I had it on my last boat a 62' express cruiser. I found it very helpful for that style of boat given that the boat only a single helm and close quarters visibility was not good particularly to stern (low way back and a long swim platform). Very useful when anchoring despite having windlass controls at the helm. I am planning on having it for my upcoming boat, an 85'.
Yacht Controller
- Thread starter ajjacobs
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Sea Gull,
I have been considering this docking aid too. I appreciate your feedback, thanks. The yachtcontroller is not a necessity for me but I do boat alone frequently and this would be very helpful in docking and tieing off. Also, it would free my wife from these duties when she is with me.
Do you experience the lag times with the controllers that Pascal mentioned?
I have been considering this docking aid too. I appreciate your feedback, thanks. The yachtcontroller is not a necessity for me but I do boat alone frequently and this would be very helpful in docking and tieing off. Also, it would free my wife from these duties when she is with me.
Do you experience the lag times with the controllers that Pascal mentioned?
As always the argument is less about the technology and more about simple good seamanship.
I'm sure these things can be used as a tool, and I'm also sure that like bow thrusters a whole slew of folks will buy boat they otherwise had the good judgement to not own. The fault in those situations has nothing to do with technology.
I'm sure these things can be used as a tool, and I'm also sure that like bow thrusters a whole slew of folks will buy boat they otherwise had the good judgement to not own. The fault in those situations has nothing to do with technology.
Hi Flutterby and Ghost,
I look at these things as basicaly like a remote helm. If you can't operate your vessel from the fixed helm (bridge), I don't see how you could operate it from the remote, since all it does is let you use the tranmisssions and engines remotely. If you don't know what to do without the device then you won't know what to do with it. In fact, it could be more difficult with the lag time in gear and engine changes that do not occur at the helm. I don't have a bow or stern thruster, nor do I really need them to manuver. To me those are much more of a crutch that hides lack of seamanship and helm skill in close quarters. Still, having learned without thrusters, I would not mind having them now, though I would not pay for them since I know how to manuver without them. But, a remote helm that lets me operate remotely while I am standing by to tie off at the bow or stern or spring, is very valuable for me so I don't have to dash from the bridge to the lines when I am by myself which I am most of the time. Its probably safer, as long, as you note, that you now how to operate your helm. I think, one should know how to operate their boats without undue assistance. I suspect however, that if you have a boat with automatic docking from the begining, that it is likley that your skills won't develope as quickly, if at all. Again, I don't think a remote helm requries less seamanship. Do I have it all wrong? Can you think of any other issues with the yacth controller? I appreciate the insights.
I look at these things as basicaly like a remote helm. If you can't operate your vessel from the fixed helm (bridge), I don't see how you could operate it from the remote, since all it does is let you use the tranmisssions and engines remotely. If you don't know what to do without the device then you won't know what to do with it. In fact, it could be more difficult with the lag time in gear and engine changes that do not occur at the helm. I don't have a bow or stern thruster, nor do I really need them to manuver. To me those are much more of a crutch that hides lack of seamanship and helm skill in close quarters. Still, having learned without thrusters, I would not mind having them now, though I would not pay for them since I know how to manuver without them. But, a remote helm that lets me operate remotely while I am standing by to tie off at the bow or stern or spring, is very valuable for me so I don't have to dash from the bridge to the lines when I am by myself which I am most of the time. Its probably safer, as long, as you note, that you now how to operate your helm. I think, one should know how to operate their boats without undue assistance. I suspect however, that if you have a boat with automatic docking from the begining, that it is likley that your skills won't develope as quickly, if at all. Again, I don't think a remote helm requries less seamanship. Do I have it all wrong? Can you think of any other issues with the yacth controller? I appreciate the insights.
I remember reading of a couple who were stranded at sea in a sail boat for quite awhile. The details escape me. But when they were rescued, they said that once the autopilot quit working, they couldn't get to a port. You see, they had never learned how to sail the d [:-censored] d thing! It sounds crazy, but it is a true story.
I would have to agree with TurboWarp. The Yacht Controller is not a magic bullet that allows you to move the controller over a picture of your slip and automatically move the boat anywhere you want it to go. It is no different than a remote station for the bow, cockpit, pilot house, flybridge, etc. Do you need it, certainly not. Would it be any use to you if you didn't know how to controller your boat with the engines, certainly not. But it is convenient and since it is electronic you would want to have a backup plan in case there was a problem. If I ever order a new boat it will either have this device or a control station in the cockpit. And I would love to have one on my current boat but have alot of better uses for $5k right now.
It is great getting some real life feedback from users here as I was curious how it actually worked in the real world.
Kris
It is great getting some real life feedback from users here as I was curious how it actually worked in the real world.
Kris
I have seen them used extensively in Newport, RI in 100+ footers. The yacht's captain had a greater vantage point while pulling into port. To me it is no different than any other tool. My last ship was an FFG-7 OLIVER HAZARD PERRY-class frigate. It had 2 retractable azipods center length that enabled the captain to berth a single screw 453 foot boat single handed.
You can't stop progress.
You can't stop progress.
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Les
i dont' agree... it can be a liability even if you dont' abuse it! We know that these devices are not 100% reliable and subject to interference among other things...
the problem is that when they fail, the captain is not in a position to recover in a reasonable time frame... if you're on the side deck, or aft deck, docking the boat by remote control and the things stops working, it will take a few seconds for you to realize that it's not responding. add 5 to 7 seconds to rush back to the closest helm, and you end up with a boat adrift for about 10 seconds total.
that is ridiculously dangerous when you could have a set of cable or wired controls on the aft deck and avoid that potential 10 second gap.
anyone who thinks it's no big deal shoudl try the following. Get in a fairway or neat a dock at idle speed in a 60+ boat... from idle speed, put the boat in neutral and slowly count to 10... see how you like it!
In addition to that little potential failure issue, the problem is that most people will end up abusing those devices... i just saw 3 boats coming with the grinders in dead calm conditions... they event used them to turn the boats into the fairway when rudders and maybe gears was all they needed.
and yeah, since i was hit by an experience guy using his bow thruster to come in bow into his slip... i'm a little weary...
i dont' agree... it can be a liability even if you dont' abuse it! We know that these devices are not 100% reliable and subject to interference among other things...
the problem is that when they fail, the captain is not in a position to recover in a reasonable time frame... if you're on the side deck, or aft deck, docking the boat by remote control and the things stops working, it will take a few seconds for you to realize that it's not responding. add 5 to 7 seconds to rush back to the closest helm, and you end up with a boat adrift for about 10 seconds total.
that is ridiculously dangerous when you could have a set of cable or wired controls on the aft deck and avoid that potential 10 second gap.
anyone who thinks it's no big deal shoudl try the following. Get in a fairway or neat a dock at idle speed in a 60+ boat... from idle speed, put the boat in neutral and slowly count to 10... see how you like it!
In addition to that little potential failure issue, the problem is that most people will end up abusing those devices... i just saw 3 boats coming with the grinders in dead calm conditions... they event used them to turn the boats into the fairway when rudders and maybe gears was all they needed.
and yeah, since i was hit by an experience guy using his bow thruster to come in bow into his slip... i'm a little weary...
Pascal,
It is not the tool you object too, it is the wireless aspect and its potential failure? You would not have a problem with a wired remote staion? I agree with your concern about failures, 10 seconds can be a lifetime when the boat is going where you don't want it to go, we have all experiaced that. I am concerned with this aspect and will need to figure out emgency failure procedures, and will. For me, since I only will be using this when docking, and at that time am barely moving 99.9 percent of the time, and since I can, at this speed, still mostly manhandle my boat, think I would be OK. I am considering a wired station in the cockpit but this is limiting. I don't know the pricing of dual remote wired stations. I am still weighing everyting and am glad to have everyone's feedback.
Thanks....
It is not the tool you object too, it is the wireless aspect and its potential failure? You would not have a problem with a wired remote staion? I agree with your concern about failures, 10 seconds can be a lifetime when the boat is going where you don't want it to go, we have all experiaced that. I am concerned with this aspect and will need to figure out emgency failure procedures, and will. For me, since I only will be using this when docking, and at that time am barely moving 99.9 percent of the time, and since I can, at this speed, still mostly manhandle my boat, think I would be OK. I am considering a wired station in the cockpit but this is limiting. I don't know the pricing of dual remote wired stations. I am still weighing everyting and am glad to have everyone's feedback.
Thanks....
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manhandling a boat? that's a recipe for disaster... fine with a 20 footer, over 30/35/40... forget it, that's how people get hurt. when you are docking, you are moving. Slow, but you are moving.. try stopping a 100 000 lbs even doing 1kts! not going to happen.
it's much easier, cheaper and safer to add a remote station on the aft deck or in the cockpit than a wireless remote.
it's much easier, cheaper and safer to add a remote station on the aft deck or in the cockpit than a wireless remote.
Disagree Pascal. Anything over 25 feet is not to be manhandled. I have the scars to prove it.
WRT a remote station, what is the difference between a failed cable and a failed signal? NONE. I have been at the remote aft helm of a 56 Voyager. It sucks. It is at shin height and paralyzes you to a single location.
WRT a remote station, what is the difference between a failed cable and a failed signal? NONE. I have been at the remote aft helm of a 56 Voyager. It sucks. It is at shin height and paralyzes you to a single location.
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a failed cable is more rare than loosing signal due to interference...
Carver may have put the remote helm in the wrong spot on the boat you were on but thankfully most builders do it right.
the one thing that i find very helpful for singlehandling a larger boat are cameras... they're cheap, about $200 a piece for a decent outdoor cam and $200 to $300 for an LCD
TV. Very handy to see what's behind in close quarter from the bridge or to see the bow when operating from an aft deck remote station. you're obviously not going to want to go fwd relying on a cam, but to check the space between your bow and the boats across a fairway or to the next boat when docking alonside, it's very practical. cheaper and safer in my opinion
Carver may have put the remote helm in the wrong spot on the boat you were on but thankfully most builders do it right.
the one thing that i find very helpful for singlehandling a larger boat are cameras... they're cheap, about $200 a piece for a decent outdoor cam and $200 to $300 for an LCD
TV. Very handy to see what's behind in close quarter from the bridge or to see the bow when operating from an aft deck remote station. you're obviously not going to want to go fwd relying on a cam, but to check the space between your bow and the boats across a fairway or to the next boat when docking alonside, it's very practical. cheaper and safer in my opinion
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Thanks for the insight, Sea Gull, I'll be rigging the boat to resume the annual migration from NJ to the Keys and your comments, and all the comments of others, makes me want to take a serious look at the device at the Miami Boat Show in February.
So far, the list include FLIR, Tracvision and a new rubberboat. And $15,000 for fuel for the round trip.
So far, the list include FLIR, Tracvision and a new rubberboat. And $15,000 for fuel for the round trip.