Imagine docking your boat from the bow using a handheld remote. Yamaha’s new Helm Master EX makes 'impossible' manoeuvres look like child’s play.
The idea of a joystick control is nothing new, everyone from Volvo Penta to Mercury has been doing it for years, but Yamaha has taken it one step further; its latest Helm Master EX system is available with a wireless remote controller. Yes, you read that right the first time, you can now drive the boat from anywhere on board using something that looks like a handheld gaming device.
Need to keep an eye on the stern while backing into a tight berth? No problem, take the remote control with you to the cockpit, ease the tiny joystick back with your thumb, keep the bow in check with a quick push or pull of your forefinger on the front-mounted slider and before you know it you’re safely in your berth.
How about looking for an area of clear sand before dropping the anchor? Equally simple – just position yourself on the anchor platform, controller in hand, and nudge the boat forwards, backwards or sideways until you find the perfect spot.
Remote control mirrors fixed joystick
Advanced functions
In fact, anything you can do with the normal Helm Master joystick is now replicated in full on the remote control, including turning on the spot, manoeuvring sideways and a host of other dedicated functions. Just let it know the direction you want to go in and the computer will sort out the steering and throttles for you.
It’s not just a berthing aid either; there are several other pre-programmed functions. Staypoint is arguably the most valuable of these, as it acts like a virtual anchor, using a precise GPS fix to hold you in place regardless of wind or tide while you sort out lines and fenders or wait for a lock to open.
Article continues below…
This can be a little unnerving at first as the engines automatically click into gear or start steering themselves in opposite directions, but once you learn to trust it, it should maintain its position within a 5m radius.
Fishpoint does a similar job but with a slightly larger radius and slower, gentler reactions so as not to spook fish when holding station over a wreck, for instance. Driftpoint is yet another angling-focused variation that keeps the bow and stern pointing where you want but allows the boat to drift with the wind and tide – handy when you’ve got multiple lines out that risk getting tangled if the bow gets blown around.
The final one is called Patternsteer and lets you select from preset patterns, which the boat can follow, such as circling around a wreck or performing a j-turn to search for an MOB.
The Helm Master EX system now has a mobile version
Child’s play
Sensibly, the controller is also fitted with a small colour screen showing key information such as speed, depth and heading. This is particularly handy when using it in conjunction with the autopilot system, so you can instantly adjust the heading by five or 10° without having to be within reach of the helm.
It’s compatible with the latest generation of Yamaha outboards from 150hp upwards (the smaller ones lack the fly-by-wire steering needed) and although it will work with a single engine, to get the best from it you really need at least a twin rig and ideally an integrated bow thruster from Vetus, Sleipner or Lewmar. Once it’s been set up to suit your boat, using it is child’s play. In fact, given how similar it is to a computer games controller, you’ll probably find a teenager gets the hang of it quicker than you.
We tested the system on a Jeanneau Cap Camarat 9 with twin Yamaha F250 outboards at the Southampton Boat Show and mostly found it very intuitive. The freedom of being able to move around the cockpit and check how close you are to the pontoon or adjust a fender while still having full control of the throttles and steering, is truly liberating.
MOB fobs act like wireless kill cords, stopping the propeller if anyone falls overboard
The only thing to remember is that while the controls are set to replicate a fixed joystick facing towards the bow (when you would always be pushing the joystick in the direction you want to move), you might now be holding it while facing astern, in which case you’d need to push it in the opposite direction. You soon get the hang of it but if in doubt the easiest thing to do is keep the hand with the controller pointing towards the bow at all times.
Safety first
Any concerns you might have about dropping the controller, or worse still, falling overboard with it, have also been accounted for.
The controller itself is water resistant and designed to float. It also comes with a clever integrated MOB system comprising two slightly different fobs you can clip to clothing or strap round a wrist like a watch.
They both work in the same way – cutting power to the engines as soon as the short-range wireless connection to the helm is lost by falling overboard – but whereas the Captain’s fob cuts the engines completely, the Passenger fob puts the engines into neutral until the Captain decides what action is needed to retrieve the MOB. The system can handle up to eight fobs at once, so you can buy extra ones for additional crew members, or even your dog.
Controlling steering from the stern enables pinpoint berthing
The fobs don’t need their own power source, but the handheld controller does need to be charged from time to time. The built-in battery should last for at least a day on the water, and can either be stored in a charging dock at the helm or plugged into any USB-C port.
Verdict
The Helm Master EX system is a clever and well thought out addition to the usual joystick solution. It combines unprecedented freedom of movement with all the usual benefits of simplified berthing and virtual anchoring, plus the added safety of an integrated MOB system.
Whether it’s worth the extra cost will depend on the individual user. For many people, the fixed joystick will cover most of their needs, but for watersports enthusiasts and anglers who regularly need to move around the boat while still having full control of the helm, it could be a real boon.
If you enjoyed this….
If you enjoyed this….Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.
Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.
Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.
Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
