Apollo drive - joystick on sterndrive

[rickp]

Looks like Mercruiser are bringing IPS-style joystick control to conventional sterndrives ("Bravo III out of the box") with their Apollo system.

Some video showing the usual tricks. And another.

Rick

 

[RogerRat]

Impressive, looks like Mercruiser have a winner with this one. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Takes the fun out of it a bit though, but reassuring on the windy days.

 

[Nautical]

Looks a tickety boo system, I just wonder though if it has to be installed with a bowthruster to work in cinjunction with the drives, to go side ways with just the drive units would be very difficult in a bit of a blow unless the each drive can vector seperately as in IPS.

 

[spannerman]

I agree its going to be great for those with a nervous disposition when it comes to docking.
Although personally the bit I enjoy most is manouvering in and out of marinas, I love the challenge of judging the wind, tide, boat response, and the slight adrenalin kick when there are folks watching waiting for you to screw up, we boaters are the worst critics of other boaters abilities admittedly, but then there is that satisfied smile that spreads over your face when you stop exactly 1 ft from the quay so that the crew can step ashore and make fast.

 

[clivew05]

Pity it does not work with Diesel at the moment ...... I could do with one ...

 

[gimmesunshine]

brilliant stuff, will volvo follow suit...?
how do you make a boat go sideways like that without bow thruster ?

 

[Nick_H]

On the second video I think you can see a bowthruster wash, so maybe its probably synched with the drives to give sideways motion.

 

[amf]

I've often thought, that if you have a bowthruster, EDC throttles and an autopilot, you could create a box of tricks and joystick to do this on sterndrives. A job for Raymarine perhaps?

 

[tico]

i may be wrong , but didnt sealine offer this sort of thing at one time?

OTOH I may be barking