For A+T, the 2026 New Year began with the news that B&G had ceased production of its flagship H5000 display, which was supplied with all its high-end systems since launch in 2013. With no direct replacement, the A+T team got round the table and the HFD5 five-inch display was born as a drop-in upgrade and replacement. Below, we look at the design challenges and how these were overcome.
It had to be compatible
The HFD5 is designed to fit the same footprint and mounting as an H5000 display. The N2K compatible connection is plug and play. It displays all core data available on the N2K network, including custom channels, in a variety of formats. It does not support pilot applications or advanced calibrations which are better suited to a web interface.
It had to be better
The display is transflective, so the stronger the sunlight, the better the definition. Each unit is tested to 75°C and those recently shown at Palma Boat Show were working fine at an internal temperature of 85°C in the strong sunlight there.
Anti-glare glass is used, as in all A+T products, which enhances visibility and doesn’t show reflections or finger marks like other displays on the market. Like all A+T displays, the HFD5 has no breather hole and is hermetically sealed, so it is fully immersible in water for extended periods. Central to this is using control buttons with no connection to the internal electronics, using instead tiny magnets sensed from inside the sealed casing.
A wide range of data display formats is available from simple grids of data to analogue displays, trend graphs and bar indications. Any combinations of these can be selected and set up as custom pages. The display also allows for data-based context switching of colours to indicate good/bad/warning or point of sailing selectable layouts.
As with all A+T products, users are encouraged to request sensible additions and modifications which generally can be implemented within a few days.
Software updates are done by linking to each display with WiFi, so the display does not need to be opened or removed to do this. This WiFi may be connected to the vessel’s WiFi network, thus opening the possibility of running this display without a data cable. This is not implemented in the initial release.
Another possible application of this WiFi, especially for a smaller boat, is using it to drive the increasing population of watch, phone and tablet displays and applications being produced by people and organisations such as Campbell Field, Ian Moore and NMEAremote, iRegatta, SAILGRIB.
It had to be done quickly
Once the B&G-end-of-life announcement was made for the H5000 displays, clients were on the phone within days asking if A+T would step up and provide new and better replacements. The design team met in the first week of January, specifications were agreed and work commenced. Pre-production units were produced some three months later for testing.
It certainly helped to meet this time scale that much of the design of A+T’s seven-inch display, the QBD7, could be carried over to the new display. The QBD7 was launched at METS in November 2025 to great acclaim and many of the units being sold are to yachts that had Sailmon displays. Sailmon went out of business in 2025 and A+T specialise in upgrading these systems.
A substantial run of orders is being received and are now being delivered on a first-come, first-served basis. Many of these are replacements, but a good number are also for new-build projects.
Part of the family
This is the versatile little brother of the existing A+T range of vibrant and tough colour displays, 12in BFD and 7in QBD. All of these are tough, versatile, ultrabright, anti-glare and robust non-touch screen units. They are built with interfaces to Ethernet and to N2K networks (N2K compatible). They are fitted to many hundreds of large yachts and new builds including the new 65m Aquarius from Royal Huisman and Project Zero, currently finishing build at Vitters.
Note: A+T has no connection or affiliation with Sailmon, Navico or B&G. H5000 is a trademark of Navico, which is acknowledged.