Yacht Controller

That's great advice Mark. I can do that without a stern thruster as you are obviously doing with yours.

with my cockpit fly (which I wouldn't be without), I cannot see to back in a slip from the helm. So a YC is must for me to operate.

As Sea Gull says, "it may be called a Yacht Controller, but the wives call it a marriage saver"!! My YC and our wireless headsets make it easy for Susan and I to handle Reward.

Do you have trouble seeing to back in because of the Canopy or is the Helm so far forward it creates a blind spot?
 
Do you have trouble seeing to back in because of the Canopy or is the Helm so far forward it creates a blind spot?
The cockpit fly - or canopy - blocks my view aft. I wouldn't be without that fly as it makes the cockpit totally usable in the hot sun. Also, the YC allows me to handle stern lines while Susan handles the bow. It really is like having a third crewmember. Here' s a better picture of helm position and cockpit fly:

Pic 13a.jpg
 
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The cockpit fly - or canopy - blocks my view aft. I wouldn't be without that fly as it makes the cockpit totally usable in the hot sun. Also, the YC allows me to handle stern lines while Susan handles the bow. It really is like having a third crewmember. Here' s a better picture of helm position and cockpit fly:

View attachment 76842
Do you have the stern thruster as well - i am installing a YC and planned on adding a stern thruster too- i have been told to try the YC before installing the stern thruster because of the added control with the YC -- thanks
 
Do you have the stern thruster as well - i am installing a YC and planned on adding a stern thruster too- i have been told to try the YC before installing the stern thruster because of the added control with the YC -- thanks
I do not have a stern thruster. So far Reward handles fine without it, but I have not had to handle high winds and/or currents (I try to avoid this
Se situations).
 
On the 58 your money may be better spent on the YC our boat has both thrusters and the YC I love having the stern thruster I use it all the time to walk off the fuel dock and make minor adjustments while stern in on a slip
With the sight lines of the 58 being different than the 500
And all the other YC owners giving positive feedback I wouldn’t spend the money on a thruster just yet. I’d try the YC first then decide of a thruster is needed.
 
I had the YC installed a couple of weeks ago and have only been on the boat once - was really impressed with the YC - really made a difference driving the boat from other than the helm -
 
Hmmmmm, not sure I agree. Not to be disagreeable, but will share my perspective.

Two different things. Really is boat specific. On our 47DB, the stern thruster was very important. On current boat, stern thruster is not important. Actually ours has a current issue with solenoids, not working. I am replacing because at some point we will sell the boat and I am a freak about everything well maintained and in working order. My stern thruster currently is out of order and I do not miss it.

Once again, boat specific, on our current boat the props are so big, with so much torque it is easier to move the stern with the transmissions than the stern thruster.

On the 47DB, the props were not big enough or wide enough apart to move the boat as easy.

Having a Yacht controller does not change the need, or no need, for the stern thruster.

So back to the post from @Trinity, can you walk the boat sideways with transmissions and bow thruster - total sideways move. If the answer is no, then a stern thruster will be beneficial. If the answer is yes, you do not need a stern thruster.

Yacht controller is only about wireless remote control of the transmissions and thrusters. It will not change the basic capability of the transmissions and thrusters.

It took me a while to learn this. The first year we had this boat, went into a stern in slip a small number of times. Most of the time I was doing side ties.

During that first year, when I did go stern in, I was thinking stern thruster. Was not the prettiest of situations. Didn't hit anything, but might take me a couple of tries. I had held onto the way I would put the 47db in a stern in situation.

Second year I learned what the props would do - now using the transmissions is much better than the stern thruster.

Hope this makes sense. Not saying whether you need stern thruster or not. I don't know on your model of boat.

Yacht controller is 10K. Not sure what the pricing of a stern thruster is, but installing YC to test whether you need a stern thruster is an expensive route.

We had a 400 Sedan Bridge for many years without a bow or a stern thruster and i could usually run the boat by myself - the 58 is just a different deal for me - having a bow thruster worked great and helped docking - when needed but now with the added stern thruster it is just easier when needed and the yacht controller is great when you are off the boat getting lines on the boat after you are in the slip or when leaving and all lines or off -- i really wanted to feel confident running the boat completely by myself - so for example going into a new marina at night looking for the rented slip etc. i would not need some one to assist with lines and my wife would not have to work to get a line on a cleat while i stayed at the bridge etc. it all just worked for us - but the boat was easy to dock without the stern thruster or the Yacht controller but the addition made it 100% easier to do it all by myself
 

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