Marine electronics in Bay Shore, for water with a lot of traffic on it.
Bay Shore sits on one of the busiest stretches of the Great South Bay — marina traffic, the Fire Island ferries running to schedule, and everyone else out on a summer Saturday. Being seen matters here.
We fit AIS, VHF, sounders and full helm systems at your slip. NMEA-certified, ABYC wiring standards, no 4-hour minimum, and your costs given up front.
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The Bay Shore situation
Everyone is out here at once.
The Great South Bay off Bay Shore is not empty water. There are the ferries running to Fire Island on a timetable they have to keep, a lot of marina traffic, fishing boats, and on a July weekend a great many people whose boat-handling is best described as enthusiastic.
The bay is also shallow, so everybody is funnelled into the same channels. That concentration is what makes this water different from the open Sound — you are not worried about being alone out there, you are worried about how well the other traffic can see you.
Which is why the electronics that matter most here are the ones that make you visible and let you hear what is going on, rather than the ones that look most impressive on the dash.
What we fit most in Bay Shore
Visible, audible, and knowing your depth.
AIS transponders
A Class B transponder puts you on the ferry's screen as a named target with course and speed, instead of an anonymous blip. The most useful safety upgrade on this bay.
VHF that actually transmits
Radios wired to your GPS so a DSC distress call carries your position, with the antenna connection checked rather than assumed. Weak output is usually corrosion, not the radio.
Sounders for shallow channels
Transducers placed to read at speed, with depth alarms set to give you warning while you still have options in thin water.
Ready to talk? Or keep reading below.
Boats that carry people
If it is a working boat, the standard is higher.
Bay Shore has a lot of boats that earn money — charter, ferry-adjacent, water taxi and fishing operations. Carrying paying passengers changes what a reasonable electronics installation looks like, and it is worth being explicit about that.
- Redundancy — a second means of navigation and a second means of communication, so a single failure is an inconvenience rather than an incident
- Wiring that stands up to inspection — tinned conductors, correct fusing, proper support, and labeling so the next person can follow it
- Scheduling around your season — big work booked into the off-season, quick response in it
- Honest triage — we will tell you if something can safely see out the weekend and be fixed properly after
The same principles apply to a private boat that goes offshore. It is not about the paperwork, it is about what happens when the one system you were relying on stops.
What it costs
Plain rates, no minimum.
- $280 flat for the first hour — travel up to 30 minutes each way and setup included
- $140/hr after, in 15-minute increments
- Two-man crew $440 / $220 per hour where the job needs it
- No 4-hour minimum, no separate setup line
- Parts at cost plus markup, quoted before we order
- 60-day labor warranty; manufacturer warranty on the equipment
Time and materials throughout — any number we give beforehand is an honest estimate of scale, never a fixed price.
ABYC Electrical Standards
Empire Wind NETP Approved Vendor
Fully Insured
$280 First Hour · $140/hr After
No Minimums
60-Day Labor Warranty
You Call, You Get The Installer
Great South Bay owners
What people say once it is fitted.
Rich C. — Babylon
★★★★★
They rebuilt my entire helm — new Simrad displays, radar, AIS, and a custom dash panel. Took two days and came out exactly the way I wanted. Everything talks to everything, the wiring is immaculate, and they walked me through the whole system before leaving. Worth every dollar.
Dan K. — Scout 245 XSF
★★★★★
Starlink Mini on my 24ft center console — LIME mounted it flush on the T-top and ran the cable through the hardtop conduit so there's no exposed wire anywhere. Fits perfectly, barely notice it's there. Used it on a trip to Montauk with perfect streaming the whole way.
Mike T. — Huntington
★★★★★
Depth finder stopped working mid-season. Called LIME and they diagnosed a bad transducer connection and fixed it in under an hour. Appreciated that they were straight with me about what it was and didn't try to sell me something I didn't need. Will be using them for everything going forward.
Bay Shore questions
What Bay Shore owners ask.
The ferries come through fast. What actually helps me stay out of the way?AIS, more than anything else. A Class B transponder puts you on the ferry captain's screen as a named, tracked target with a course and speed, rather than as one more small radar return among many. It does not give you right of way, but it means the professional on the bridge knows you exist and where you are going.
AIS, more than anything else. A Class B transponder puts you on the ferry captain's screen as a named, tracked target with a course and speed, rather than as one more small radar return among many. It does not give you right of way, but it means the professional on the bridge knows you exist and where you are going.
Is radar overkill for a boat that stays in the bay?
On the bay alone, often yes, and we will say so. Where it earns its keep is fog and the run out through Fire Island Inlet. If your boating is Saturday afternoons on the Great South Bay, a good sounder and AIS are better value. We would rather tell you that than fit a radar you will resent paying for.
Can you fit this while the boat is at a Bay Shore marina?
Yes — slip-side is how we do most of our work. We check in at the marina office rather than turning up unannounced on the dock, because yards prefer it and it keeps us welcome. Tell us the marina and the slip when you book.
Our boat is used for a business — does that change anything?
It changes the standard. Carrying paying passengers means redundancy matters more: a second means of navigation, communications that still work when the primary fails, and wiring that will pass scrutiny. We are happy to build to that standard and to talk through what it involves before you commit.
How do I know whether my VHF is actually working properly?
Most people find out when they need it, which is the wrong time. A radio can transmit weakly for years through a corroded antenna connection and sound fine to you. We check output and the antenna connection as a matter of course, and we wire the radio to your GPS so a DSC distress call sends your position rather than requiring you to describe it.
Make sure the ferry sees you.
Tell us the boat and where it lives. We will tell you what is worth fitting for the water you actually use.