yacht controller

DockMate vs. Yacht Controller

Triton puts two remote control docking devices to the test — and finds that both are winners.

The Triton team recently gathered a group of independent yacht captains for a comparison test of wireless, remote-controlled docking devices. Three dealers were invited to participate, but Docking Master declined, so that left two: Yacht Controller and Dock Mate. The day before the event, Yacht Controller’s local distributor informed us that they were unable to send a dealer’s representative. But the owner of a 59-foot Marquis agreed to demo his Yacht Controller system for the testing, and Dock Mate’s local dealer team participated with their 32-foot Pursuit. The size of the vessel was not of concern, as we were only testing the feel and responsiveness of the remote docking units.

The testers included the owner/operator of the Marquis, a yacht electronic service tech, and three seasoned captains of vessels ranging from 90 feet to 250 feet. We took both boats out at the same time and had a team on each test boat. Each participant was given ample time to operate and dock both boats with each remote system on board.

Both systems feature controller options of either toggle switches or a joystick. The seasoned captains all preferred the toggle switches over the joysticks, since they were similar to having dual controls on the console.

After testing the units on the water, we returned to the dock and asked each tester to score a series of 10 questions relating to the feel of the unit, response times, ease of use, quality of the switches and toggles, range of the unit, etc. Surprisingly, the results were a tie — five questions favored Dock Mate and five favored Yacht Controller.

Here is some feedback from the testers:

• Most preferred the simplicity of the Yacht Controller unit.
• Dock Mate will always engage the thrusters when the unit is on, whereas the Yacht Controller will time out.
• The levers on the Yacht Controller were preferred over the buttons on the Dock Mate unit.
• Response time was slightly faster on the Yacht Controller.
• Dock Mate’s ability to thruster up the main engines was critical for proportional control; Yacht Controller was only able to produce idle speed.
• Dock Mate’s rechargeable battery was preferred over Yacht Controller’s standard AA batteries.
• Yacht Controller featured a lanyard connection on each side of the unit that made it very easy to switch over when looking aft and controlling in the reverse direction.
• Both products tested well for range; when walked about 250 feet away from the boat, each unit still responded to the controller.

Finally, we asked which unit was preferred, and Dock Mate came out the clear winner at 4-1.  One must wonder, would the outcome have been different if Yacht Controllers dealer’s rep had participated?

Overall, it was a fun day to be on the water. Both of these remote units are great accessories and provide freedom of movement on board. Is there a product you would like the Triton team to test? Send your ideas to [email protected] .

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The VECTOR proportional 3-axis joystick provides fully proportional control of the boat’s engine(s) and thruster(s). The VECTOR is dedicated to joystick systems.

The TWIST’s proportional 3-axis joystick provides fully proportional control of the boat’s engine(s) and thruster(s). The TWIST is compatible with traditional control heads and joystick systems.

Dockmate® TWIN, a wireless extension of your boat‘s controls with the exact same feeling and response time, enhanced with exclusive features like SoftDocking & Throttle+.

A basic entry level solution for analogue controls (both engines & thrusters).

Designed specially for mechanical engine controls

Dockmate DPS

Dockmate Positioning System

In 2024, Dockmate® launches groundbreaking Dockmate Positioning System (DPS). Experience unparalleled stability at sea or in the marina with a revolutionary system that integrates the finesse of Dockmate’s wireless remote control systems with the pinpoint accuracy of dynamic positioning.

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Piloting your yacht boils down to driving something that weighs 50,000 pounds through liquid with no brakes. if that wasn’t enough, it’s not always easy to see the entire boat from your helm. this leads to stress, arguments, and extremely expensive repair costs. don’t let being stuck at the helm undermine your confidence or compromise your boating experience..

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Dockmate wireless remote control.

The Remotes

Single engine.

Dockmate® SINGLE  a wireless extension of your boat‘s controls with the exact same feeling and response time, enhanced with exclusive features like SoftDocking & Throttle+.

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Wireless Yacht Controllers

• By David Schmidt
• Updated: November 4, 2019

An earnest crosswind piped across the waters off Florida’s Virginia Key, where the Miami International Boat Show was well underway. Victor Avila, Dockmate’s chief technical specialist, handed me a Dockmate wireless device and control of the Topaz 27 center-console—in clear view of several thousand spectators. As a lifelong sailor who’s shy about docking powerboats, I felt mild trepidation, but the system was so intuitive that I quickly got comfortable spinning circles and performing other maneuvers using the controller and, through it, the Topaz’s single screw and bow and stern thrusters.

Crosswinds, currents and skinny margins for error: At its brightest hour, docking is an art form. At its darkest, it’s a public shaming that so often comes with a memorable yard bill or marriage counseling (or, worse still, the hat trick). I had to agree that while wireless vessel controls aren’t mandatory safety equipment, they do make docking easier, safer and more intuitive.

At their core, today’s ­vessel-control systems, including Dockmate and Yacht Controller, consist of a wireless transmitter (the controller), a black-box receiver and a set of connecting cables. This hardware runs on sophisticated software that typically integrates directly with existing engine controls to deliver handheld wireless command of the yacht, so long as the transmitter is within range of the receiver. While each system differs, most wireless ones give operators command over the yacht’s engines or pod drives, bow and stern thrusters, anchor windlass, and horn. Additionally, some systems allow users to control peripheral devices such as passerelles or swimplatform elevators.

“The chief benefit is that boaters [can] leave the helm and have a closer look and still be in control with a transmitter that gives the same response and feel as [their] wired controls,” says Brian Sheehan, Dockmate’s spokesperson. “This is important in tight quarters.”

These systems can deliver fine motor control over a boat, allowing operators to slot a vessel into its berth smoothly, while freeing them to assist with docking duties.

“These aren’t cars: We’ve got wind and tide, and we’re always moving,” says Jerry Berton, president of The Yacht Group, which manufacturers the Yacht Controller. “Yacht Controller enables you to move the boat in any direction in as little as 1 inch at a time.”

A device’s interface controls typically include buttons, joysticks and/or levers, with joysticks being the newest and most intuitive version. User commands are transmitted to the system’s black-box ­receiver via one or more radio ­frequencies. In turn, the system’s receiver shares the commands with the vessel’s engines and systems.

“We’ve designed cables that are very similar to the manufacturers’ [cables], but we added a Y-splitter cable,” Sheehan says. “One line goes to [the vessel’s] existing controls, and one line goes to our receiver, and [our system] takes it from there, using analog modules and CAN bus interfaces.”

A new system being able to connect to a vessel’s existing controls is key.

“Manufacturers have spent fortunes making electronic processors that control the engines and throttles, and we do not want to bypass these,” Berton says.

Safety is paramount any time mission-critical commands are transmitted over radio frequencies, especially in crowded marinas with competing RF signals. Dockmate operates on the 433 megahertz frequency over five different channels using a military-grade, frequency-­hopping spread spectrum system, and each Dockmate transmitter is coded to match its receiver (think automotive fobs). Conversely, Yacht Controller is a dual-band system alternating between the 433 MHz and 916 MHz frequencies, and derivations thereof, every one-sixteenth of a second.

While their frequencies and features differ, wireless vessel-control systems work with most single- and twin-screw inboards, as well as pod-style drives and some outboards. Also, these systems generally use incremental throttle controls for inboards, but proportional controls are available for yachts with pod-style drives and/or proportional thrusters.

Engine type aside, wireless vessel control systems untether operators from the helm, allowing them to put eyeballs on the right bits of brine. While this ability adds utility and safety, these systems have narrowly defined onboard roles. ¶ “It’s only for docking,” says Sheehan, adding that the system is also useful for performing other low-speed, high-precision maneuvers such as anchoring, retrieving a man overboard, collecting crab traps or helping an angler land a pelagic prize. “We purposefully dialed back the rpm to a maximum of 30 percent of the engine’s capacity to keep boaters from using it for other means.”

Such authority settings can sometimes be custom-configured, however, Berton offers a cautionary note: “When you start going 5 knots [in a marina], your chances of accidents are high. The majority of the time, you’re going less than 5 knots.”

As with any crucial system, these require yacht owners to set up a sea trial to familiarize themselves and to identify vessel-specific customizations. For example, Sheehan says, Dockmate ­installers can dial down the bow thruster rpm to match the vessel’s stern thruster or modify the throttle governor.

Overall, yacht owners can expect far less ­stressful docking and easier close-quarters maneuvering—and, potentially, the ­ability to do short- or singlehanded cruising.

“People can run their boat, and they can tie it up by themselves,” Berton says. “This allows them to enjoy boating without grief, and it can be a marriage saver.”

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Introducing the All New...

A Leap Ahead in Advanced Technology

MTL (Toggle Controller)

MTJ (Joystick Option)

The latest members of the Yacht Controller family evolved 25 years after Yacht Controller originated the concept of Wireless control of Boats.

• View, manage, and diagnose your Maximo™ or Supremo™ from anywhere in the world using any smart device!
• 64-bit quad processor receiver scrolling more than 100 channels to eliminate interference and provide ultimate redundancy and security
• 100+ times more powerful than any remote available
• Instantly set/modify proportional or incremental control of engines and thrusters
• Quick select of five pre-set profile engine speed settings to immediate suit on-board conditions, and modify them any time via your smart device
• Remote scanning for spectrum analyzation trouble shooting or bandwidth antenna tuning
• Range in excess of 650 feet with Supremo
• Two-way communication between remote and receiver
• Compatible to mirror the receiver display on Garmin, Raymarine, other navigational screens, tablets etc. for easy viewing
• Multi- functional capability for dual anchors, swim platforms, cable masters etc. Show selection button)
• Remote wifi accessibility via VPN for real time customer service, upgrades and modifications from anywhere in the world!

AND much more to come!

Why is Maximo™ the undisputed leader in wireless remote yacht control technology? See for yourself in this feature overview video!

Instantly view & manage incremental & proportional throttle control via your smart phone from anywhere in the world.

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The yacht group™.