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Dockmate, Yacht Controller, etc.....

Discussion in 'Electronics' started by Gratitude, Feb 19, 2020.

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  1. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    That's got to be a cool job, but I don't see you getting on the dock with a new gizmo while docking the boat.

    NEWS FLASH - "Runaway yacht crashes numerous boats in marina"...owner found celebrating new boat at Tiki Bar unaware of situation! Claims when he left boat was docked on "sky hook" and has controller to prove it! :rolleyes:
  2. gr8trn

    gr8trn Senior Member

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    Which is why there are helm station stickers that indicate one should not be in the water when Skyhook is engaged. Current, wind, drift, GPS connectivity there are just too many issues with having someone on the dock or in the water. I guess the stickers should say Stay on the boat too. Crazy.
  3. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    On the S/E bar below Stiltsville, I watched in horror as a family was in the water behind a boat on ShyHook. The local boats on the bar chased them away.

    Here we go again;
    No laws state you have to read.
    I remember my first driving test, I observed; If you could not read from the stone tablets, you could have the questions read to you.
    I think the vision test was mostly shapes and letters.

    No laws against being stupid either.
  4. Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    The average IQ is 100. Half the people around you are stupid and too dumb to know it. Then, as one of the side effects of the internet, there's a growing pandemic of the Dunning-Kruger effect. (Google that) Those are the stupid AND annoying/dangerous ones........

    I know some nice little gunk holes.... drop the hook and see no one. Two more years.
  5. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I would NEVER get off of the boat and on the dock without the boat being secured first. I also will not run anything larger than a 40' center console locally without a mate or 2nd person on board. On a trip (in the ocean), I always have a second person on board (mate). IMO, one of the most important traits/skills of a Captain is risk mitigation of passengers/crew/vessel.
  6. Gratitude

    Gratitude Member

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    Well said Capt. J. Some people just don't get it. Safety first - ALWAYS. It is the captains' job of any vessel to assure the safety of his crew (if there are any) AND his/her passengers, regardless of vessel size. To take a remote device intended to be a useful tool on your vessel and assume you could do what is not recommended can only end in disaster. Maybe not at first but all it takes is once.
  7. tusindtak

    tusindtak Member

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    Makes me think a “backup” alarm or audio message would be appropriate if not in manual control mode. Safety first.
  8. Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    So boogie boarding behind the boat doing 16 knots with the remote around your neck would be bad? I mean as long as you keep making turns and swinging wide on the board you can see what's ahead....

    (Tell me you didn't get a visual there...... :D )
  9. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Reminds me, I once saw an idiot going down the ICW in Fort Lauderdale at 8 knots on a 45' FB boat, sitting on the bow seating with his buddies and relying on the autopilot remote to steer the boat!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  10. Jon Elliott

    Jon Elliott New Member

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    That makes me feel sick to my stomach just thinking about it...
  11. Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    I've done that. 200 miles off shore........ Idiots.
  12. maldwin

    maldwin Senior Member

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    I am meeting with the service manager at Yacht Tech tomorrow to try and decide which one of these products to buy for my Nordhavn 43. I am also considering tethered models from Glendinning and Kobelt. Of the untethered, I am leaning to the Dockmate with twist, of the tethered I am leaning toward the Kobelt because I prefer the look and feel of their controls.
    BTW there is a lengthy tit for tat discussion between Dockmate and Yacht Controller on an electronics forum which might lead one to not want to buy either one. I think they both have good products, but fighting with the sort of negativity which might make a politician blush doesn’t do either one of them any good
  13. mike Hartley

    mike Hartley Member

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    I have the yacht mate on my 76...it works very well.....but couldn' fathom stepping off my boat ever without being tied up. In tight spots its nice to be able to come off bridge and go to both port and starboard and still be able to slowly moving the yacht.
  14. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    In principle, I'd rather have one of those, rather than any radio remote.
    And on a single screw boat like yours, I'd prefer the Kobelt that controls also the rudder, as opposed to the Glendinning that doesn't.
    Unless they recently made a new version of their otherwise excellent remote box which I missed.

    Besides, as I recall the N43 came standard with mechanical cable throttles.
    So, unless you already retrofitted electronic controls, you'll have to install the actuator driving push/pull cables.
    And also in this respect the Kobelt unit is excellent, with an embedded possibility to disconnect all the electronics and still control the engine directly.
    I've seen a boat where these actuators were installed in a cockpit locker above (rather than inside) the e/r, hence granting also an emergency backup.
    Short of doing nothing at all, which would probably be my choice on a N43, that's the best alternative imho.
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2020
    SteffenEB likes this.
  15. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    On a 43’ I’d prefer tethered and I’d prefer ZF.
  16. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    But also the ZF has no rudder control, unless I'm mistaken?
  17. maldwin

    maldwin Senior Member

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    My boat already has electronic controls, which replaced manual controls and a failing potentiometer. The Glendinning remote doesn’t control thrusters, so I have ruled that out. One possibility is Glendinning controls, and a Dockmate twist. The main purpose is when I am single handing.
    Best,
    Maldwin
  18. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Do you mean that it doesn't control the rudder, maybe?
    The Glendinning handheld wired remote unit does have buttons for control of both bow and stern thrusters.
    But as I said, on a single prop boat I'd like to have also rudder control, and to my knowledge, among wired remotes, only the Kobelt allows that.
    Though a powerful and reliable stern thruster, as I guess you might have, could make rudder control not so essential. That's up to you to decide.
    Anyway, if there's one thing I'd rather not have on my boat - let alone a Nordhavn - it's a toy like the Dockmate thingie...
  19. maldwin

    maldwin Senior Member

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    The ZF would be good as I already have ZF controls, so would save money. Unfortunately, I think you are correct in saying it does not control rudder.
    I have had Kobelt controls on other boats, and vastly prefer them to the plastic ZF ones I have so I will give the Kobelt controller another look. You have a very good point that on a single engine boat one needs to have control of the rudder.
    Many thanks for the advice.
  20. maldwin

    maldwin Senior Member

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    I have just gone back on the Glendinning website, and they say the remote can control engine stop/start, rudder control, and thrusters.