Adding joystick control?

[mnm99]

I know this is way out there and I would assume not cost effective, but how does it work? I get the concept on the joystick, but what components are needed? Are these ever retrofitted to standard inboards? Just doing some research..thanks

 

[mnm99]

With enough $$ anything is possible I suppose. I've seen some boats with inboards that have been retrofitted with bow and stern thrusters, but unless you have the software and hardware to incorporate the drive system, I don't think you could ever have true joystick control without some major modifications.

It'd probably be best to just buy a boat with Zeus or Axius, or the volvo penta equivalent already in place rather than try to piece something together that will most likely not work as well as intended.

Personally, I have never felt the need or want to have joystick control with my own boat, as it handles just fine with opposing thrust.

Yea I know thanks. I was just wondering how it works. Bow and stern thrusters I suppose. Do you have any? I'm going from a 27ft single stern drive to a 340 with V-drives. Everyone I talk to says I don't need a bow thruster. I'm told they are like night and day docking. Also..You have the 18x23 4 blades right? Where did you buy them if you don't mind me asking.

 

[Sea Gull]

Look into the Yacht Contoller JCS. It can be easily retrofitted to almost any inboard boat. There are other brands out there as well.

 

[Havana Shamrock]

Yacht controller shifts your engines in and out of gear and controls bow and stern thrusters so you need to install thrusters at prob $15-20.000 before yacht controller is useful. I don't see the need for dual thrusters on a sundancer I think you'll find that out after you start operating the 340

 

[northern]

I have seen video of the system it is with pod drives no bow or stern thrusters. The system works on the ability of the pods to operate independent of each other.
Looked like a good system. If you can play video games you can dock a boat.
Might be less to get a good captain to spend a few days with you teaching you how to drive your boat. Did that for the admiral and it helped.

 

[04cobra23]

Bow thruster and joystick control is not needed on a 34. I maneuver and dock with no issues at all. I have Michigan DQX 4 blades.

 

[buddymac]

A bow thruster is all you would need, if anything. Even then, when you get used to the boat, the thruster would only be required if it was very windy when you were docking.

 

[FastMarkA]

I have Axius (joystick control) on my 300 SLX. Yes, on a 30' boat.

Now, I do have I/Os which, for docking purposes, pose a little more challenge than inboards/v-drives, but as I have experience docking 500DAs without a bow thruster, I find it sort of laughable my boat has Axius. (The real value (for me) of having Axius is the autopilot feature. It's the best autopilot I've ever used.)

Truth be told, I don't use the joystick much for docking. I really don't like using it because the shifts are sudden and frequent, and while I suppose a lot of joystick uses are required until real damage is done, I like to be courteous to any boat's transmissions while docking and only engage them as needed. Like everything on a boat, at some point they will break. A joystick system has no mercy towards the transmissions and gives #zerof**ks.

At least in an I/O situation, the outdrives have independent actuators, and when in joystick mode, the drives essentially move independently outward at 45 degree angles, and then software regulates the thrust/propeller direction based on the input it receives from the joystick.

Don't get me wrong, it is a very cool system and the engineers deserve a pat on the back for getting the boat to move without thrusters everywhere.

My car can parallel park itself and my boat has a joystick. I still choose to be at pro at both, and only relying on the systems for convenience. I hope others do, too.

 

[skunkman]

I have Axius and absolutely love it. I can dock in tight spots in high winds with it. As others mentioned you don't NEED it. But there are a lot of things we have and like that we don't need.

 

[04cobra23]

I have Axius and absolutely love it. I can dock in tight spots in high winds with it. As others mentioned you don't NEED it. But there are a lot of things we have and like that we don't need.

Where do you keep your boat? I usually keep my boat at Marina Jack for a few months out of the year then bring it back to the east coast. (sorry for the hijack to the thread)

 

[skunkman]

Where do you keep your boat? I usually keep my boat at Marina Jack for a few months out of the year then bring it back to the east coast. (sorry for the hijack to the thread)

I keep it at my house on a canal on long boat key. Marina Jacks is very nice - some awesome boats come through there

 

[garmett]

I agree with everyone's thoughts.
For me with outdrives, I spent the cash and had a bowthruster installed.
I try not to use it every time we go out, but just in case I need it. I activate it,.... and it has come in very handy on windy days that I might otherwise not go out.