Helmmaster?

[mjbwa]

Any owners have Helmmaster installed on the NC895 Sport? I am looking at adding it to the 2022 model I have on order given that it now comes with the electric steering.  Curious as to how well it performs. 

[stephenm27]

May 16, 2021 20:12:09 GMT mjbwa said:

Any owners have Helmmaster installed on the NC895 Sport? I am looking at adding it to the 2022 model I have on order given that it now comes with the electric steering.  Curious as to how well it performs. 

I ordered our 2021 1095 with HelmMaster EX but Yamaha is currently back-ordered for thousands of units due to supply chain issues (presumably semiconductor issues). They would provide no ETA and since the boat was otherwise ready for delivery so we elected to take delivery without the system—and have a local dealer install the Optimus joystick system with electrically-actuated steering.  We expect installation in the next few weeks.  

Hopefully Yamaha will sort out their supply chain issues prior to your delivery—but if not, just know there is also a viable alternative.

Www.seastarsolutions.com (division of Dometic Marine). 

[sapient]

Here is the 1st Helm Master EX installed in UK.



I also have a 2022 895 Sport ordered with HMEX to be delivered around end of 2021 in Seattle. With the backlogs on many components such as Yamaha OBs and chips, it will most likely have further delays.

Yamaha’s HMEX is a 100% electrical system where as the Mercury JPO and 360 system are electrical/hydraulic hybrid. Last week I tried the Mercury Joystick Pilot for Outboard (JPO) on my close friend’s 40ft Nimbus 11, it works ok but quite sluggish and noisy. Bow thruster needs to be engaged sometimes as the bow move lags behind the stern in some instances. Maybe his boat is too big or heavy for JPO to work effortlessly.

I have decided to wait out for the Yamaha HMEX because retrofit 360 system might void some of warranty for the boat.

[stephenm27]

May 17, 2021 2:17:02 GMT sapient said:

Here is the 1st Helm Master EX installed in UK.



I also have a 2022 895 Sport ordered with HMEX to be delivered around end of 2021 in Seattle. With the backlogs on many components such as Yamaha OBs and chips, it will most likely have further delays.

Yamaha’s HMEX is a 100% electrical system where as the Mercury JPO and 360 system are electrical/hydraulic hybrid. Last week I tried the Mercury Joystick Pilot for Outboard (JPO) on my close friend’s 40ft Nimbus 11, it works ok but quite sluggish and noisy. Bow thruster needs to be engaged sometimes as the bow move lags behind the stern in some instances. Maybe his boat is too big or heavy for JPO to work effortlessly.

I have decided to wait out for the Yamaha HMEX because retrofit 360 system might void some of warranty for the boat.

You are incorrect—the Optimus system is available as 100% electrical as well...that’s what I am having installed. 

[sapient]

Nice !

Please keep us posted on how it performs after installation.

[shaodx]

If a bow thruster has been installed already, is it worth to install Helm master system? How about a stern thruster such as Side Power SX50? It looks like very easy to install.

[sapient]

It depends on your boat and use cases.

Bow & stern thruster are mainly useful for docking where as Helm Master has built in autopilot, auto spot holding, auto trim in addition to feedback sensitive controls for bow / stern / side movements for the boat as well as pivotal turns for both clock and counter clock directions.

For my single engine 795, I use the engine to control the stern and bow thruster to control the bow when docking. If this is the only use case, I don’t think you need joystick nor stern thruster.

One of my friends has a Nimbus 305 with a single inboard engine (not stern drive). The boat has both bow and stern thruster to help with docking.

[stephenm27]

May 20, 2021 4:01:47 GMT shaodx said:

If a bow thruster has been installed already, is it worth to install Helm master system? How about a stern thruster such as Side Power SX50? It looks like very easy to install.

Helm master isn’t strictly necessary if you have thrusters—but it largely depends on you, your conditions and your crew.  I did not select the factory thruster as I knew we were adding Helm Master (now Optimus due to availability issues). 

The joystick systems do add a station-keeping ability as well as autopilot typically, if these features are important to you. 

A chief consideration for me is the ability for anyone in the family to able to dock/drive the boat with confidence.  The joystick system provides that in my case.  

[shaodx]

How much Helm master costs? The SX50 is about 3500 USD + installation.

I think I will only use it for docking as I'd used Mercury Joystick system with my previous Sea ray 310 2010 model for 7 years but only used autopilot or sky hook a few times. I am not sure how Helm master works, when my Mercury Joystick was working on sky hook mode, the engine worked like crazy. The autopilot turned very sharp except you set the route very smooth. In addition, there are a lot of logs in my area so I have to control my boat manually.

[sapient]

310 Sea Ray most likely had twin gas stern drives, so It’s joystick system is somewhat different than outboard specific Mercury JPO or Yamaha Helm Master. Yamaha HMEX uses a few different electrical modules / cylinders to move the OB engines to different angles at a friction of a second, thus enable the engines to generate the necessary thrust(s) to move the boat to different directions. Spot holding also might engage the engines quite a bit when tide/wind condition is not calm. It just can’t over come the law of physics

Yamaha Helm Master EX takes advantage of the new Yamaha OB engine’s build in electrical steering for single engine or multiple engine configurations. In single engine mode, HMEX can’t move the boat sideways as there is simply no opposite thrust to make it work. For multiple OB engines, it works ** almost ** the same as the stern drive joystick systems.

In terms of cost, if the boat is rigged at the factory to use HMEX, it is almost plug and play with onboard calibration. The cost is between 15-20K USD parts and installation.

I was also told by local Yamaha dealer if a boat is not pre-rigged for HMEX, it will push the cost upwards to 35K or more parts and labor for twin OB configurations.

The most smooth and powerful Joystick system I tried is Volvo IPS for stern drive diesel powered boats. It is also one of the most expensive joystick systems around.

[stephenm27]

May 21, 2021 22:32:12 GMT sapient said:

310 Sea Ray most likely had twin gas stern drives, so It’s joystick system is somewhat different than outboard specific Mercury JPO or Yamaha Helm Master. Yamaha HMEX uses a few different electrical modules / cylinders to move the OB engines to different angles at a friction of a second, thus enable the engines to generate the necessary thrust(s) to move the boat to different directions. Spot holding also might engage the engines quite a bit when tide/wind condition is not calm. It just can’t over come the law of physics

Yamaha Helm Master EX takes advantage of the new Yamaha OB engine’s build in electrical steering for single engine or multiple engine configurations. In single engine mode, HMEX can’t move the boat sideways as there is simply no opposite thrust to make it work. For multiple OB engines, it works ** almost ** the same as the stern drive joystick systems.

In terms of cost, if the boat is rigged at the factory to use HMEX, it is almost plug and play with onboard calibration. The cost is between 15-20K USD parts and installation.

I was also told by local Yamaha dealer if a boat is not pre-rigged for HMEX, it will push the cost upwards to 35K or more parts and labor for twin OB configurations.

The most smooth and powerful Joystick system I tried is Volvo IPS for stern drive diesel powered boats. It is also one of the most expensive joystick systems around.

I had a 2009 330 Searay Sundancer with the Axius joystick prior to our current NC 1095 and was very pleased with it.  It certainly had opportunities for improvement but it performed very well for that size/weight of boat.  It made difficult docking conditions entirely routine.  

Given that experience, I chose to equip the NC 1095 with HelmMasterEX.  Our dealer quoted price was $24K for the complete HMEX system.  Unfortunately, COVID then stepped in and wreaked havoc with supply chains.  Fortunately, the Optimus dealer called yesterday with news that all parts for that system have shipped.  Our 1095 will have the system installed starting June 4th.  

As soon as I have some time to use the system, I’ll report my experiences...

[shaodx]

Just learned how to use 2 drives and bow thruster to make side move. If you want to move to starboard, use 2 drives to make the boat spin counterclockwise then push bow thruster to right. It doesn't work perfectly like HMEX, but it's good enough for me. $5000 saved. 

[sapient]

Great ！It is quite simple: if you have out board engine(s) and bow thruster, regardless how many engines you have on the boat, just always use the bow thruster to control the bow, use the engine(s) to control the stern.

Also try steer first then apply power gently to the engine, avoid doing both at the same time when docking.

[captiva]

I order a 895 Sport a year ago with the Joystick it just came in and they forgot to put the joystick in?? So now what, dealer offers to put it in now, but I do not think an aftermarket install is the same as factory. If anyone know about this, please advise thank you 

[jj]

I can’t say from experience but adding this shouldn’t be any difference from factory install. I have an 895 Sport with all the new electronic stuff except the Helmaster. There’s a spot where it could be added later.  

[sapient]

Take a look at your stern area where dual outboard engines are currently installed. The helmmaster needs to separate electrical drives to move the two engines independently instead of one drive to move both engines, so there are definitely more work and retrofitting needed.

If the current system on your boat is already all electrical drives, then the refitting of Helmmaster should be fairly straightforward.