OH THE JOY (STICK)

Joysticks are now available for most boats, including those with single engines, but the devil is in the details

BY PETER A. ROBSON

For most people, docking is the most stressful part of boating. However, these days, joystick steering has made it much easier to dock like a pro. Because of their ease of use, joysticks have also brought a number of new boaters into the sport, increased boat sales—and saved a lot of marriages.

As most readers know, joysticks allow a vessel’s controls, which may include throttles, shift controls, thrusters and steering, to be controlled by a single control head that allows precise manoeuvring in any direction.

Background

Shepard McKenney of Hinckley Yachts introduced a joystick solution in 1988, however, it was exclusively for its waterjet boats. In 2006, Volvo Penta was the first to offer a commercially available turnkey joystick solution to the mass market. It was soon adopted by many of the leading boat brands across the globe.

FIn 2008, Cummins-MerCruiser came out with their version of pod drives: Zeus. Soon after, joysticks were being developed for single and multiple outboards, shaft drive vessels and most recently, for sailboats, jet boats and wake boats. Today, almost any type of vessel with any configuration of propulsion, can be controlled by a joystick. Nearly all are installed at the boat builder level, though some can be retrofitted.

The Players

SeaStar Solutions (Dometic) was the first company to offer joystick steering for outboards with their Optimus 360 system introduced in 2012. Initially, it was offered for mechanically controlled shift and throttle, and later for electronically controlled engines.

Mercury now offers joystick piloting for single-engine pontoon boats, utilizing the outboard and deployable thrusters at the bow and stern. They have also integrated thrusters into their existing joystick control system. The system uses “closed loop yaw” logic which cancels out yaw when joysticking, eliminating the need for the user to have to twist the joystick to maintain heading due to wind or waves

Volvo has released a joystick docking system for single diesel Aquamatic sterndrive installations. It integrates steering, bow thruster, gear and engine speed into a single joystick control. The company is the first in the industry to integrate steering of a diesel sterndrive with the control of the bow thruster on a single engine installation.

Yacht Controller and Dockmate both offer wireless handheld remotes that can be added to almost any existing vessel with any make of equipment.

Glendinning’s ProPilot joysticks and Yacht Controller’s fixed joystick can also be installed with almost any make of engine, transmission or thruster (including a model for single engine vessels). The same goes for Italy’s Xenta.

Companies such as Glendinning, ComfoDrive and Xenta offer joystick steering for sailboats though none are seeing widespread use. Most sailboat owners simply use their single engine and a bow thruster. ZF, however, has a unique steerable (360 degrees) sailboat pod drive that mates with small diesel engines and a bow thruster. Beneteau offers this system on two of their larger sailboat models under the Dock & Go label.

Installation

Installation at the boat builder level is easiest with fully electronic systems (helm and engines/transmissions). Then it’s just a matter of plugging it all in. Volvo Penta offers the most comprehensive system, supplying complete packages from the props, transmissions, engines, controls, joystick, autopilot, glass cockpit and all the harnesses as a single part number.

Things get a bit more complicated when it comes to older vessels with mechanical (i.e. cable or hydraulic) controls between the helm and the engines. Yacht Controller offers a system called Yacht Controller Mechanically

Actuated Systems (YAMAS) that ties a fixed or wireless remote joystick to fully mechanical controls between the helm and the engine. They do this by installing an electronically controlled actuator box. In other cases, Yacht Controller and other companies such as Glendinning and ZF can replace an older vessel’s mechanical controls at the helm with electronic controls. Then, an electronic actuator in the engine room operates short stub cables from there to the engines.

Networking

At the heart of any joystick system is a network that pieces together the component hardware and software. The challenge is to write algorithms that accurately configure thrust vectors for specific boat brands, so that when the joystick is turned, the boat actually goes in that direction. In addition, the software must be configured for each model and horsepower of engine, transmission and thruster (when fitted) that will be using that particular joystick.

Joystick technology is never really plug and play. For best performance, software parameters must be customized for each vessel. ZF’s process is typical, says Keith Stanley, ZF Marine’s pleasure craft product line manager. “After installing a joystick system on a vessel, our application engineers execute a series of steps to fine-tune performance at the time of commissioning. They optimize the software parameters based on vessel characteristics, typical sea conditions and captain preference. The application engineers responsible for commissioning joystick systems typically have hundreds if not thousands of parameters they can use to fine tune the performance. This tuning process is particularly important for station keeping, which is typically a balance between smooth engagement and system authority to ensure optimal performance even in elevated sea conditions.”

Wireless Remotes

Manufacturers of wireless handheld remotes (Yacht Controller and Dockmate) have an additional issue to deal with: communications between the remote transmitter and the onboard receiver that control the joystick. Obviously, if that radio link is broken, then the remote will not function. Yacht Controller and Dockmate avoid interruptions through different protocols. Redundancy is key. For example, Yacht Controller’s Maximo and Supremo offer added redundancy and range with over 100 channel combinations via digital dual band radio frequencies. Both Yacht Controller and Dockmate have alarms to alert the user should communications be lost.

AUTOPILOTS & STATION KEEPING

One of the attractions of joystick systems is their ability to hold a vessel in position regardless of wind and current. Of course, this requires the system to be interfaced with an autopilot, in most cases two GPS sensors or a combination of GPS/IMU (Inertial Measurement Units) and some form of display. That function is variously called Station Keeping, Dynamic Positioning, Virtual Anchor, Skyhook and so on. In addition to position holding, other standard features include the ability to hold the vessel in position on a certain compass heading and the ability to maintain a specific heading without holding position.

Some joystick manufacturers offer their own branded autopilots (and displays) as part of their options package while others need to be interfaced with third-party autopilots and their displays. Glendinning’s ProPosition system is different in that it doesn’t require use of an autopilot and only needs a single GPS position sensor to hold a vessel in position.

Recent Advancements

Joystick functionality is increasing every year. One company ahead of the curve is Yamaha. They offer several unique modes. Spiral allows operators to circle out in ever-expanding spirals around a fixed point (for fishers trying to pinpoint hot spots). Zig Zag works well for covering ground when trolling. Drift Point Track allows the vessel to follow a predetermined GPS track while maintaining a specific compass heading (good for drift fishers). Waypoint Arrival is another handy feature. When approaching your final waypoint, you can either have the boat do nothing and continue on its way, or you can have it automatically decelerate as it approaches the final waypoint. Upon arrival, it will prompt the operator to shift to neutral, at which time the system automatically enters into one of three preprogrammed modes. Lateral Assist, a recent addition, is designed to better compensate automatically for wind and current to help maintain heading and direction when moving laterally in joystick mode. Also new are Williamson Turn (to bring the vessel back to a point previously passed) and Pattern Search features.

As David Meeler, Yamaha’s new product integration manager put it: “All of these functions are part of the Helm Master EX system, for single to quad outboards, which includes its own dedicated GPS and heading sensors.”

ZF offers what it calls Controlled Drift, which maintains heading but applies a braking function to control the speed of the drift.

Thruster Issues

For single or multiple engine shaft drive vessels to achieve full joystick functionality, they require either a single bow thruster or a combination of bow and stern thrusters. These are generally third-party thrusters, either proportional (hydraulic, electric or retractable), or in some cases, single speed electric thrusters. The important issue here is that the thruster(s) have sufficient power to do the job. An underpowered thruster will likely mean that the system will lag in sideways operations and/or struggle against wind and current.

The issue with electric thrusters is their operational time is limited by the motor’s thermal capacity. Simply put, once they overheat, they shut down. This is more the case with single-speed electric thrusters as they are either off or full-on. Thermal shutdown is less of a concern with proportional thrusters as they are not always working at full speed, just what’s required at the moment. Fortunately, joysticks are typically only used when leaving or approaching a dock, so most don’t get heavy use for extended periods of time—except when operating in the various station-keeping modes. While hydraulic thrusters are all proportional, the downside is that hydraulic lines need to be run throughout the vessel.

Electronic Steering

Recent innovations in fully electric steering (at the engine) have brought a range of advantages to boat builders and boaters alike. With outboard powered vessels, pod drives, stern drives (and some jet and surface piercing drives), being able to steer the drive motors is integral to the joystick function. The rudders on shaft drive vessels are usually not tied to the joystick (Volvo Penta is the only exception I could find).

In the past, hydraulic cylinders were the standard method of steering these vessels. Today though, electric steering is becoming the norm and has many advantages. Most notably, they eliminate the need for hydraulic fluid, hoses and pumps.

Dometic’s Optimus Electric Steering Actuator uses inverted planetary roller screw technology to control the move- ment of the steering cylinder. According to Brian Dudra, vice president/ general manager of Dometic Vancouver, roller screws have several significant advantages. “Due to an increased number of contact points, roller screws have two to three times the dynamic load capacity as well as a higher tolerance to shock loads. The nature of this design results in increased durability and repeatability.” Dometic’s steering actuator is an integrated unit that mounts on most common outboard engines used today.

Fully integrated electric or bolt-on steering is available for several Yamaha outboards. One of the benefits of electric steering, according to Yamaha’s David Meeler, is that electric steering only draws battery power when the unit is actually steering. “When a boater is fishing and has the motor idling, that means more amps for other systems on the boat instead of the six to 10 amps that the hydraulic pump constantly draws.” Installation is also quicker as it only requires a connection to the starter battery and then a single wire that runs from the helm to the engine.

Other benefits include quicker and more accurate steering; adjustable lock-to-lock steering (for example, at slow speeds lock-to-lock might be four turns while at speed it might be eight turns because you don’t want overly sensitive steering at high speeds); and, steering friction can also be altered as needed, depending on conditions.

The Future

So, what will be the next big thing for joysticks? Well, it might be autonomous docking systems.

In 2021, Volvo Penta introduced what it calls Assisted Docking for its IPS pod drives. The award-winning system won’t dock the boat, but it will automatically compensate for tide, wind and current when approaching a dock. It incorporates a humanmachine interface said to provide a smoother docking experience.

Mercury is also continuing to pursue that avenue. They recently demonstrated an advanced autonomous boat. Rob Hackbarth is Mercury’s category director for controls and rigging. He explained, “The prototype vessel was capable of autonomously sensing and avoiding in-water obstacles during operation, then docking without the need for on-shore or on-dock sensors. The concept vessel addresses docking and navigating congested marinas, two high-stress aspects of boating.”

IN THE END, all the companies we talked to stressed that the goal of joysticks is to bring more people into boating that might not otherwise be there. Joysticks make it so much easier to overcome the fear of docking, especially as the systems work so well. That ease of operation has led to more and more people getting into boating. As Dometic’s Brian Dudra noted, “Delivering a fun, stress-free experience will be key to keeping [people] in our sport long-term.”

Lifelines, halyards, clutches and other efficient, new equipment. Check out the many advances in safety gear in stock. We replace old rigging and repaint masts efficiently. Home of the ‘Shoreline Reel’

Racing in breeze is much more than just adjusting the sails differently. I would suggest there are a variety of shifts in mindset and approach that will help you and your crew get around the course quickly, safely and more confi-

Learn to love heavy air sailing Breeze On!

Rdently. Let’s take a look at the “breeze on” puzzle and see if we can identify some of those better practices. Checking the forecast the night before any race is something every racer is familiar with. Let me begin by asking a simple question: When you see a prediction of 20 to 25 knots, how does it make you feel? Excited, stoked, anxious, concerned, apprehensive—these are a few of the words that come to mind. Many racers will have competed in this much wind, and I would dare say that this gamut of emotional responses would be shared by most. The next question I would have for you is: How

BY ALEX FOX Jan Anderson

do you prepare yourself to compete in these conditions? For me, it always begins with thinking about the particular boat I’ll be racing on. If familiar, I’ll be thinking about our previous races in big breeze. How did we handle things as a crew, what were our successes and what were the things we could have done better? Revisit those good lessons, in terms of boat setup, crew mechanics, boat handling. What were they? Positive visualization is a tool I use often. Imagine the sails set up nice and flat, the crew hiking hard and running through the perfect tack. Picture the correct rate of turn, then feathering through the big puffs upwind, powering up in the lulls. Downwind, I see the boat under control and stable, with the crew well positioned, trimmers and helm working together, focussed on sailing fast and with confidence.

Now the flip side, dealing with the anxiety, concern and apprehension. I would call these feelings quite normal. The task then becomes how to benefit from this heightened emotional state? Knowing the challenges and the potential perils of being on a sailboat in big wind and rough water, that’s the starting point. Acknowledge that this is something to take seriously, then take scary thoughts and redirect them toward a safe and successful outcome. Losing control, rounding up, broaching, gear failure, sail damage, or even more extreme, losing a person overboard are real concerns. Touch wood—I’m only a little superstitious. Talk about the different scenarios, run through the possible handling and solutions for the best possible outcome in each situation. This would rank very high on my list of best crew practices, and this type of collective preparedness and forethought will help any sailor file away the negative thoughts to a standby part of the brain where they won’t manifest into debilitating anxiety or crippling fear.

WHAT ARE SOME of the other good practices in heavy air racing? Let’s begin with something that I would call foundational, and that is clear, concise communication. A few additional obstacles pop up when it’s windy, beginning with more ambient noise from the wind whistling, the waves breaking, the water interacting with the hull. Then there’s the probability that some of the crew are wearing toques, or have hoods covering their ears. So, for me there are a few necessary adjustments required from the entire crew. Whoever is speaking, must first get the attention of the person they’re addressing. “Hey, Bob.” Then comes the acknowledgement. Without acknowledgement, there is no two-way communication. Bob acknowledges by making eye contact, saying, “yes” and giving a thumbs up. The next thing is, speak a little louder, speak clearly, no mumbling and use clear simple language. That is less likely to be misinterpreted, or misunderstood. Again, acknowledgement is so very important, especially if the communication involves the entire crew. Another thing that happens in big wind is that this communication process will likely take more time, so starting conversations earlier is important. If it’s a mark rounding, or even a tack or gybe, a less stable platform means crew movements and set ups take longer. I’ve been—as many of you have—in longer races where the crew is huddled on the windward rail, totally bundled up. First comes the call for ready about from the helmsman, only heard by the mainsheet trimmer who nudges the aft person on the rail, who nudges the next and so on. The movement from the crew indicates that they’ve got the message. The trimmer who’s releasing is first off the rail. Next, the second trimmer has the lazy sheet wrapped and ready. All others are poised to move. The foredeck crew is ready to clear the genoa and skirt. All others have chosen a route across to the new high side. Good communication goes a long way to seamless manoeuvres, especially with breeze on!

I’VE ENJOYED FILLING a variety of roles on the keelboats that I race on, but most often I’m in the cockpit as the helmsman, tactician or trimmer. As helmsman or skipper in heavy air, my thoughts revolve around keeping the boat moving, not making any radical changes in course. Using smooth and deliberate helm movements to keep the boat on its feet and in control. That’s the name of the game, both upwind or down. Sounds easy right? I look at the water ahead, the waves and puffs, along with the angle of the forestay to the horizon ahead. Helm movement should be kept to a minimum, with the exception of some more aggressive steering through or with the waves, as conditions may require. Staying focussed is job one. That means finding the groove and the rhythm, full concentration, no time outs. One thing I would recommend to any helmsman on any boat is to get out in big wind whenever you can. Put in the time to get comfortable with puffy conditions, both waves and smooth water. The only way to get really good at it, is to put in the time. Find out what makes the boat fast, work with the tune, the trim and the helming so you can be comfortable with whatever comes along. Confidence is born from experience.

FOR ANY CREW member on a keelboat, the very best thing you can bring along is your engagement and awareness. What do I mean by this? Well, there’s a phrase I use often when asked about being the most valuable crew on a racing team. “Don’t just be a passenger, be a participant.” Sounds a bit harsh I know, but the best crew member is in sync with what’s happening at any given moment and thinking ahead to what might happen next. This becomes especially poignant and valuable in heavy air when communication and coordination are paramount. Hyper awareness is also a safety thing, keeping your weight in the right place, knowing where to be and how to perform your job most efficiently during a manoeuvre and understanding what other crew members’ jobs are, allowing them room as well. Speaking of safety, as always, staying on board is everything. In big breeze, one hand for the boat, always, and keep your centre of gravity lower. That probably means taking more time, maybe staying on your knees occasionally. Plan your route, watch for lines and sheets. Listen, look, anticipate and contribute. Don’t hesitate to talk about the wind, the waves, logs, kelp and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you’re unsure. The best team dynamic is one that encourages teamwork and learning every time out—true!

THE FINAL THING I’d like to chat about, very related to the crew dynamic and certainly success in heavy air is knowing your boat. Every sailboat design has its unique sailing characteristics. Some are a little more potent in light air, some better upwind while others excel downwind. I’ve written about this before, and the thing I try to do, whatever boat I’m racing on, is sail the boat to it’s potential. Knowing your boat isn’t about making excuses when the conditions are better suited for a competitor, but more about working hard to figure out how to compete in all conditions.

One of the challenges I really enjoy is trying to figure out how to make a light air dog competitive in five knots of breeze. I equally relish trying to solve the puzzle of the too tender light air flyer when the breeze is up. Looking at the rig tune, the sails, fittings, gear, sheets and halyards, bottom, keel, rudder, boat prep, crew work and how all the pieces work together, that’s fun, and the more boats you race on, the more you’ll learn about squeezing some extra performance, in any condition. Don’t be afraid to try some new things, ask advice, look at photographs, and most importantly never say, “I can’t compete in heavy air.”

Prepare well, be safe, sail in big conditions more often, look for ways to improve—I guarantee you’ll find a few. I’d also recommend that you and your crew adopt a new mantra: “We love breeze on!” That change alone will make a big difference. Super stoked and excited to see you on the water—in 25 knots— sometime soon!

BY TOM DAVIS