The Evolution of Helm Master® EX
I started demoing Yamaha’s Helm Master® joystick system when it first hit the market in early 2013. It provided electronic control for steering, shifting, and throttle functions, including joystick maneuvering, the ability to spin the boat on its own center point, and even move it sideways.
Helm Master EX (HMEX) was released in June 2020, significantly expanding the system’s compatibility to include single-engine applications and a full suite of features, including an integrated autopilot and advanced position-holding features such as StayPoint® , FishPoint® , and DriftPoint® .
Now, the Wireless Control System puts the power of Helm Master EX in the palm of my hand from anywhere on the boat, leaving the other hand free to take care of needed tasks.*
The HMEX Wireless Control System is the Ultimate Fishing Tool
Fishing is all about control. How effectively can you maintain your baits and lines while doing a drift, trolling, maintaining position over bottom structure or kite fishing? The minute you lose control of your drift or your troll, you are not actively fishing; your bait has to be in the zone to be effective. Whenever you have to head to the helm to make corrections, it takes time away from actively fishing, making you less efficient. The ability to carry a station with you anywhere on the boat creates a new level of control.
Prospecting for New Fishing Spots
As I’m heading out, I never go out and come home the same way. I alter my course a couple of degrees, one way or the other, always searching for new places to fish. With the wireless controller, I can quickly mark an interesting spot from wherever I am, which is essential when you’re cruising at 40 miles an hour, because the faster you hit the button, the more accurate your information will be.
A New Level of Comfort and Spotting Ability
Having a wireless remote controller, which works with Bluetooth®, means that you can now take the boat’s station with you anywhere on the boat and still maintain complete control over direction and speed for tasks like trolling. Now, I can go somewhere and get comfortable or use it to get a better vantage point to watch and adjust my trolling spread or to spot free-swimming fish or birds.
How I use the HMEX Wireless Controller for trolling.
The Perils of Throwing a Cast Net or Anchoring With a Novice at the Helm
Before the wireless controller came out, I sometimes had to rely on my clients to help drive the boat while I threw a cast net to catch bait. Digital throttles are very responsive, and I’ve been thrown overboard and all over the damn place when they got too heavy-handed. Now I can carry the control station on a lanyard around my neck and make minor adjustments to get my boat into the perfect position before I toss the net.
The same goes for anchoring. Before, I would have someone else drive the boat while I retrieved the anchor. Now, I take my controller to the bow and use the hold function to keep
the anchor line vertical while I raise it with the windlass.
How I use the HMEX Wireless Controller when tossing a cast net.
Increased Confidence
Another enhanced confidence feature is the wireless Man Overboard System (MOB) fob, which must be activated and worn by the driver for the wireless controller to function. Up to eight MOB devices can be linked, and if anyone falls overboard while wearing them, the engines will shift into neutral or stop. You can even attach one to your dog’s collar or lifejacket.
Kite Fishing Made Easier
Down in South Florida, there’s a lot of fishing pressure, and the fish have grown more wary. You can’t troll and catch sailfish anymore. You have to use live bait on a kite to be successful, which requires skill and precise boat control. I typically drift when kite fishing use the FishPoint Bow or Stern feature to make sure my boat is correctly oriented with the current and wind. Being able to take that station with me and make corrections as I am adjusting the kite makes it far easier. I fly multiple kites to mimic a school of fish, and if the boat isn’t under perfect control, the lines can get tangled.
Having FishPoint and DriftPoint, along with the wireless remote, will significantly shorten the learning curve for those getting into kite fishing. I recommend starting with one kite and watching it do its magic, while learning about the many things that affect it, like lulls in the wind or gusts and knowing how to compensate for these variables. Once they get the hang of it with one kite, the next step is putting out a second kite.
Assistance With Anchoring
I know anglers who use trolling motors as a virtual anchor, but it doesn’t work as well for catching the quality yellowtail snapper I fish for, who got their PhD a long time ago. For them, I need to drop a real anchor and chum. To position my boat accurately prior to dropping the anchor, I use the wireless HMEX wireless controller. To remain stealthy, I don’t drift over the place I’m about to fish, so I’ll start about 200 yards off and drift towards it. That way I know which way the boat’s going to lie before setting the anchor. As I’m drifting into position, I go to the bow and deploy the anchor when I’m about 80 feet away, to give it time to find purchase and keep the boat just up-current of the structure I am fishing. Then, I let the chum do its work while being as quiet as possible. For fishing deeper structures, StayPoint allows me to position the boat and hold it place without using an anchor.
Solo Docking is a Breeze
When solo boating, the wireless remote makes docking the boat so much easier for me. I’m not running around like a madman securing a line, then running back to the helm to grab the wheel and the throttles. With the wireless joystick, it’s one-handed operation, so I can use my left hand to control the boat while calmly taking care of the lines with my right hand.
How I use the HMEX Wireless Controller for docking.
Greater Docking Control for New and Experienced Boaters
One of the most nerve-wracking moments for new boaters is docking, and the wireless controller has several features that are not only beneficial to them but to all boaters, regardless of experience. New boaters tend to over-throttle when docking, which often results in the sound of crunching fiberglass. The controller allows users to limit rpm at different levels, from a max of 700 rpm to 1500 rpm, to ensure docking is gentler without sudden power applications. Also, with Yamaha’s Digital Electric Steering (DES), you can go lock-to-lock with the controller in less than two seconds, which is far faster than spinning the wheel. The result is greater control with a lower risk of accidents. Also, being able to take the controller anywhere on the boat means the driver can get into a position where they can see how close the boat is to the dock.
What Helm Master EX Wireless Can’t Do
Because the wireless controller can be used while the HMEX Autopilot is on to tweak heading and direction, some might think it replaces the helm station when running at speed. Since unforeseen things can happen while running, it’s imperative to have a competent driver at the helm at all times. Because the wheel is engaged when autopilot is on to allow the driver to take evasive action if needed quickly, that also means that if left unattended, someone, like a youngster, could turn the wheel without realizing it’s active. Can the driver sit back and relax in that comfortable helm seat and make slight corrections without leaning forward to the wheel, throttle or joystick? Absolutely.
The beauty of the Helm Master EX system is that it’s constantly evolving, adding new features that make me a better captain.
Captain Sean Gill is a charter boat captain based in Marathon in the Florida Keys and fishes for a variety of fish from yellowtail snapper to billfish and everything in between. As a Yamaha demo captain, he’s been demoing Yamaha’s Helm Master since its beginning and is still finding new ways to use the Wireless Control System to catch more fish and become an even better, more efficient captain.
Click here to see more videos about using the new HMEX Wireless Control System.
Back to Blue Life
I started demoing Yamaha’s Helm Master® joystick system when it first hit the market in early 2013. It provided electronic control for steering, shifting, and throttle functions, including joystick maneuvering, the ability to spin the boat on its own center point, and even move it sideways.
Helm Master EX (HMEX) was released in June 2020, significantly expanding the system’s compatibility to include single-engine applications and a full suite of features, including an integrated autopilot and advanced position-holding features such as StayPoint® , FishPoint® , and DriftPoint® .
Now, the Wireless Control System puts the power of Helm Master EX in the palm of my hand from anywhere on the boat, leaving the other hand free to take care of needed tasks.*
The HMEX Wireless Control System is the Ultimate Fishing Tool
Fishing is all about control. How effectively can you maintain your baits and lines while doing a drift, trolling, maintaining position over bottom structure or kite fishing? The minute you lose control of your drift or your troll, you are not actively fishing; your bait has to be in the zone to be effective. Whenever you have to head to the helm to make corrections, it takes time away from actively fishing, making you less efficient. The ability to carry a station with you anywhere on the boat creates a new level of control.
Prospecting for New Fishing Spots
As I’m heading out, I never go out and come home the same way. I alter my course a couple of degrees, one way or the other, always searching for new places to fish. With the wireless controller, I can quickly mark an interesting spot from wherever I am, which is essential when you’re cruising at 40 miles an hour, because the faster you hit the button, the more accurate your information will be.
A New Level of Comfort and Spotting Ability
Having a wireless remote controller, which works with Bluetooth®, means that you can now take the boat’s station with you anywhere on the boat and still maintain complete control over direction and speed for tasks like trolling. Now, I can go somewhere and get comfortable or use it to get a better vantage point to watch and adjust my trolling spread or to spot free-swimming fish or birds.
How I use the HMEX Wireless Controller for trolling.
The Perils of Throwing a Cast Net or Anchoring With a Novice at the Helm
Before the wireless controller came out, I sometimes had to rely on my clients to help drive the boat while I threw a cast net to catch bait. Digital throttles are very responsive, and I’ve been thrown overboard and all over the damn place when they got too heavy-handed. Now I can carry the control station on a lanyard around my neck and make minor adjustments to get my boat into the perfect position before I toss the net.
The same goes for anchoring. Before, I would have someone else drive the boat while I retrieved the anchor. Now, I take my controller to the bow and use the hold function to keep
the anchor line vertical while I raise it with the windlass.
How I use the HMEX Wireless Controller when tossing a cast net.
Increased Confidence
Another enhanced confidence feature is the wireless Man Overboard System (MOB) fob, which must be activated and worn by the driver for the wireless controller to function. Up to eight MOB devices can be linked, and if anyone falls overboard while wearing them, the engines will shift into neutral or stop. You can even attach one to your dog’s collar or lifejacket.
Kite Fishing Made Easier
Down in South Florida, there’s a lot of fishing pressure, and the fish have grown more wary. You can’t troll and catch sailfish anymore. You have to use live bait on a kite to be successful, which requires skill and precise boat control. I typically drift when kite fishing use the FishPoint Bow or Stern feature to make sure my boat is correctly oriented with the current and wind. Being able to take that station with me and make corrections as I am adjusting the kite makes it far easier. I fly multiple kites to mimic a school of fish, and if the boat isn’t under perfect control, the lines can get tangled.
Having FishPoint and DriftPoint, along with the wireless remote, will significantly shorten the learning curve for those getting into kite fishing. I recommend starting with one kite and watching it do its magic, while learning about the many things that affect it, like lulls in the wind or gusts and knowing how to compensate for these variables. Once they get the hang of it with one kite, the next step is putting out a second kite.
Assistance With Anchoring
I know anglers who use trolling motors as a virtual anchor, but it doesn’t work as well for catching the quality yellowtail snapper I fish for, who got their PhD a long time ago. For them, I need to drop a real anchor and chum. To position my boat accurately prior to dropping the anchor, I use the wireless HMEX wireless controller. To remain stealthy, I don’t drift over the place I’m about to fish, so I’ll start about 200 yards off and drift towards it. That way I know which way the boat’s going to lie before setting the anchor. As I’m drifting into position, I go to the bow and deploy the anchor when I’m about 80 feet away, to give it time to find purchase and keep the boat just up-current of the structure I am fishing. Then, I let the chum do its work while being as quiet as possible. For fishing deeper structures, StayPoint allows me to position the boat and hold it place without using an anchor.
Solo Docking is a Breeze
When solo boating, the wireless remote makes docking the boat so much easier for me. I’m not running around like a madman securing a line, then running back to the helm to grab the wheel and the throttles. With the wireless joystick, it’s one-handed operation, so I can use my left hand to control the boat while calmly taking care of the lines with my right hand.
How I use the HMEX Wireless Controller for docking.
Greater Docking Control for New and Experienced Boaters
One of the most nerve-wracking moments for new boaters is docking, and the wireless controller has several features that are not only beneficial to them but to all boaters, regardless of experience. New boaters tend to over-throttle when docking, which often results in the sound of crunching fiberglass. The controller allows users to limit rpm at different levels, from a max of 700 rpm to 1500 rpm, to ensure docking is gentler without sudden power applications. Also, with Yamaha’s Digital Electric Steering (DES), you can go lock-to-lock with the controller in less than two seconds, which is far faster than spinning the wheel. The result is greater control with a lower risk of accidents. Also, being able to take the controller anywhere on the boat means the driver can get into a position where they can see how close the boat is to the dock.
What Helm Master EX Wireless Can’t Do
Because the wireless controller can be used while the HMEX Autopilot is on to tweak heading and direction, some might think it replaces the helm station when running at speed. Since unforeseen things can happen while running, it’s imperative to have a competent driver at the helm at all times. Because the wheel is engaged when autopilot is on to allow the driver to take evasive action if needed quickly, that also means that if left unattended, someone, like a youngster, could turn the wheel without realizing it’s active. Can the driver sit back and relax in that comfortable helm seat and make slight corrections without leaning forward to the wheel, throttle or joystick? Absolutely.
The beauty of the Helm Master EX system is that it’s constantly evolving, adding new features that make me a better captain.
Captain Sean Gill is a charter boat captain based in Marathon in the Florida Keys and fishes for a variety of fish from yellowtail snapper to billfish and everything in between. As a Yamaha demo captain, he’s been demoing Yamaha’s Helm Master since its beginning and is still finding new ways to use the Wireless Control System to catch more fish and become an even better, more efficient captain.
Click here to see more videos about using the new HMEX Wireless Control System.
*Captains must always be viligant.. Operation of the new Wireless Control System should only take place while onboard for safety.
Back to Blue Life