Joystick.

KINGFISHER 9

KINGFISHER 9

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Looking at a Beneteau Flyer GT38 at the moment .... it has 2 x Volvo D4-300s and is fitted with a joystick.
Does anyone know any thing about this model? Is anybody using a joystick? Pros and cons please!
I've only watched vids on You Tube (the boat is ashore) but it looks like the answer to a motorboatists prayer!
Not looking for yacht club bar answers about how one should be able to do without ... it's what the boat comes with! .............. Any info gratefully received!
 
GT38 is basically an updated MC37 (though I think you are aware of that)

The joystick system allows the outdrives to vector independently to give manoeuvrability similar to the IPS system.
It seems to work well, though I don't know how the drives are actuated and what extra service implication there are.
 
Hi,

I am looking at boats with IPS and have been told that annual servicing is around €3000 for twin IPS600 with the drives needing an oil change every two years (17 L of oil) and seals every 5.

The internet is full of IPS scare stories, but Beneteau will not be fitting anything else soon for boats from the 38 upwards. Most major boat manufacturers now fit IPS as standard so it can't be that bad.
 
i have bought a ips boat but sea trialled several standard outdrives with the JS function.
the only down side was if the tide was running fast or the wind was strong the boat struggled to move exactly where you wanted it to go, that being said it still gives you confidence in the marina compared if you had nothing.

IPs is brilliant, but if the boat you are looking for already has it fitted then go for it.

enjoy
 
Kingfisher 2 said:
Looking at a Beneteau Flyer GT38 at the moment .... it has 2 x Volvo D4-300s and is fitted with a joystick.
Does anyone know any thing about this model? Is anybody using a joystick? Pros and cons please!
I've only watched vids on You Tube (the boat is ashore) but it looks like the answer to a motorboatists prayer!
Not looking for yacht club bar answers about how one should be able to do without ... it's what the boat comes with! .............. Any info gratefully received!
Click to expand...

When I bought my current boat (45') I had no experience of boat handling at that size. Whilst I'm sure with training and practice I would have got used to it the joystick gave me confidence from day one and is very easy and intuitive to use. You must let the boat settle before applying any counter moves otherwise it feels a struggle. I now use it less and less usually for the final stages of berthing - it makes moving directly sideways very easy.
I would say the only major downside is you rely on it too much and the one day it malfunctions you will have no experience with engine/thruster berthing.
 
From the Volvo video I see that it has low and high power to take care of windy situations ... in the demo it looks like it's a progressive throttle with the joystick ... I can't see any downsides (unless it goes tits-up mid-manoeuvre!). I look forward to trying it on the water next week. Can't be worse than the EDC throttle on my Monterey - the throttle response is so savage it nearly has you off the back! The more I look at all the pics of the boat - Beneteau Flyer GT 38 - which I took yesterday, the more I'm thinking I just might buy it (subject to the usual) ... shouldn't be too much wrong with a 2012 boat with a full guarantee on everything!
 
Kingfisher 2 said:
From the Volvo video I see that it has low and high power to take care of windy situations ... in the demo it looks like it's a progressive throttle with the joystick ... I can't see any downsides (unless it goes tits-up mid-manoeuvre!). I look forward to trying it on the water next week. Can't be worse than the EDC throttle on my Monterey - the throttle response is so savage it nearly has you off the back! The more I look at all the pics of the boat - Beneteau Flyer GT 38 - which I took yesterday, the more I'm thinking I just might buy it (subject to the usual) ... shouldn't be too much wrong with a 2012 boat with a full guarantee on everything!
Click to expand...

Joysticks , its another propulsion system. The trick is it needs to have rev up TO WORK.
a few tips
1ST rest your hand on the side of the unit, it is very easy to forget where your hand is, and you can find yourself applying pressure in a direction you do not mean to.
2nd , find where the bite point is, move the lever in a direction until you get revs up but no movement then apply a little more STEADY pressure to make it move.
3rd if you do repeated small moves the boat will start rocking, so steady at all times helps.
4th it takes time for the drives to move to a different position, its only nanoseconds but can feel like a long time, so slow but positive movements.
5th the system does not make allowances for wind or tide so you have to, a bow thruster is useful on them.
6th side on to a strong wind or tide may mean the rev limited power of the joystick is not enough to overcome it directly, a forward or backwards movement and then a turn and it can be moved, go play in open water with it and try.
7th Enjoy it.
 
I've had a GT38 for the last 16 months, great boat, no major problems. PM me if you want more detail, happy to share my experiences.
 
What Julie says plus

Always get the joystick engaged well before its needed, it takes a while get your hand / eye calibrated and you need to get a feeling of the prevailing condition/s well before you start close quarters.

On that note, put your windows down or opening the roof, it's easy to get complacent with the joystick but feeling the wind on the boat is a great way of aligning the kinetic relationship between you, the boat and the elements.

Try to use the fly by wire and conventional shafts to do your close quarter work on a regular basis, the vectoring system will fail, maybe only once in a blue moon, but it will and you need to keep familiar with the non joystick method.

ALWAYS remember to check your leg trim, if the legs have been trimmed up the system will not work properly. (I made that mistake on my cummins/smart craft set up, not sure if it's possible on the Volvo stern drives).

And yours is a stern drive system, not pod so you will have to give the joystick some wellie at times, there's a lot of boat in front of the legs and they have to work hard to shift it sideways, esp in sting tides or winds...again with the cummins 350's, on a 40' boat they would struggle to turn through 25kt wind without the bow thruster.

Finally make sure that he software is up to date, check with the dealer, (is it Ancasta), there seem to be updates for my, albeit different system, all the time.

Looks like a lot of boat for the money, enjoy!
 
Nigelpickin said:
ALWAYS remember to check your leg trim, if the legs have been trimmed up the system will not work properly. (I made that mistake on my cummins/smart craft set up, not sure if it's possible on the Volvo stern drives).!
Click to expand...

On Volvo boats the legs automatically go to the zero trim position when the joystick is selected. You have to remember to tuck them back in afterwards before you set off.
 
Thanks to all for the advice ..... the joystick I'm looking at seems to have 2 options - low power and high power which I don't think anyone mentioned ... this presumably for just those situations with strong wind and tide although, fortunately, we don't suffer from tide here! I have a fair bit of experience parking in tight spaces with the present boat which is a right bitch going astern and, as I mentioned before, a really savage throttle which probably needs adjusting ..... anything that works easier will be a bonus! I'm also just negotiating an end pontoon so it would all be a lot easier all round. If I buy the GT38 I'll have 2 boats, that one and a Monterey 295 CR and 2 pontoons! I know we're not allowed to advertise on here ... so I won't, but it is a beautiful part of the world if anyone wants a ready made S of F bolt-hole!
 
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