BOATYARD
control module had to be bolted
onto a bulkhead under the aft
cockpit bench seat, close to the
outboards and the batteries.
The PCM requires two 12-volt
inputs, one from each starting
battery. With digital steering,
the hydraulic hoses run only
between the pumps and the
steering cylinders on the motors,
so putting the pumps way aft
keeps the hoses short.
The rest of the components
live on, or behind, the helm. An
EPS helm replaced the Grady’s
original helm, and the Verado’s
DTS replaced the old Yamaha
controls. But it was tricky to find
a place to mount the joystick,
said Orfanello. The 306 Bimini
instrument panel is under a
protective fiberglass lid that rises
when the boat is in operation.
The lid takes up most of the
potential mounting area, but
Orfanello found a free corner
between the rising panel, a cup
holder and a molded ridge ad-
jacent to a switch panel, on the
starboard side of the console.
Squeezing in the joystick was a
tricky endeavor. After a spate of
serious planning and measuring,
it was ultimately tucked along-
side a stainless steel grabrail,
which looks awkward but is
likely to make a good wrist-rest
when using the stick. The engine
controls are midway between
the wheel and joystick. Because
the wheel and controls are out
of play when using the stick, this
arrangement should work.
Also mounted conveniently
for the helmsman’s use is the
Optimus CANtrak display. It
provides a user-friedly interface,
lets the skipper adjust helm re-
sistance and turns lock-to-lock,
shows rudder angle and engine
rpm during joystick maneuvers
and is called into service for ini-tial system set up. An EST Gate-
way, mounted inside the console,
ties the Optimus controls to the
Verado controls, so moving the
joystick sends commands to the
engines. It’s basically the brains
of the operation.Calibration and Setup
Once all the wires and hoses
were connected, the Optimus
360 had to be initialized. “You
want to be certain when you
push the joystick forward, the
boat doesn’t spin in a circle,” said
Montgomery. Setting up and
calibrating the system involves
arcane, multi-step practices
conducted by authorized SeaStar
technicians. Calibration has to
be done only once, unless there’s
a software update or the system
has been damaged.
While setup can be done us-
ing the CANtrak, Montgomery
prefers using his laptop. After
completion, the EPS has to
be purged and calibrated, and
finally the EST Gateway set up.
All of this is done dockside.
Then comes a sea trial to tune
the joystick. But first Orfanello
had to sea trial the new motors,
decide if the props were right
and the engines rigged properly.
Everything has to be right before
tuning the joystick; change
props and you have to re-tune
the stick. It takes time to get the
Optimus fully optimized.
But once it is just right, the
system is great. “It’s a really
neat system,” said Montgomery.
“It’s very well-engineered, very
robust—I’ve never seen a part
fail.” Combined with the new
Mercury Verados, the Optimus
stick has given the old Grady a
new lease on life, and probably
another 15 years of fishing and
fun on the water. Heck, it’s hip to
steer with a stick. UAlthough the new Verados operate independently, they are seam-
lessly controlled by the same computer and the same joystick.SA
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