[patch]

I just purchased a 1988 54' Hatteras and want to add stern mounted controls.
It has Manual controls, therefore cannot use electronic remote.
It will take a lot of stress off me if I could walk back to the rear Sunroom and back the boat in.
Has anyone did this and is it possible to get the cables thru the master stateroom below.
Someone suggested that I change the engine controls to electronis and use a remote, but I'm sure this is very costly

[NYCAP123]

Check the costs both ways including carpentry. I think the electronic controls with a yacht controller may be the best way to go in the end. You could then control the boat from the back of the bridge deck or in positions making it easy to single-hand. Plus, it doesn't leave controls accessible for someone to play with.

[patch]

The only question is, what will it cost to convert everything over to electronic controls. The remotes that I know about will not work on anything but the electronic controls

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by patch

The only question is, what will it cost to convert everything over to electronic controls. The remotes that I know about will not work on anything but the electronic controls

You're going to want to make phone calls.

[patch]

The 54 Hatteras went thru the survey with flying colors. No major problems, so we are headed for close.

I've been talking to Yacht Controller. They have a two frequency model that will work on the hydraulic controls of the hat.

I'm going to have the engine shifters and the bow thruster hooked up to the remote. This will allow me to walk all over the boat and connect the lines my self . My Hat does not have a cockpit and is wide body, so the stern lines are a little trouble. I can also connect the bow to a buoy by myself. Same with the anchor.

Will cost a little over $13,000 installed. If I had electronic controls, the cost would have been a lot less.

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by patch

The 54 Hatteras went thru the survey with flying colors. No major problems, so we are headed for close.

I've been talking to Yacht Controller. They have a two frequency model that will work on the hydraulic controls of the hat.

I'm going to have the engine shifters and the bow thruster hooked up to the remote. This will allow me to walk all over the boat and connect the lines my self . My Hat does not have a cockpit and is wide body, so the stern lines are a little trouble. I can also connect the bow to a buoy by myself. Same with the anchor.

Will cost a little over $13,000 installed. If I had electronic controls, the cost would have been a lot less.

I would NEVER use a remote control docking system that is non-corded. Yacht controller was installed on a 70' azimut I ran with microcommanders, it took too much voltage and made the controls go bonkers and we ripped it out.

[NYCAP123]

We had it on a Carver. Not my way, but they worked fine for the owner. It sounds like a good investment for your situation.

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by patch

The 54 Hatteras went thru the survey with flying colors. No major problems, so we are headed for close.

I've been talking to Yacht Controller. They have a two frequency model that will work on the hydraulic controls of the hat.

I'm going to have the engine shifters and the bow thruster hooked up to the remote. This will allow me to walk all over the boat and connect the lines my self . My Hat does not have a cockpit and is wide body, so the stern lines are a little trouble. I can also connect the bow to a buoy by myself. Same with the anchor.

Will cost a little over $13,000 installed. If I had electronic controls, the cost would have been a lot less.

You should never be operating a yacht that size single handed. Period. You can pay for a lot of mates with $13,000 and have a much safer situation if there is a loss of engine, a fire, or any other issue........

[K1W1]

Originally Posted by Capt J

......... it took too much voltage......

Hi,

Would you care to explain to everyone how a remote control system can increase the voltage it requires to run on during the course of operating?

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by K1W1

Hi,

Would you care to explain to everyone how a remote control system can increase the voltage it requires to run on during the course of operating?

I didn't install it, however it is connected into the microcommander system to make it shift foward and reverse and such. The yacht controller parts (electronics) that were installed drew too much amperage from the microcommanders and they have very small wires, so it then dropped the voltage at the control heads. Under operation, the boat went from Neutral to foward, one time I went to reverse and it went to 1300 rpms and stuck in reverse and I had to spin the boat with the other engine and shut it down. For 5 years prior to that we had not 1 control issue.

Needless to say Microcommander came to the boat, determined it was the addition of the yacht controller stuff, removed all of it, and we shipped it to the owner in a cardboard box to Colombia.

[NYCAP123]

And here my big concerns were that a battery would die or one of those plastic toggles would break off at the wrong time.
Patch, you might want to have the throttles included in that connection as well.
Bottom line with any electronics or electronic controls is that they are subject to failure without warning. Always be prepared to sprint for the manual controls.
A 54' Hat can certainly be single-handed with an experienced skipper although I'm not a proponent of solo cruising.

[Pascal]

I don't see the point of spending that much money on a gadget which could raise safety issues... Since you have hynautics why not just add a set of control of the aft deck? Running the lines to the ER should be doable

Or just put camera on the stern... In fact, since the first lines you should secure backing in a slip are your springs, you really dont want to be on the aft deck of a MY without side decks since it takes too long to get to the springs!

[NYCAP123]

since the first lines you should secure backing in a slip are your springs

Not if the wind is from the stern or side. You'll be hooking up springs as your boat drifts back out of the slip or your stern quarter introduces itself to your neighbor's.

[Pascal]

I really disagree... If the wind is off the side you won't get to secure your steen lines until the boat is all the way in then you have no margin of error if a gust shifts a little and push you back in.

If you get your springs on as you re coming into the slip, you have plenty of time to get them on before the boat starts sliding back out especially with a heavier boat like the 54 Hatt

I ve been doing this way for years and years, with my own Hatt or other boats i run. Never hit a dock or neighbor. On the other hand I ve seen many guys backing in, trying to secure the sternlines first only to hit dock because of a gust. Or worst, securing the now lines first

Always very entertaining to watch though...

[patch]

Originally Posted by Capt J

I would NEVER use a remote control docking system that is non-corded. Yacht controller was installed on a 70' azimut I ran with microcommanders, it took too much voltage and made the controls go bonkers and we ripped it out.

How long ago was this problem. I talked to the company and they don't know what a "Microcommander" is and they said the safety issue is very small because the controller runs on duel frequency. It will auto switch freq if there is a problem on either freq. and if power is loss, it will automaticlly put everything in neutral. If it is installed correctly, it will not have a power problem because it draws very little power.
I've talked to 5-6 people who have used them and they love them,

Patch