Webasto to launch compact SoLite roofs at Metstrade 2026

German component manufacturer and automotive supplier Webasto will launch two roof systems for smaller boats at Metstrade 2026 in Amsterdam.

The SoLite 12 replaces the BlueSky Glass roof, while the SoLite 20 fits both T-top boats and boats with enclosed cabins. Webasto, which marks 20 years in the marine industry this year, will also show its latest cabin heating and cooling equipment at stand 411 in Hall 12.

The SoLite 12 has a revised design and an improved UV filter. Both roofs use dark glass to limit heat build-up from sunlight, and boatbuilders can specify integrated solar cells to generate electricity on board. Blinds and ambient LED lighting are also available.

The SoLite roofs are on the shortlist for the DAME Design Award.

“With these additions, we are giving boatbuilders and owners more options to match onboard comfort to the space available and the way a vessel is used,” says Jörg Hornung, vice president aftermarket at Webasto.

Webasto has added Intelligent Compressor Control to its BlueCool SX-Series air conditioners. The controller adjusts how the compressor starts as loads and pressures change. Webasto says this cuts peak current at start-up by up to 95 per cent, reducing the load on the boat’s electrical supply when shore power is limited or a generator is in use.

The controller works with single-phase 115V and 230V systems and includes motor overload protection. The self-contained BlueCool units offer cooling capacities from 6,000 to 27,000 BTU/h and can also heat the cabin using a reverse cycle.

For its new Cool Top Marine rooftop air conditioner, Webasto adapted the Cool Top Trail unit it developed for recreational vehicles. The marine version provides 5kW of cooling, or about 17,000 BTU/h. It can cool a cabin or wheelhouse on a houseboat or small commercial workboat without a central air-conditioning system. The unit sits on the roof and uses air cooling, so a retrofit requires no water intakes or cooling pipework.

For smaller cabins, the Air Top Pro 25 heater delivers between 0.7 and 2.5kW. It can run at full output to warm the cabin, then maintain the temperature at a lower setting with fewer stops and starts. Owners can operate the heater through the ThermoConnect app or use one of Webasto’s other controls.