Dynamic positioning systems have become a must-have feature in recent years, making it far easier for skippers to keep their boats on the same heading or in the same exact spot. This technology makes boating a lot easier for people who, for instance, must pass through a series of opening bridges before heading out to do some coastal cruising. In the past, waiting in a crowded waterway for each bridge to open could be a nerve-wracking challenge. With dynamic positioning, the stress of waiting in place vanishes with the push of a button.

Now, Dockmate—makers of wireless remote controls that skippers can use to control the boat from pretty much anywhere on board—has added dynamic positioning to its products. The new feature is called the Dockmate Positioning System.

The Dockmate Positioning System has two modes, for use in open water and close quarters. In open-water mode, DPS uses the engines to keep the boat in its target position. In close-quarters mode, DPS uses the engines and the bow and stern thrusters to keep the vessel in its target position.

“We have spent a significant amount of time and research over the years to ensure that the Dockmate remote control system provides boaters with the best control of their vessels in some of the more stressful situations like docking and close-quarters maneuvering,” Dirk Illegems, president of Dockmate, stated in a press release. “Whether you are entering a marina or waiting for a bridge or lock, holding your position while stepping away from the helm can be just as important as having fingertip control when pulling into a dock. Our customers have been looking for a dynamic positioning system, and we are happy to deliver.”

Dockmate says this system is driven by a unit that includes a compass, accelerometer and gyroscope. A receiver is installed within the vessel, and it connects to Dockmate GNSS antennas that are installed on the hardtop.

The product is designed for installation on any vessel with at least two engines, and with Dockmate-compatible engine and thruster controls. The operating range for Dockmate with the standard antenna is about 165 feet, and an antenna extension cable can be ordered to increase range to more than 500 feet.

How long has Dockmate been in business? Since 2012 in Belgium, and since 2018 in the United States. The company warranties its products for three years.

Take the next step: click over to dockmate.us

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It has been more than two decades since Yacht Controller was created. The product, which enables handheld, wireless navigation from anywhere on board, is now used in dozens of countries. More than 26,000 systems have been delivered for use on some 270 boat brands.

As feedback poured in from all those boaters, it became clear that not all of them wanted the same experience. “We were finding out that you could put a 50-foot boat next to its twin, and Boater A will use it differently than Boater B,” says Tony Valiente, chief operating officer and managing partner of The Yacht Group. “One guy may be happy at idle-speed engine control, and another guy may want added-speed control, and a third guy may want faster-speed control. We weren’t able to accomplish those algorithms.”

And so, the Maximo Yacht Controller was born. It has a 64-bit quad-core processor that will allow it to evolve in tandem with all the other technologies that manufacturers of helm-navigation devices are creating today. The Maximo Yacht Controller has data storage, the ability to handle software and firmware updates, and more.

“The system also has the ability for remote Wi-Fi access,” Valiente says. “That means consumers can access the system via their smartphones and tablets, and my customer-service department can provide real-time customer support anywhere in the world that customers have Wi-Fi access.”

The Maximo Yacht Controller system is designed to be a plug-and-play operation, so it can be installed with new builds, professional refits and DIY upgrades. Installation should not affect other product warranties, Valiente says, because the company works with manufacturers of everything from engines to transmissions to ensure compatibility.

For yachts 85 feet and larger, the company also introduced the Maximo Platinum Series Edition Supremo. It uses CAN-bus cabling, which was not previously possible and which Valiente says allows it to work on increasingly larger superyachts: “We can run the cabling through 300 or 400 feet without losing transmission signal range.”

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