Magazine Pittman Innovation Award in the 'Systems' category. Jim Kerrigan, VP of OEM Sales, Americas, accepted the award which was presented by Peter Nielsen, SAIL Magazine's Editor-in-chief, at a ceremony held yesterday at Strictly Sail Chicago. The Pittman Award win follows a DAME Award nomination at METS 2010 and confirms the SailVac as a revolutionary system that offers a wealth of benefits to owners of sailboats in the 30 - 50ft category.
Since its successful launch at IBEX last year, the SailVac sanitation system has been well-received by several high-profile sailboat builders and has already been listed as an option by Beneteau USA for several of its boats.
On receiving the award, Jim Kerrigan said: "SAIL Magazine's annual Pittman Innovation Awards recognize the most innovative new products in the Sailboat market each year, so for our SailVac Vacuum Holding Tank to win is a huge endorsement and confirms the product as a unique solution for sailors. The SailVac offers several key advantages which have never before been available to owners of mid-size sailboats, allowing them to benefit from a modern, convenient sanitation system."
By maximizing water efficiency, the SailVac allows sailors to cruise longer and pump out less. It is the world's first vacuum holding tank designed for the sailboat market and combines a vacuum pump, vacuum reservoir and waste-holding tank into one compact unit which curves and narrows to fit the outboard space that's typical of a sailboat hull.
The SailVac offers several advantages over existing sailboat sanitation systems, including the elimination of malodors, the lowest electrical consumption of any electric toilet system, and exceptional water efficiency that makes freshwater flushing practical. Its vacuum power clears the bowl and hoses with only 0.5 liter (1 pint) of water per flush, enabling the tank to hold three times the number of flushes before needing a pump out.
In addition to receiving a Pittman Innovation Award and DAME Award Nomination for its cutting-edge SailVac system, Dometic Marine won an IBEX Innovation Award for its In-Duct Breathe Easy(TM) Air Purifier (patent-pending) during IBEX 2010, placing the company firmly at the industry's forefront for technological development.
Frank Marciano, President, Dometic Marine comments: "Our strength at Dometic Marine is our capability to provide problem-solving products. I am thrilled that our ongoing commitment to innovation and engineering excellence has been recognized with the recent award wins. I would like to thank the skilled and experienced Dometic engineering teams for their continued hard work and dedication. There's nothing sweeter than winning awards and knowing that our products are meeting the needs of the market."
To view the SailVac Holding Tank video, please visit: http://www.dometic.com/enie/International/Site/Marine/Holding-Tank-Systems/SailVac-Vacuum-Holding-Tank-Video/