Wireless Docking Remote Controls - What's The Magic Number?

[SteveK]

That is slightly painful to contemplate. I would not have thought that boat handling skills had been that widely abandoned.

But-But. Imagine the future of boating. Sitting comfortably in your dirt home living room with virtual reality goggles and a joy stick driving your boat to exotic destinations.

 

[BruceK]

But-But. Imagine the future of boating. Sitting comfortably in your dirt home living room with virtual reality goggles and a joy stick driving your boat to exotic destinations.

You can do that already with "Boat Master".

 

[Retriever]

I think I remember crossing wakes with you a few years ago in SE Alaska or Northern BC waters. Akeeva is a fine looking ship! I'd be interested to hear of some of the places and situations where rudder was required, not merely some minor amount of throttle bump.

Thanks! Akeeva has been in Mexico for the last several years, but we're heading back towards the PNW soon. Almost every time I use the Seattle Yacht Club outstations at Friday Harbor or Henry Island, I use rudder and throttle to overcome current. The thrusters don't have enough oomph to deal with several knots of current and I'm a lot more comfortable if I'm not grinding away on them for every steering command in a marina or anchorage.

I've been running a 77' Northern Marine for the last several years and ~20,000nm. It's got hydraulic bow and stern thrusters. Last month we were anchored in Kaneohe Bay watching Pacific Cup boats finish, I was alone onboard, and as the wind came up we slowly dragged towards a reef. With wind gusting over 30 knots, I took the wired remote from the pilothouse to the bow, pulled the anchor, drove the boat forward a few hundred yards through anchored boats, and reset the anchor. Doing all that maneuvering with only thrusters and idle might have been possible, but it was a whole lot easier, safer, and quieter with throttle and rudder control.

Don't get me wrong--I think there are merits to a wireless control system, chief among them the ability to step onto the dock and secure lines while maintaining vessel control--but I'm not interested in a solution that doesn't include throttle and rudder control.

 

[twistedtree]

Thanks! Akeeva has been in Mexico for the last several years, but we're heading back towards the PNW soon. Almost every time I use the Seattle Yacht Club outstations at Friday Harbor or Henry Island, I use rudder and throttle to overcome current. The thrusters don't have enough oomph to deal with several knots of current and I'm a lot more comfortable if I'm not grinding away on them for every steering command in a marina or anchorage.

I've been running a 77' Northern Marine for the last several years and ~20,000nm. It's got hydraulic bow and stern thrusters. Last month we were anchored in Kaneohe Bay watching Pacific Cup boats finish, I was alone onboard, and as the wind came up we slowly dragged towards a reef. With wind gusting over 30 knots, I took the wired remote from the pilothouse to the bow, pulled the anchor, drove the boat forward a few hundred yards through anchored boats, and reset the anchor. Doing all that maneuvering with only thrusters and idle might have been possible, but it was a whole lot easier, safer, and quieter with throttle and rudder control.

Don't get me wrong--I think there are merits to a wireless control system, chief among them the ability to step onto the dock and secure lines while maintaining vessel control--but I'm not interested in a solution that doesn't include throttle and rudder control.

Sam, can you post a picture of the mobile control station from Starr showing the various controls?

 

[Bmarler]

There's no denying that mishaps occur with wireless controls in hand, just as they happen with wired controls in hand. But, in the cases of mishap with wireless controller in hand where I was called to investigate after the incident (each of them equipped with other manufacturers' wireless systems) , the problem was positively isolated to the original installed wired equipment, most often the servo motors in the propulsion control box.

It goes without saying that mashing the throttles while docking never ends well. That's exactly why I am very reluctant to place variable throttle functions onto a wireless controls except in very limited circumstances.

I’m trying to find out more about how this happened, but it was a wireless docking controller that was supposed to be limited to 30% max throttle, on a very nice large yacht. Even that 30% seems like a lot, but this failure was extreme. Boat was simply idling at the lift dock. Owner was holding the docking controller and boat just went full throttle with owner nowhere near any helm station where he could shut down the mains. Boat shot across the narrow waterway into a barge and nearly stood straight up on its transom and rebounded off. Somehow they got the mains shut down and the boat drifted back to the lift dock where the yard crew could grab it and render first aid.
This incident cements my thinking in that I’ll never have a control that isn’t near an engine shut down.
I’m no stranger to automation, I work with it in my business. I know the risk and reward of using it, and I think a wired wing or cockpit station would be my choice.

 

[mvweebles]

I’m trying to find out more about how this happened, but it was a wireless docking controller that was supposed to be limited to 30% max throttle, on a very nice large yacht. Even that 30% seems like a lot, but this failure was extreme. Boat was simply idling at the lift dock. Owner was holding the docking controller and boat just went full throttle with owner nowhere near any helm station where he could shut down the mains. Boat shot across the narrow waterway into a barge and nearly stood straight up on its transom and rebounded off. Somehow they got the mains shut down and the boat drifted back to the lift dock where the yard crew could grab it and render first aid.
This incident cements my thinking in that I’ll never have a control that isn’t near an engine shut down.
I’m no stranger to automation, I work with it in my business. I know the risk and reward of using it, and I think a wired wing or cockpit station would be my choice.

I'd bet the root cause will be traced to moisture finding its way to a printed circuit board. I know of two instances where moisture caused malfunction of an electronic gear/throttle control that caused unexpected shift and some minor damage. Of course, broken cables at inopportune time can thwart manual controls too. No free lunch I suppose.

Peter

 

[Portage_Bay]

I'm late to the party so I'll keep my comments short. Most of the main points I would have made are already raised by others.

Too often I find the full control of engine speed and rudder is very helpful and at times required to get the boat into or out of a tight spot when wind and or current are making it challenging. If I were to have remote controls beyond thruster remote it would have to be full control.

I can see the benefit of simple bow thruster remote for the way we handle the boat. She's on the swim step and easily gets the stern line on. With wind or current pushing us off the dock it can be a bit of a scramble for me to get from the helm to the bow to pass the bow line. A simple bow thruster remote is all that is needed at that point to keep the bow to the dock while I walk out pass the bow line.

 

[Retriever]

It's a Comnav 221 remote with thruster toggle switches added to the left side. It works well, but could be improved...it could be arranged more intuitively, have an easier take-control process, have indicators showing hydraulic PTO and steering pump status.