Calibration that used to need a laptop and expensive PC software now lives free in your pocket. Airmar has released the TriSonic Smart Multisensor, a new ultrasonic speed sensor the company describes as the only one of its kind on the market.
Announced on August 4, 2026 from the company's Milford, New Hampshire base, the TriSonic swaps out the moving parts that have defined speed sensors for decades. "Utilising proven ultrasonic measurement for speed-through-water, we've eliminated moving parts and the burden of paddlewheel maintenance caused by marine growth," said Craig Cushman, Airmar's Director of Marketing. It's not a small claim. Marine growth fouling a paddlewheel is one of the most reliable ways to lose accurate speed data on a boat that's been sitting in the water more than a few weeks.
The sensor runs on Airmar's patented adaptive digital processing, adjusting automatically for boat speed, water depth and water clarity, and feeds speed, depth, water temperature, and heel and trim data straight into NMEA 2000 networks. All the processing electronics sit inside the sensor body itself, so there's no external junction box to wire in, and it retrofits directly into the same two-inch thru-hull housings Airmar's older paddlewheel and ultrasonic sensors already use.
The real shift is in calibration. The TriSonic connects wirelessly, over Bluetooth, to Airmar's CAST app, which handles both basic and advanced speed calibration from a smartphone, including heel-angle adjustments that get the most accurate speed out of your hull. That level of tuning used to sit behind expensive, professional-grade PC software. Now it's free.
Multihull owners get their own version. The TriSonic 2 system pairs two sensors that continuously talk to each other, working out which one's sitting lowest and in the least aerated water, then switching automatically between them for the more reliable reading.
It's worth noting where this sits in Airmar's own lineup. Its current DST810 Smart Multisensor still leans on a next-generation paddlewheel for its speed data. The TriSonic is a step past that, the first fully ultrasonic option with no moving parts at all, which says something about the direction Airmar's own product range is heading.
The TriSonic Smart Multisensor is available now through authorised Airmar dealers worldwide.
Find out more about the TriSonic Smart Multisensor from Airmar.
| Product Specifications | |
| Data outputs | Speed-through-water, depth, water temperature, heel and trim |
| Network | NMEA 2000 |
| Wireless calibration | Bluetooth, range up to 30 feet (approx. 9.1 m), via Airmar CAST app (free) |
| Housing | Standard Airmar 2-inch thru-hull, retrofit compatible with older paddlewheel and ultrasonic sensors |
| Multihull option | TriSonic 2 dual-sensor system with automatic switching |
| Availability | Now, through authorised Airmar dealers worldwide |
