Barbwire
Member
Looking to purchase a docking controller have seen info. on two controller one is Yacht Controller and the other is Docking Master if anyone knows anything about either would like your input.
It's encouraging to hear you are having good success with your Yacht Controller. When we built our boat I considered installing one but the people I found at the time who had them gave mixed reviews. And Yacht Controller was never able to produce reference customers for me despite the "thousands of units installed on boat's just like mine."
For the same price as the Yacht Controller, I was able to build three full function wing stations - one on each side of the Portuguese bridge for side docking, and one in the cockpit for backing into slips. It's not quite as flexible as a wireless station, but I like the reliability of hardwired controls.
eyschulman-
I'm interested in your comments regarding the wired controller versus the wireless YC.
My boat has three options aside from the Glendenning controls and the basic thruster controls. Opt #1 a wired Glendenning remote in cockpit with about 15 feet of cord. Opt #2 a wired YC joy stick at the helm. #3 The wireless YC box. Now that I am familiar with and comfortable with my units while docking-anchoring or dealing with a mooring It turns out I use the wireless box almost exclusively and could have saved some big bucks and easily done without opt 1&2. As to some people having trouble docking with one of these units well it is a great help but it can not make up for an individual who does not have the basic brain function needed for spatial relations with a moving component or an individual who does not understand wind current etc. Its very much like parallel parking (with the added wind and current) for some it is easy and others hard. What the unit does is give you freedom to be anywhere on the boat or even on the dock. It does not make up for a lack of ability to dock just makes it easier to observe what you are doing and tie up or cast off without help if need be. I totally agree fear of wireless completely unfounded especially with YC system since it is duel frequency..
It's great to now hear this larger pool of satisfied customers of the Yacht Controller. Had you all been around 3 or 4 years ago I might have made a different decision, but at the time I had a very difficult time finding reference customers.
I have no clue why wireless remotes cause ANY concerns whatsoever for folks. I have ran cranes with over 300 tons capacity that way for nearly 3 decades. Believe me when I say there's hell of a lot more at stake than a scuffed paint job on someone's play toy pleasure yacht for the loads routinely handled with these cranes.
Sounds like operator error to me as the default setting (at least for inspected cranes) is full stop all brakes applied full if signal is interrupted or hands are removed from the controller(dead man switch). The majority of boat lifts I've seen would be red tagged in less than 5 minutes if ever inspected. Rather than an indictment that should be a testimony to how well boat handling equipment is designed.