diff --git a/lib/boatData/GwBoatData.cpp b/lib/boatData/GwBoatData.cpp
index e05e0a4..533f931 100644
--- a/lib/boatData/GwBoatData.cpp
+++ b/lib/boatData/GwBoatData.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,16 @@ GwBoatData::~GwBoatData(){
     }
 }
 
+template<class T> GwBoatItem<T> *GwBoatData::getOrCreate(T dummy, String name, String format,
+                                                  unsigned long invalidTime)
+{
+    for (auto it=values.begin();it != values.end();it++){
+        if ((*it)->getName() == name){
+            return *it;
+        }
+    }
+    return new GwBoatItem<T>(name,format,invalidTime,&values);
+}
 String GwBoatData::toJson() const {
     unsigned long minTime=millis();
     GwBoatItemBase::GwBoatItemMap::const_iterator it;
diff --git a/lib/boatData/GwBoatData.h b/lib/boatData/GwBoatData.h
index f400241..d2e0db3 100644
--- a/lib/boatData/GwBoatData.h
+++ b/lib/boatData/GwBoatData.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ class GwBoatItemBase{
         virtual size_t getJsonSize(){return JSON_OBJECT_SIZE(15);}
         virtual int getLastSource()=0;
         virtual void refresh(unsigned long ts=0){uls(ts);}
+        String getName(){return name;}
 };
 class GwBoatData;
 template<class T> class GwBoatItem : public GwBoatItemBase{
@@ -253,8 +254,43 @@ class GwBoatData{
     public:
         GwBoatData(GwLog *logger);
         ~GwBoatData();
+        template<class T> GwBoatItem<T> *getOrCreate(T dummy,String name,String format,
+            unsigned long invalidTime=GwBoatItemBase::INVALID_TIME);
         String toJson() const;
 };
-
+/**
+ * class for lazy creation of a boat item
+ * once we have someone that knows the name for it
+ * and providing fast access without searching all the time trough the map
+ * xdr mappings implement such a provider
+ */
+class GwBoatItemNameProvider
+{
+public:
+    virtual String getBoatItemName() = 0;
+    virtual String getBoatItemFormat() = 0;
+    virtual ~GwBoatItemNameProvider() {}
+};
+template<class T> class GwBoatItemHolder{
+    private:
+        GwBoatItem<T> *item=NULL;
+        GwBoatData *data;
+        unsigned long invalidTime=GwBoatItemBase::INVALID_TIME;
+    public:
+        GwBoatItemHolder(GwBoatData *data,unsigned long invalidTime=GwBoatItemBase::INVALID_TIME){
+            this->data=data;
+            this->invalidTime=invalidTime;
+        }
+        GwBoatItem<T> *getItem(GwBoatItemNameProvider *provider){
+                if (item) return item;
+                T dummy;
+                item=data->getOrCreate(dummy,
+                    provider->getBoatItemName() ,
+                    provider->getBoatItemFormat(),
+                    invalidTime);
+                return item;
+            }
+        GwBoatItem<T> *getItem(){return item;}       
+};
 
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/xdrmappings/GwXDRMappings.h b/lib/xdrmappings/GwXDRMappings.h
index e257953..8dffacc 100644
--- a/lib/xdrmappings/GwXDRMappings.h
+++ b/lib/xdrmappings/GwXDRMappings.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define _GWXDRMAPPINGS_H
 #include "GwLog.h"
 #include "GWConfig.h"
+#include "GwBoatData.h"
 #include <WString.h>
 #include <vector>
 #include <map>
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ class GwXDRMapping{
         typedef std::map<String,MappingList> N138Map;
         typedef std::map<unsigned long,MappingList> N2KMap;
 };
-class GwXDRFoundMapping{
+class GwXDRFoundMapping : public GwBoatItemNameProvider{
     public:
         GwXDRMappingDef *definition=NULL;
         GwXDRType *type=NULL;
@@ -163,6 +164,14 @@ class GwXDRFoundMapping{
             return definition->getTransducerName(instanceId);
         }
         String buildXdrEntry(double value);
+        //boat Data info
+        virtual String getBoatItemName(){
+            return getTransducerName();
+        };
+        virtual String getBoatItemFormat(){
+            return "formatXdr"+type->xdrunit; //TODO: use the type def for the correct format
+        };
+        virtual ~GwXDRFoundMapping(){}
 };
 
 //the class GwXDRMappings is not intended to be deleted