Remote engine control

[blan321]

My 1980s southerly has twin controls, one inside other on outside pedestal. Standard single lever Morse.
The gearbox linkage is fabricated slider. The throttle one
Is also a very simple slider for twin Bowden cable rods. You cannot undo control settings on the abandoned lever.
I would have thought duplicated throttle control on tiller quite easy along these lines, e.g. using seagull outboard throttle lever etc.
You would put single lever into idle in gear required, then use other lever for throttle.
Might that give you 80% of the control needed (or so!)

 

[aquaplane]

My 1980s southerly has twin controls, one inside other on outside pedestal. Standard single lever Morse.
The gearbox linkage is fabricated slider. The throttle one
Is also a very simple slider for twin Bowden cable rods. You cannot undo control settings on the abandoned lever.
I would have thought duplicated throttle control on tiller quite easy along these lines, e.g. using seagull outboard throttle lever etc.
You would put single lever into idle in gear required, then use other lever for throttle.
Might that give you 80% of the control needed (or so!)

Seminole has two sets of controls too.
With mine it's either in or out, and the switch to change is inside. Both controls have to be in neutral to swap over, but that's no hardship.
When mooring I always steer with the tiller from outside, when stood on the seat so I can see better I use my foot on the throttle, it's very effective.
It's easier with crew though.

 

[thisisnotmyfirstrodeo]

These guys might be able to help you:
www.Dockmateeastcoast.co.uk

 

[RivalRedwing]

granted it is an old thread but I have an earlier version of one of these:

https://www.spinlock.co.uk/en/categories/more-hardware/product_groups/atcu

A winch handle can be substituted for the supplied leaver, which makes it easier to grab in a close quarter situation and it is also easier for those who desire precision foot control. Once out of the marina the winch handle is exchanged for the suppliers leaver

 

[JohnGC]

We have an Etap 32s. Ours has the EVS option but the Morse lever is fitted in the same place on the tiller option; on the transom. With the EVS, it's perfectly placed and is also pretty good with the tiller. I don't know if that would suit the Moody but relocating the lever to the transom might be simpler.

Some pictures in this ETAP advert.
https://bateau.ouest-atlantis.com/etap-32s.html

John

 

[Pagetslady]

I have a wheel with control on the pedestal so not a problem but on the very rare occasion i have sailed a tiller steered boat I find it extremely difficult. If an extension leaver was pivoted as far below the morse control lever as possible extended to a height to suit with a slot and a locating pin attached to the original morse just a short distance from the center of the morse control and a slot in the extension too suit the movement from full astern to full forward would be greatly reduced I have no Idea if this would work but it might just need drawing too scale.
Mike

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Thanks for all the suggestions; it seems that there isn't a cheap and cheerful system that will work with my existing setup, though the suggestion by Pagetslady might be worth thinking about - but I fear that the problem with that would be that it restricts the tiller movement, like other suggestions to use an extension to the existing lever. The style of the stern precludes the sort of fitting suggested by JohnGC, and the ATCU seems to be designed for a particular control system, which is probably not what I have! ELectronic solutions are probably out because of the difficulty of interfacing them with the ancient and totally mechanical existing system.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I would like the same - tell me if you find anything! I believe that Scala has spent some time researching this topic but I don't think he came up with any plausible solutions....

I did, no solution. However I note that new versions of my boat are fitted with dual throttles, one each side.

 

[Amulet]

Reviving an old thread. I missed this first time. I have the same problem and have gone down the same paths of reasoning. Here's a question: Having accepted that the only way to operate the control is with your foot, would it be possible to reengineer the lever to optimise it for foot operation?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Reviving an old thread. I missed this first time. I have the same problem and have gone down the same paths of reasoning. Here's a question: Having accepted that the only way to operate the control is with your foot, would it be possible to reengineer the lever to optimise it for foot operation?

No, I hadn't considered that. Perhaps worth some thought - I wonder if a bicycle pedal at the end of the lever would help.

 

[colind3782]

No, I hadn't considered that. Perhaps worth some thought - I wonder if a bicycle pedal at the end of the lever would help.

That's the first thing I thought.

 

[rogerthebodger]

No, I hadn't considered that. Perhaps worth some thought - I wonder if a bicycle pedal at the end of the lever would help.

My mariner 15hp outboard has a twist grip engine control that operated the forward/reverse gearbox and throttle. Twist one way into forward and opens the throttle. Twist the other way into reverse and opens the throttle.

You may be able to adapt this to fit your tiller for combined steering and engine control.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

My mariner 15hp outboard has a twist grip engine control that operated the forward/reverse gearbox and throttle. Twist one way into forward and opens the throttle. Twist the other way into reverse and opens the throttle.

You may be able to adapt this to fit your tiller for combined steering and engine control.

I think the connections (which would have to pass the rudder post) would be difficult, to say the least. It would be ideal, but the engine is at a fixed location, not like an outboard where the engine moves with the tiller.

 

[Stemar]

In practice, would the turning of the connections at the rudder post be any worse than for the brake cables on a bike? A foot or two of slack and wide curves should be fine. There are plenty of controls on outboards from fixed throttle/gear levers and they don't seem to have a problem.

Having said that, I think I'd be tempted to look at an electrical/electronic system. I haven't got the necessary expertise, but I do know an electronic engineer.

One inconvenience is that, from the point of view of the helm, the control would work one way sitting to port and the other sitting to starboard. I foresee all sorts of interesting consequences coming into a tight berth...

 

[Amulet]

No, I hadn't considered that. Perhaps worth some thought - I wonder if a bicycle pedal at the end of the lever would help.

My thought was a horizontal footplate crossing low on the lever that could be operated by a rocker motion of the foot. I can kick the lever around while looking ahead, but there is no feedback to enable precise control.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

My thought was a horizontal footplate crossing low on the lever that could be operated by a rocker motion of the foot. I can kick the lever around while looking ahead, but there is no feedback to enable precise control.

Yes, I see how that would work. But I usually stand on the cockpit seat while manoeuvring, and that would be too low, and also interfere with the button to engage neutral.

 

[Amulet]

My strongest thought is that, given how often I've heard this discussed, Morse ought to market a control designed to be operated with your foot!

 

[scottie]

My strongest thought is that, given how often I've heard this discussed, Morse ought to market a control designed to be operated with your foot!

They did 40years ago and you can get “HOT FOOT” throttle pedals the difficulty you be getting a dual function version
A fast idle gear shift only might be easier working through 90’ the 180plus required to operate both is likely to be impractical