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Volvo Penta’s Assisted Docking System

Volvo Penta’s Assisted Docking System requires Volvo Penta’s Inboard Performance System and its GPS-based Dynamic Positioning System antenna.
Volvo Penta Assisted Docking System
Volvo Penta’s Assisted Docking is designed to take the anxiety out of putting a boat into a slip. Courtesy Volvo Penta

Volvo Penta’s Assisted Docking System is a hybrid between manual and automated docking, allowing users to maneuver their boat precisely.

To operate, Assisted Docking requires Volvo Penta’s Inboard Performance System and its GPS-based Dynamic Positioning System antenna. It also leverages a vessel’s steering, transmission and engine-control data.

The operator provides heading and speed input via the IPS joystick, and Assisted Docking moves the boat in a straight line at the user’s dictated speed. The system accounts for wind and current by reading the yacht’s position and heading multiple times per second, and Volvo Penta’s Electronic Vessel Control system steadily adjusts steering angles and thrust to keep the vessel on course.

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One of the challenges of creating Assisted Docking was building a system that combines automation and manual driving in a way that simultaneously “gives the driver a good feeling of being in control and being supported by the system,” says Anders Thorin, Volvo Penta’s electronics product manager.

Volvo Penta Assisted Docking System
Assisted Docking will work on all Volvo Penta IPS-equipped yachts between 35 and 120 feet. Courtesy Volvo Penta
Volvo Penta Assisted Docking System
The “side push” function allows the driver to apply lateral force toward (or away from) the dock while berthing sideways. Courtesy Volvo Penta
Volvo Penta Assisted Docking System
The Assisted Docking banner on Volvo Penta’s glass cockpit provides critical information including GPS signal strength and what percentage of assisted power is currently being utilized. Courtesy Volvo Penta

Assisted Docking does not use external components or sensors, allowing Assisted Docking-equipped yachts to berth anywhere, anytime.

Take the next step: volvopenta.com

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