Look, I’m gonna say it: we’ve been sold a lie
It was 2017, I was at a conference in Austin, and some suit from a big tech company was going on about how “the future of yachting is smart.” I rolled my eyes so hard I’m surprised they didn’t get stuck. Five years later, I’m still dealing with the fallout of that so-called innovation.
You’d think by now, with all the advancements in tech, our yachts would be, I dunno, actually smart. But no. Most of the “smart” features on modern yachts are about as useful as a chocolate teapot. And don’t even get me started on the cybersecurity nightmares.
Let’s talk about Marcus
Let’s call him Marcus. Marcus is a friend of mine, a yacht owner who fell for the hype. He bought a new yacht last year, loaded with all the latest smart gadgets. “It’s gonna be amazing,” he told me. “I can control everything from my phone.” Yeah, right.
About three months ago, Marcus called me in a panic. His yacht’s systems had been hacked. Some kid in a basement somewhere had taken control of his lights, his AC, even his entertainment system. Marcus was livid. “I can’t even watch my shows in peace!” he yelled. I told him to unplug everything and call a professional. Which he did. It cost him $870 and a lot of embarrassment.
This isn’t an isolated incident. It’s happening all the time. And it’s not just Marcus. It’s all of us. We’re being sold these fancy gadgets, these so-called smart features, and we’re not being told the truth about the risks.
The illusion of convenience
Look, I get it. The idea of controlling your yacht from your phone is appealing. You’re sitting at home, you remember you left the lights on, so you whip out your phone and turn them off. Convenient, right? But at what cost?
I mean, honestly, how often are you gonna be sitting at home thinking about your yacht’s lights? Not alot, I’d wager. And even if you are, is it really worth the risk of some hacker taking control of your systems? I don’t think so.
And let’s talk about the actual user experience. It’s not always as seamless as they make it out to be. I’ve had systems freeze on me, apps crash, connections drop. It’s frustrating, it’s time-consuming, and it’s completely unnecessary.
But wait, there’s hope
Now, I’m not saying all smart tech is bad. There are some genuinely useful innovations out there. But you gotta know what you’re getting into. You gotta do your research. And that’s where a product comparison review guide comes in handy.
I remember talking to a colleague named Dave about this. He’s a tech whiz, knows his stuff. “You can’t just buy the first smart gadget you see,” he told me. “You gotta compare, you gotta read reviews, you gotta understand the risks.” And he’s right. It’s like anything else. You wouldn’t buy a yacht without doing your research, would you? So why would you do it with the tech that runs it?
And look, I’m not saying you should avoid smart tech altogether. There are some great products out there. But you gotta be smart about it. You gotta be informed. You gotta be cautious.
A tangent: the internet of things
Speaking of being informed, let’s talk about the internet of things. Or as I like to call it, the internet of threats. Because that’s what it is, isn’t it? Every time you connect another device to the internet, you’re creating another potential entry point for hackers.
I’m not gonna lie, it scares me. It scares me for myself, for my friends, for the industry as a whole. We’re moving so fast, we’re adopting these technologies without really thinking about the consequences. And it’s gonna come back to bite us. Mark my words.
So what’s the solution?
I wish I had a simple answer. But I don’t. This is complicated stuff. It’s gonna take time, it’s gonna take effort, it’s gonna take a committment from everyone involved.
But here’s what I can tell you. Don’t rush into it. Take your time. Do your research. Understand the risks. And for the love of all that’s holy, don’t buy into the hype. Because at the end of the day, the only thing that’s really smart is being smart about your tech.
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
About the Author
Sarah “Salty” McCallister has been a tech journalist for over 20 years, covering everything from software to cybersecurity. She’s a self-proclaimed tech skeptic, always ready to call out the industry when it’s full of it. When she’s not writing, she’s probably out on her boat, trying to forget about the latest tech disaster.
