Yamaha’s Helm Master® Integrated Boat Control System Offers Greater Control with Set Point™ and New CL7™ Display
KENNESAW, Ga.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Yamaha Marine Group announced today a new feature that gives its Helm
Master® Integrated Boat Control System even greater levels of
control. With the Set Point™ boat positioning function, boaters now have
the capability to integrate all boat control systems and then guide them
with global positioning system (GPS) navigation technology.
“The introduction of Helm Master changed the way boaters think about
controlling larger outboard-powered boats,” said Ben Speciale, Yamaha
Marine Group President. “Helm Master made docking less stressful and
fishing on the open water more enjoyable. Set Point takes that
functionality and precision to the next level.”
Set Point is comprised of a suite of satellite-guided capabilities
designed to improve the boater’s ability to fish, maneuver, and simply
enjoy life on the water. Using a unique dual-antenna GPS to provide Helm
Master’s operating system more navigational information, the Set Point
function provides even greater and more precise control.
Set Point has three primary modes: Stay Point™, Fish Point™,
and Drift Point™. Each Set Point mode provides a solution to the
tricky maneuvering challenges boaters may encounter every day.
Stay Point keeps the boat positioned near a particular spot; it
maintains a selected position and heading. This mode is particularly
helpful during times in which a boat must hold a position and heading,
for example at a fuel dock, or at a bridge opening. In adverse weather
or high currents, Helm Master uses higher RPM and greater engine
activity to keep the boat as close to the mark as possible (within a
seventy-five foot circle of the set point).
Fish Point enhances fishing options; it maintains a selected
position, but not a heading, and primarily uses only idle RPM to do so.
The Fish Point mode makes use of a captain’s knowledge in heading a boat
into the current or wind, bow upstream or downstream, to maintain a
heading. Under normal conditions, the Set Point function will use no
more than idle RPM to hold the Fish Point position, which means Fish
Point operation is less likely to scare the fish. In stronger seas, Fish
Point will attempt to keep the boat on the point selected using no more
than the requested Fish Point RPM to do so (up to 2,500 RPM). Yamaha’s
Shift Dampener System™ propellers play a role in keeping the boat on
point quietly, too.
Drift Point allows the boater to drift the boat with the wind or
the current; it maintains a selected heading, but not a position. Drift
Point mode is particularly useful to maintain a heading when drift
fishing or kite fishing. Drift Point allows the boat to drift with the
wind or current, but stay pointed in the heading chosen.
Each Set Point mode is activated with the touch of a button. The Set
Point control buttons are integrated into the new Helm Master joystick
and use Yamaha’s new CL7 touch screen display to initially configure the
operator’s preferences. Each Set Point mode is user-defined for the
needs of individual boaters. Helm Master Set Point hardware includes a
dual-antenna GPS and stern-mounted lighting that illuminates any time
any mode of the SetPoint system is active.
The Yamaha CL7 display has a seven-inch touch panel screen with full
multi-function display (MFD) capability and connectivity. The display
offers precise engine and boat systems data for up to four outboards on
one screen, along with other MFD functions such as maps, fish finder,
and graphing capabilities using its built-in 10 MHz GPS. It is the
primary display for Yamaha’s fully integrated Helm Master boat control
system, and is the required point of access to configure Set Point.
The new Helm Master Set Point boat positioning function will be
available to boat builders in the spring of 2017 and expected
availability to consumers is May 2017. It will also be available as a
retrofit kit for earlier Helm Master-equipped boats later in the year.
Dealers and boat builders should contact their regional representative
for more information.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and
around the world. Yamaha Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports
its 2,000 U.S. dealers and boat builders with marketing, training and
parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry
leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is
the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I.
Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.
Helm Master is compatible with new Yamaha V8 5.3L F350 and V6 4.2L
Offshore outboards in twin, triple, and quad configurations and
2.8-liter F200 twin applications, installed on new boats packages
manufactured by authorized participating boat manufacturers and sold by
authorized Yamaha Outboard dealers only. CL7 Display expected
availability May of 2017. For details, ask your Yamaha representative or
visit YamahaOutboards.com.
This document contains many of Yamaha’s valuable trademarks. It may also
contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other
companies or their products are for identification purposes only,
and are not intended to be an endorsement.
Contacts
Yamaha Marine Group
Heidi Weber, 770-420-5848
Mobile:
770-547-4748
Communications Coordinator
heidi_weber@yamaha-motor.com
or
Wilder+Wheaton
for Yamaha Marine Group
Neal Wheaton, 404-317-0698
neal.wheaton@gmail.com
