Remote control docking aid

[Kubcat]

An advertisement came up the other day on if I wanted to know more about Yacht Controllers and I clicked yes.

Apparently it is $20,000 Australian dollars, or €12,500 for a remote with anchor control being extra.

After I recovered, I started thinking of making my own.

I just completed a remote for the swim platform that works perfectly, so am full of confidence.

Then I remembered the boat next to me ripped off their swim platform when their Yacht Controller would not disengage backing into the slip.

Then I also remembered when I picked up my boat, an identical boat to mine did a similar thing, also due to a Yacht Controller apparently not disengaging.

So I decided if I make my own wireless remote, I don’t want to operate the gearboxes. Easy enough to do as they have shift solenoids but in my opinion too risky.

I do have a ZF wired remote for backing into the slip but that doesn’t help in tying up single handed.

So, the current thinking is to come in with the wired remote, tie one stern line and then use a wireless remote to operate the thrusters to keep the boat against the dock.

That should make it reasonably easy to operate single handed.

If the thrusters don’t disengage, there will be less damage than if my boat got stuck in gear.

The boat is a Sunseeker 64 with bow and stern thrusters.

Any feedback or suggestions?

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Why do you need a remote? You’re not getting off whilst it’s not tied up. Or are you?

 

[julians]

If you just want wireless remote control of bow and stern thrusters then you don't need to spend a fortune, have a look at the sleipner remote controls

SLEIPNER SIDE POWER RC-23E Thruster & Windlass Bow/Stern Radio Control Kit | eBay

I have this on my boat, works well, control bow thruster and anchor winch on mine.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Looks good.

 

[Wavey]

If you just want wireless remote control of bow and stern thrusters then you don't need to spend a fortune, have a look at the sleipner remote controls

SLEIPNER SIDE POWER RC-23E Thruster & Windlass Bow/Stern Radio Control Kit | eBay

I have this on my boat, works well, control bow thruster and anchor winch on mine.

You don’t even have to spend that much. There are non branded equivalents on eBay for much less. I have them on my current boat and the two previous ones and they’ve always worked faultlessly.

 

[Fire99]

I wired a remote control to my bow thruster for about 15 quid using a remote kit for a winch from amazon/ebay (one or the other)..
Just wired in power to the receiver and hooked the up wire to port and down wire to stbd wires on the bow thruster. Has worked great for the past 2 years and when single handing it's really handy when I tie up to keep the bow in.

I still power on the bow thruster from the helm stations but the rest can be from the remote.

 

[Kubcat]

Why do you need a remote? You’re not getting off whilst it’s not tied up. Or are you?

I will need to get off after the first line is attached.

The height of the boat compared to the dock makes it too difficult for most of the forward lines.

 

[Kubcat]

If you just want wireless remote control of bow and stern thrusters then you don't need to spend a fortune, have a look at the sleipner remote controls

SLEIPNER SIDE POWER RC-23E Thruster & Windlass Bow/Stern Radio Control Kit | eBay

I have this on my boat, works well, control bow thruster and anchor winch on mine.

Does this work on older thrusters? Mine are mid 2000s.

 

[Kubcat]

Thank you for the advice.

Okay, ebay winch remote ordered as it is a low cost option that will let me know if it works for me.

If I like it but have issues or want a prettier remote, I will order the Sleipner remote.

Will update once installed.

 

[[199490]]

If you just want wireless remote control of bow and stern thrusters then you don't need to spend a fortune, have a look at the sleipner remote controls

SLEIPNER SIDE POWER RC-23E Thruster & Windlass Bow/Stern Radio Control Kit | eBay

I have this on my boat, works well, control bow thruster and anchor winch on mine.

I also have this, on bow and stern plus anchor. Works well but I wish I could control engine (just in and out of gear would do). May have to resort to the Dockmate at some point but it is a lot of money!

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I will need to get off after the first line is attached.

The height of the boat compared to the dock makes it too difficult for most of the forward lines.

Can you lasso the fwd cleat from the deck?

 

[julians]

Does this work on older thrusters? Mine are mid 2000s.

Should work fine, all it does is switch the thruster on and off

 

[[199490]]

I don’t want to operate the gearboxes. Easy enough to do as they have shift solenoids but in my opinion too risky.

Why so? The Dockmate and Yachtmaster do this and I was wondering if there was a simple way of doing it myself. I’ve been practicing docking solo mainly in anticipation of doing locks in France and the hardest bit is killing speed. The engine is a 370hp Volvopenta and even at tickover has plenty of pull. I have a wireless MOB kill switch and have had to use that but the lock keepers don’t like you switching engine off so it’s not a good solution

 

[Kubcat]

Why so? The Dockmate and Yachtmaster do this and I was wondering if there was a simple way of doing it myself. I’ve been practicing docking solo mainly in anticipation of doing locks in France and the hardest bit is killing speed. The engine is a 370hp Volvopenta and even at tickover has plenty of pull. I have a wireless MOB kill switch and have had to use that but the lock keepers don’t like you switching engine off so it’s not a good solution

I have knowledge of at least 2 accidents from the use of controllers that appear to not respond in time on boats similar to mine.

My boat idles at about 8 knots and is about 40 tons. A few seconds of unexpected delay can do a lot of damage.

Other boats may not be as sensitive to this.

In any event, I have decided I don’t need wireless gear control as I have a wired remote that I can get all the way to the swim platform with. From the swim platform I can get the stern line on, then I just need to keep the bow towards the dock as I hop off to tie the forward lines.

 

[Kubcat]

Can you lasso the fwd cleat from the deck?

My lassoing skills leave a lot to be desired

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Fair point well made

 

[[199490]]

My lassoing skills leave a lot to be desired

I actually went to a cowboy school in Kansas a few years back!

 

[Kubcat]

My Sleipner thruster remote arrived today.

The installation appears simple enough, there are two sets of male and female plugs for the bow thruster control and another pair for the stern thruster all clearly marked.

The unit first came up with a flat remote battery code. I replaced the battery and it lost its pairing. I paired the remote again, but still no action on the thrusters.

I have contacted the supplier and await a response.

The Sleipner website doesn’t have anymore information than the very basic troubleshooting section in the manual.

In contrast the relatively cheap ebay waterproof remote I purchased for the swim platform appears to be much higher quality and worked first go.

There is a thread on this forum that I wish I had read first. It discusses the reliability or otherwise of the Sleipner remote controls.

I have added this post there so it is easier to find for those considering adding these remotes.

Hopefully I have either done something wrong in the installation or they replace it under warranty.

 

[julians]

My Sleipner thruster remote arrived today.

The installation appears simple enough, there are two sets of male and female plugs for the bow thruster control and another pair for the stern thruster all clearly marked.

The unit first came up with a flat remote battery code. I replaced the battery and it lost its pairing. I paired the remote again, but still no action on the thrusters.

I have contacted the supplier and await a response.

The Sleipner website doesn’t have anymore information than the very basic troubleshooting section in the manual.

In contrast the relatively cheap ebay waterproof remote I purchased for the swim platform appears to be much higher quality and worked first go.

There is a thread on this forum that I wish I had read first. It discusses the reliability or otherwise of the Sleipner remote controls.

I have added this post there so it is easier to find for those considering adding these remotes.

Hopefully I have either done something wrong in the installation or they replace it under warranty.

I started that other thread.

Since I replaced my remote with a new one, it's been fine and reliable, I'd recommend them

 

[Kubcat]

My Sleipner thruster remote arrived today.

The installation appears simple enough, there are two sets of male and female plugs for the bow thruster control and another pair for the stern thruster all clearly marked.

The unit first came up with a flat remote battery code. I replaced the battery and it lost its pairing. I paired the remote again, but still no action on the thrusters.

I have contacted the supplier and await a response.

The Sleipner website doesn’t have anymore information than the very basic troubleshooting section in the manual.

In contrast the relatively cheap ebay waterproof remote I purchased for the swim platform appears to be much higher quality and worked first go.

There is a thread on this forum that I wish I had read first. It discusses the reliability or otherwise of the Sleipner remote controls.

I have added this post there so it is easier to find for those considering adding these remotes.

Hopefully I have either done something wrong in the installation or they replace it under warranty.

I am feeling a bit silly, user error on the install.

I used a seperate battery to power the receiver until I finalised the mounting location.

For this unit to function correctly it needs a common negative between the receiver and thrusters.