ibinews.com International Boat Industry | AUGUST–SEPTEMBER 2019 83
Auto-docking systems are intended to
be highly intuitive to use. You won’t need
to be a skilled helmsman to gently berth 20
tons of powerboat, and if things start to go
wrong, let go of the controls and the system
will quickly hold station.
“I’ve never piloted an aircraft or
helicopter,” Raymarine’s Jim Hands
explained. “But when I had the chance
to fly a domestic drone, all it took was
a little familiarisation with the twin
joysticks. If you let go of them, the drone
just stays where it is, and that is the same
concept with DockSense. Let go, and
dynamic positioning kicks in so the boat
immediately stops moving. Then you –
or the computer – can work out which way
to go next.”
DockSense was introduced at the
Düsseldorf and Miami boat shows this
year, where it has been trialled on a Prestige
Yacht and a Boston Whaler. The system
is currently being readied for market with
additional partners to make it available
on as many types of vessel as possible.
Meanwhile, step 1 of the Volvo Penta
programme, the ‘Assist’ stage, is set to be
launched in 2020, and will involve some
new components and software upgrades
to allow existing systems to work in a more
integrated way.
Both systems will operate through a
multi-function display in the wheelhouse
and could also be monitored from a tablet
or phone.LOOKING AHEAD
Marine electronics is a fast-moving
market but the traditional methods of
steering and transmission remain strong.
Flexible cables and hydraulic pumps are
also being improved as new materials and
mechanisms become available, but most of
the development work is heading towards
joystick steering for everything from the
smallest cruisers to the largest outboard-
driven boats.
“Regardless of whatever type or number
of drives you have and what kind of
engines, the technology to harness them
must be understandable for the user,”
said Volvo Penta’s Product Manager Johan
Wasterang. “The owner, whether highly
experienced or a total novice, must be able
to handle the boat in a good way. That is
what the ‘electronic vessel’ system is all
about. Our target is to offer a solution that
is the same for every installation. So if you
can drive one type of Penta boat, you canpretty much drive them all. That has been a
major focus for us.”
One technician even went as far as
to say that future boats won’t need a
wheelhouse at all, as the whole boat could
be controlled and monitored via a mobile
device. Boats can already be docked via a
wireless fob system such as produced by
Sidepower. But Schmitt and Ongano, the
makers of high-quality steering wheels, beg
to differ.
“A boat’s steering wheel is much more
than just an implement to navigate with,”
the brochure suggests. “It is the helms focal
point, the embodiment of personality. It
is the interface between seafaring owners
and their true passion in life. Potential boat
buyers base their decisions largely on the
tactile experience and aesthetic of where
they will be spending most of their time –
the wheelhouse.”
As for where pleasure boating will
be in ten year’s time, industry specialists
are fairly united around the theme of
greater electrification, which in turns leads
to more options for assisted pilotage and
auto docking.
“We can see huge development in the
systems that control a boat,” said CMC’s
Allesandro Capiello. “There will be more
remote operation, greater integration of
all the boats systems and more reliance on
auto-dock.
“However, we have decided to move
away from hydraulics as we saw some time
back that fully-electric systems were the
future. They can save a lot of energy and
offer a much better solution.”S Although joystick stations can be placed
anywhere on board, such as beside the aft
cockpit, and is all that is needed for pilotage,
steering wheel manufacturer Schmitt & Ongaro
thinks the wheel will always be a major feature
aboard. “It is the focus of the whole boat – an
instrument emoting pride of ownership.”http://www.osukl.com
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