Joy Sticks for inboards

Requires a bow thruster:smt009... Real men drive inboards without bow or stern thrusters... Current and wind separates the real men from the "REALLY Good Men":thumbsup:... It is fun to get your inboard boat to move sideways without thrusters... Takes some practice... Seems to me that if you have a bow thruster the joy stick is over kill...


highslice said:
http://www.boattest.com/engines/Engine-test.aspx?ID=380016

Pretty cool actually. I know it goes against the grain for those who have spent a life time developing the skills to maneuver a big boat with twin inboards in tight quarters. But it's still pretty cool.
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My grandfather could add a whole ledger page in his head. I'm ruined, I purchased and like to use a calculator or computer spreadsheet. I know how to fly and airplane, but I really appreciate having an autopilot and use it to its fullest to better manage an aircraft.

Just trying to draw a few parallels as to why I think everybody should go the joystick route for docking. Maybe the biggest issue is getting over the ego problem of having a 'crutch' that makes it easy for the spouse and kids to dock as well as the guy in the mirror :)
 
I agree with Kameroo. I don't know why some guys think progress in technology equals something less "macho"...

If you extend the logic, why don't these same guys feel the same way about a starter motor? In the old days, you'd have to crank the engine by hand to get it going. Shouldn't all the "real" captains still be doing that?

Or hell, why is it even ok to have an engine? Shouldn't the "real" captains still be hoisting canvas???

There's no reason you still can't learn to drive two screws in case your joystick fails, but use the stick whenever it is working...
 
I don't get it. They're trying to compete with pod drives from an "ease of maneuvering" perspective, which I guess is understandable from a marketing point of view.

But rather than all the complicated electronics, which CAN and WILL fail, why not just add a stern thruster (you already need a bow thruster as part of the system). Far cheaper, and more reliable.

You can take any inboard boat with a bow and stern thruster and move it sideways or any direction you choose. It takes a few brain cells, though- rather than just pushing a joystick.

Seems to me the manufacturers are trying to "dumb things down" to where a monkey can dock a yacht.
 
tobnpr said:
I don't get it. They're trying to compete with pod drives from an "ease of maneuvering" perspective, which I guess is understandable from a marketing point of view.

But rather than all the complicated electronics, which CAN and WILL fail, why not just add a stern thruster (you already need a bow thruster as part of the system). Far cheaper, and more reliable.

You can take any inboard boat with a bow and stern thruster and move it sideways or any direction you choose. It takes a few brain cells, though- rather than just pushing a joystick.

Seems to me the manufacturers are trying to "dumb things down" to where a monkey can dock a yacht.
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That monkey is me......:smt021 first timer will be docking a 310 backwards, ouch:huh:.how i wish for a joy stick:grin: , but do want to be
more experienced and learn to maneuver my twin V drives like the big boys.....:thumbsup:
 
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billnpat said:
That monkey is me......:smt021 first timer will be docking a 310 backwards, ouch:huh:.how i wish for a joy stick:grin: , but do want to be
more experienced and learn to maneuver my twin V drives like the big boys.....:thumbsup:
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Yes, the backing in deal can be intimidating the first time.

I believe the builders are trying to remove barriers that keep people from buying bigger boats, thereby increasing their possible sales base. I know people that could spend 3 lifetimes trying without success to learn how to walk a boat sideways with twin inboards, but could grasp the joystick concept. Course they'd be screwed if the system failed:smt009.
 
If you bothered to read the article, this is not joystick for the inboard masses. It is a very specific application, which requires ZF computer controlled transmissions, with the trolling valves, and a bow thruster. In fact, many of the current users started off getting the bow thruster, and then came to realize that the joystick was nearly free.
You won't be retrofitting it on your 1989 trannies, and trolling valves usually don't start until we're talking 50+ battlewagons. For them, this could be really cool for hovering over a spot without having to hang up an anchor in the reef, or waiting out a bridge at some 17th street causeway while jetskis and sailbotes flop about.
Finally, you'll need a hydraulic thruster, because the electric ones aren't meant for near constant operation, and will burn out.
 
370Dancer said:
If you bothered to read the article, this is not joystick for the inboard masses. It is a very specific application, which requires ZF computer controlled transmissions, with the trolling valves, and a bow thruster. In fact, many of the current users started off getting the bow thruster, and then came to realize that the joystick was nearly free.
You won't be retrofitting it on your 1989 trannies, and trolling valves usually don't start until we're talking 50+ battlewagons. For them, this could be really cool for hovering over a spot without having to hang up an anchor in the reef, or waiting out a bridge at some 17th street causeway while jetskis and sailbotes flop about.
Finally, you'll need a hydraulic thruster, because the electric ones aren't meant for near constant operation, and will burn out.
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You're far more dedicated than I am. I read all of that, but I was too lazy to type in the OP.:smt009
 
highslice said:
I believe the builders are trying to remove barriers that keep people from buying bigger boats, thereby increasing their possible sales base.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more.

As an aside, my wife observed that there is something seriously wrong with how people think in terms of real dollars vs. boat dollars. For example, I'm too cheap to get myself a new car, but think $30,000 or more for a joystick option is a good investment.
 
Kameroo said:
Couldn't agree more.

As an aside, my wife observed that there is something seriously wrong with how people think in terms of real dollars vs. boat dollars. For example, I'm too cheap to get myself a new car, but think $30,000 or more for a joystick option is a good investment.
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I don't get it... I see nothing wrong with this logic.:thumbsup:
 
Just gives the novice boater more confidence to do manuevers he probably can't do to begin with.
As Tob said it's a system that will eventually fail.
And like anything if you don't know the basics to begin with your screwed.

Jack
 
But I'm surprised Jack, about how many "seasoned boaters" out there don't have a clue.

For every time you look at some jacka$$ out there and mutter a comment to yourself, there's another guy envying the jacka$$es skills.

I participate in another forum where CSR's "Presentation" brought up his discussion about pivot points in different types of boats. The resident guru on that site blew it all off - saying in essence that it's a detail that most people don't understand, nor do they need to. Two other seasoned boaters chimed-in in agreement. Then the guru (who has since become a professional yacht captain), asked how the heck a bow thruster in a twin-engine inboard could do something as crazy as move a boat sideways. Another guy chimed-in on that one too, "yeah, HOW?"

I'm not making this up! These guys probably have several thousand boating hours between them, and they didn't have a clue.

So I can't blame mfr's for taking the guesswork out whenever they can. Turns out, they need to!
 
I normally am not at a loss for words but that takes the cake. Who are these guys? Making a statement like that makes you wonder how some guys get out of the dock.

Jack
 
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RollerCoastr said:
But I'm surprised Jack, about how many "seasoned boaters" out there don't have a clue.

For every time you look at some jacka$$ out there and mutter a comment to yourself, there's another guy envying the jacka$$es skills.

I participate in another forum where CSR's "Presentation" brought up his discussion about pivot points in different types of boats. The resident guru on that site blew it all off - saying in essence that it's a detail that most people don't understand, nor do they need to. Two other seasoned boaters chimed-in in agreement. Then the guru (who has since become a professional yacht captain), asked how the heck a bow thruster in a twin-engine inboard could do something as crazy as move a boat sideways. Another guy chimed-in on that one too, "yeah, HOW?"

I'm not making this up! These guys probably have several thousand boating hours between them, and they didn't have a clue.

So I can't blame mfr's for taking the guesswork out whenever they can. Turns out, they need to!
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You mean boats don't turn, they pivot? Can't see how that would be relevent.:smt021


Actually, IIRC Pres put together a video on the subject that was very well done.

There are dumbasses everywhere. As cool as all the joy stick stuff is, when I finally move into a bridge boat with twins, I will learn how to maneuver the boat in tight quarters before I use the joy stick. Never know when that stuff will fail.

Just remember, 1 moment of inattention can turn the best of capn's into an idiot...
 
highslice said:
You mean boats don't turn, they pivot? Can't see how that would be relevent.:smt021


Actually, IIRC Pres put together a video on the subject that was very well done.

There are dumbasses everywhere. As cool as all the joy stick stuff is, when I finally move into a bridge boat with twins, I will learn how to maneuver the boat in tight quarters before I use the joy stick. Never know when that stuff will fail.

Just remember, 1 moment of inattention can turn the best of capn's into an idiot...
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Smart words. This is where I was going.

Jack:smt038:smt038:smt038:smt038:smt038:smt038:smt038
 
Can't tell you how many stories I've read from guys with electronic controls (like MMC)coming in at the end of a tow rope, or they've got some poor SOB in the bilge moving the cables by hand...

No doubt they're nice- when they work...
 
Agree on the keeping proficient at the basics. I am adequate at docking at best. I take a couple of days mid week preseason to do nothing but practice docking in my slip as well as pulling up to other docks / buoys in the area. I could see myself getting too reliant on the technology.
 
I cautioned people about becoming too reliant on technology years ago on the old Searay Owners message board - it was in a thread about remote control docking - ie: stand on the bow of your boat and dock it with a wireless remote. At that time, I was called a Luddite and a technophobe.
 
I'm glad there are companies and people that are coming up with technologies like joysticks, Axius/IPS, remote control docking, etc. And I am glad there are earlier adopters of them too. In 5 or 10 years we may be saying that people are crazy for not having joysticks in their boats. The world will not move forward unless people try new things.
.
 
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