joy stick control

lerrad16

 can I install the merc joystick in my 2002 6.2 twin I/O

randy56

@Alswagg maybe able to answer that one, or @GeorgeA

zaverin1

No
it would be cheaper to buy a new boat 

PickleRick

YouTube joystick control on boat. 

A guy made one out of a Wii controller i believe.  If you are skilled with servos/programming you can do this. 

He did it so his kid could operate his boat.  

Im not sure if boat compaines had this set up for sale before or after his boat went viral.


He built his from scratch. 

aero3113

There’s a cut off year that will allow you to install a joy stick, I believe 2002 is too early.

LaRea

In theory, it might be possible, but only if your engines are SmartCraft engines.  Merc started installing SmartCraft in mid-2002, so you'd have to call Merc with your serial numbers to find out.  

In practice, almost nobody installs joystick retrofits because it's such a huge and expensive job.  Different helm station, shifters, steering, on and on.  As @zaverin1 said, it's easier and cheaper to buy a different boat.  

PickleRick

https://youtu.be/2ng1Ne2LoCA

Depends on your ability.  The motors out of a windshield wiper are pretty strong.  

This isn't the video i wanted but its full diy.  The guy i spoke with built his inboard using parts from electric scooters, he sales/services them so he already had access to many of the parts. 

RiverRat232

LaRea said:

In theory, it might be possible, but only if your engines are SmartCraft engines.  Merc started installing SmartCraft in mid-2002, so you'd have to call Merc with your serial numbers to find out.  

In practice, almost nobody installs joystick retrofits because it's such a huge and expensive job.  Different helm station, shifters, steering, on and on.  As @zaverin1 said, it's easier and cheaper to buy a different boat.  

For what it's worth, my 2000 350 Mag MPI says "Smartcraft" but I have been told that the engines aren't Vesselview compatible until later years so something is different with the earlier engines. 

zaverin1

Lol
nintendo joystick and some
garage parts are totally different from the actual system merc uses.
i mean of course you can make it work but how reliable is it going to be.

PickleRick

Its going to be as reliable as you make it.  

The controller should be kept out of weather and spares kept in case of weather.

As for the servos/motors and wiring, if you use marine/outdoor quality proper sized stuff it will be reliable. Use under sized cheap wiring, eBay cheap china servos and motors it will be good for a prototype.  


We already have access to marine servos and motors whether its for auto helm, windshield wipers, windlass, etc.  Installing circuitry in a sealed container will be a must.  

lerrad16

 OK THANKS FOR THE HELP

zaverin1

Ok rick
build one 

PickleRick

I have not done programming since visual basic in highshool.  Ive done really dumbed down things with semi-robitics like turning a remote control car into a boat using the steering as a rudder and drive axle to run the prop but this is a little more advanced...and i did that when I was maybe 10, my dad was a g.e. gas turbine maintenance tech so tools were always on hand. 

I did find that there are waterproof joysticks where a video game controller doesnt need to be used and you can program each drive to run independently on each stick (with an rpm and/or speed reverse lock out) or run them both on the same joystick.  Being that it would be run like a drone you could also do things like operate via Wi-Fi/blue tooth  using an app to operate the boat by a phone/tablet  as well as features such as cruise control (throttle/speed lock) and even an auto helm feature with single or multiple check points.  
Basically you could make your boat operate as a drone.  

If anyone wants to bank roll this lol. 

zaverin1

Ya.
i do Plc and CNC programming.
to build what you described would cost 10k just in components not including custom fab and programming.
so let’s say 35k

Michael T

You'd never get insurance and unless you had no worthwhile assets I wouldn't recommend installing a home-made guidance system.

PickleRick

So do you have an idiots guide to Arduino? 

Are AtMega chips difficult to program to communicate back and forth in real time?  

PickleRick

Blaspemer!!! Lol

https://youtu.be/AXl_kMmOQgQ

Here boys, hold my beer while i work my magic

Dirtythirty

I installed a joystick on my boat.    HOWEVER !!!!    the (EVC) electronic vessel control module, engines and drives were already set up for the joystick.  The hardware, which was nothing more than a wiring harness and actual joystick was plug and play and was about $3k.   The software download to run the joystick was $9k.   

If your boat isn't already set up for the joystick control, I would have to say that it would not be feasible or practical to attempt it.     For one, I believe there were no consumer grade joystick boats in 2002.  I'm am guessing 2006 was the time when they began to hit the market.  So you would most likely need to find a computer module from a later year boat and then "try" to integrate the software and hardware into your application. 

There is a lot more to having a joystick than just buying one and hooking it up.  

Another alternative for you to consider is a "Yacht Controller" system.    It is a handheld remote that will act like a joystick for docking.   They will most likely have a system to fit your needs but be ready for sticker shock.   I also believe that the system requires a bow and stern thruster.  Something the company can provide during the install process.

Good Luck !

skennelly

PickleRick idiots guide to Ardruino is called Google search.  It's not hard to do real time communication.

PickleRick

While the programming code i learned back in the late 90s isnt obsolete, most of the other crap is.  We didn't have Wi-Fi, blue tooth or 8 dollar tiny gps chips back then.  I'd really need to spend some time researching this stuff.   Remember back when a t1 connection was the fastest you got?   Huge doom game going on in the computer lab everytime the teacher was out!!! 



The most programming i do now is settting carb fueling stepper motors back to factory specs after a rebuild.


Visual basic programming was a lot of cut and paste

Cisco computer networking was a little more fun. The more computers we linked the more people we could play against on doom.

LaRea

Well, I doubt we'll see an Arduino hack controlling 600 hp of gas engines.  But an '02 could certainly be outfitted with bow and stern thrusters controlled by a joystick.  

Michael T

A fore and aft thruster system used to be made by Dock Assist. Of course there is the cost of adding the thrusters cables and batteries - then the software. pretty expensive as an afterthought.

skennelly

The control of servos ect is not the issue.  It's the cost of reliable ones that I would trust not to fail and the reliability of an Arduino which is only meant to be a cheap project board.

https://youtu.be/1hjI74OJUH0