The Yamaha Helm Master EX isn’t just a sophisticated innovation that enhances navigation, fishing, and docking for Yamaha-powered boats—it’s also a powerful tool that elevates the tow sports experience—enhancing performance, security,
and enjoyment.
Helm Master EX is packed with features that improve a boat’s control and maneuverability. The “EX” stands for expandable, and Yamaha offers this advanced system in four levels, allowing you to choose the configuration that best fits your boating needs. Each level builds on the one before it, with every step up elevating the overall tow sports experience—not just for the rider or skier in tow, but for the driver as well.
Helm Master EX uses digital and GPS technology to take boating control to the next level. It’s available on Yamaha’s latest generation of digital outboards, ranging from 150 HP to 450 HP, allowing for seamless communication between the system and the engine. Helm Master EX is available for both single and multi-outboard engine applications.
The technology brings a high-quality tow sports experience to all types of Yamaha-powered boats, such as center consoles, dual consoles, bowriders, and pontoons.
So, let’s take a closer look at the four levels of the Helm Master EX—and the specific features that enhance tow sports performance, safety, and enjoyment.
Level 1: Digital Electronic Control (DEC)
Instead of using a cable to shift the throttle into gear and adjust speed, the throttle is controlled electronically. This gives the driver the ability to provide the person in tow with seamless, smooth, and precise acceleration during the start—rather than a jerky one.
This feature allows the driver to focus on throttle sensitivity, which is especially important when towing someone. Because of the smooth and seamless movement of the throttle, the digital control increases the success rate of getting a skier or wakeboarder up—and makes driving for tow sports much more enjoyable overall.
Speed Control
The pros of water skiing and wake sports can tell when the boat speed is off by as little as a third of a mile per hour. The Helm Master EX throttle control also includes rpm-based speed control, which is a major advantage when towing anyone, regardless of their skill level.
Instead of trying to hold an exact speed manually, the driver accelerates to the desired speed and presses the speed control rocker switch on the binnacle to maintain that exact speed. This consistency not only enhances tow sports success but also keeps the wake consistent—an essential part of the skier’s or rider’s experience and performance.
The rocker switch allows the driver to fine-tune the speed either up or down in very small increments—just 50 rpm—giving the person in tow an optimal pull. Using speed control also enhances the driver’s ability to focus on the waterway and surrounding condition rather than constantly looking at the speedometer and adjusting speed. To disengage speed control, the driver simply moves the throttle to resume manual control.
Level 2: Digital Electric Steering (DES)
Instead of using hydraulic steering, Level 2 features Digital Electric Steering (DES), which makes maneuvering easier—whether you’re setting up to start a tow sports pass, returning to a fallen skier or rider, or maintaining an exact straight path. DES can be factory-installed with the Yamaha outboard or retrofitted to compatible Yamaha digital outboards.
Digital electric steering makes handling the boat feel effortless and precise. This feature is especially helpful when driving bigger boats and pontoons, as it enhances maneuverability and allows the driver to return more efficiently to a fallen skier or rider.
Customized Steering
With this advanced feature, the tension on the steering wheel can be adjusted to match the driver’s preference. This is useful in tow sports, where keeping the boat on a straight path is critical—especially when towing a wakeboarder or slalom skier. Adding some resistance to the wheel helps the driver hold a straight line, which keeps the shape of the wake consistent.
Steering response can be customized. You can adjust how many full turns of the wheel it takes to go from full right to full left (or vice versa)—anywhere from four to nine rotations. Fewer rotations require less driver input, which is ideal at slalom skiing speeds around 30 mph.
The system also adapts on the fly. Steering wheel tension automatically adjusts based on the boat’s speed—more resistance at higher speeds, less at lower speeds. Digital Electric Steering helps the driver give a more accurate, smoother pull for water skiers, wakeboarders, and tubers.
Level 3: Autopilot (AP)
Level 3 adds autopilot to the previous two levels. Autopilot uses GPS technology to control steering, and it offers four different modes of autopilot navigation: Heading Hold, Course Hold, Track Point, and Pattern Steer.
For tow sports, maintaining a straight path is critical for all activities. The pros can easily tell when the boat veers off a straight path by just two or three inches. A straight path matters for tow sports at all levels because it keeps the boat’s wake consistent. A consistent wake makes crossing easier for water skiers and gives wakeboard riders better conditions for jumping the boat’s wake to do tricks.
Driving a perfectly straight line requires focus and skill—especially in boats with hulls not designed for precision tracking. That’s where Course Hold comes in. It keeps the boat on a straight path, automatically adjusting for wind and current to maintain a straight path.
Enhanced Safety
Course Hold not only gives the skier or rider a consistent pull and consistent wake, but it also allows the driver to focus more on the waterway—watching for other boats or potential obstacles—instead of constantly correcting the path. When boating traffic or any other situation calls for a course change, the driver can move the steering wheel to disengage autopilot and return to manual control.
Level 4: Full Maneuverability (FM)
At the center of the fourth level is the joystick control. The features from the first three levels—shift into gear, throttle, and steering—are all contained in the joystick. This combination of functions in one unit takes controlling and maneuvering a boat at slow speeds to an even higher level of precision.
Once the joystick is engaged, the driver can push it forward to make the boat move forward. Pull the joystick back, and the boat goes in reverse. Twist the joystick to the right or left to make the boat turn in that direction.
Precise and Easy Maneuvering
This feature makes maneuvering the boat—especially pontoons, center consoles, dual consoles, and bowriders—much easier. When the boat stops and idles back to a fallen rider, the driver can use the joystick to pivot the boat around efficiently instead of making a wide turn. This not only saves time getting back to the rider but also prevents the boat from throwing a roller down the lake, which can negatively affect water conditions for the next pass.
This easy and efficient way of maneuvering at idle is also ideal when positioning the boat properly at the start of the tow sports pass. For multi-Yamaha outboard-powered boats, the joystick can be pressed to either the right or left to move the boat sideways. This makes maneuvering to a skier or rider in the water much more efficient.
The thrust of the joystick can be customized and fine-tuned in five speed levels, giving the driver precise control of the boat at slow speeds and enhancing overall maneuverability.
The New Standard in Tow Sports
With its four progressive levels—Digital Electronic Control, Digital Electric Steering, Autopilot, and Full Maneuverability—Yamaha’s Helm Master EX is more than a technological upgrade; it’s a transformative leap forward for tow sports. Each level builds upon the previous, seamlessly blending precision, control, and maneuverability to give both the person in tow and the driver a better, more secure, and more enjoyable experience on the water. The future of tow sports isn’t on the horizon—it’s already here.
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and enjoyment.
Helm Master EX is packed with features that improve a boat’s control and maneuverability. The “EX” stands for expandable, and Yamaha offers this advanced system in four levels, allowing you to choose the configuration that best fits your boating needs. Each level builds on the one before it, with every step up elevating the overall tow sports experience—not just for the rider or skier in tow, but for the driver as well.
Helm Master EX uses digital and GPS technology to take boating control to the next level. It’s available on Yamaha’s latest generation of digital outboards, ranging from 150 HP to 450 HP, allowing for seamless communication between the system and the engine. Helm Master EX is available for both single and multi-outboard engine applications.
The technology brings a high-quality tow sports experience to all types of Yamaha-powered boats, such as center consoles, dual consoles, bowriders, and pontoons.
So, let’s take a closer look at the four levels of the Helm Master EX—and the specific features that enhance tow sports performance, safety, and enjoyment.
Level 1: Digital Electronic Control (DEC)
Instead of using a cable to shift the throttle into gear and adjust speed, the throttle is controlled electronically. This gives the driver the ability to provide the person in tow with seamless, smooth, and precise acceleration during the start—rather than a jerky one.
This feature allows the driver to focus on throttle sensitivity, which is especially important when towing someone. Because of the smooth and seamless movement of the throttle, the digital control increases the success rate of getting a skier or wakeboarder up—and makes driving for tow sports much more enjoyable overall.
Speed Control
The pros of water skiing and wake sports can tell when the boat speed is off by as little as a third of a mile per hour. The Helm Master EX throttle control also includes rpm-based speed control, which is a major advantage when towing anyone, regardless of their skill level.
Instead of trying to hold an exact speed manually, the driver accelerates to the desired speed and presses the speed control rocker switch on the binnacle to maintain that exact speed. This consistency not only enhances tow sports success but also keeps the wake consistent—an essential part of the skier’s or rider’s experience and performance.
The rocker switch allows the driver to fine-tune the speed either up or down in very small increments—just 50 rpm—giving the person in tow an optimal pull. Using speed control also enhances the driver’s ability to focus on the waterway and surrounding condition rather than constantly looking at the speedometer and adjusting speed. To disengage speed control, the driver simply moves the throttle to resume manual control.
Level 2: Digital Electric Steering (DES)
Instead of using hydraulic steering, Level 2 features Digital Electric Steering (DES), which makes maneuvering easier—whether you’re setting up to start a tow sports pass, returning to a fallen skier or rider, or maintaining an exact straight path. DES can be factory-installed with the Yamaha outboard or retrofitted to compatible Yamaha digital outboards.
Digital electric steering makes handling the boat feel effortless and precise. This feature is especially helpful when driving bigger boats and pontoons, as it enhances maneuverability and allows the driver to return more efficiently to a fallen skier or rider.
Customized Steering
With this advanced feature, the tension on the steering wheel can be adjusted to match the driver’s preference. This is useful in tow sports, where keeping the boat on a straight path is critical—especially when towing a wakeboarder or slalom skier. Adding some resistance to the wheel helps the driver hold a straight line, which keeps the shape of the wake consistent.
Steering response can be customized. You can adjust how many full turns of the wheel it takes to go from full right to full left (or vice versa)—anywhere from four to nine rotations. Fewer rotations require less driver input, which is ideal at slalom skiing speeds around 30 mph.
The system also adapts on the fly. Steering wheel tension automatically adjusts based on the boat’s speed—more resistance at higher speeds, less at lower speeds. Digital Electric Steering helps the driver give a more accurate, smoother pull for water skiers, wakeboarders, and tubers.
Level 3: Autopilot (AP)
Level 3 adds autopilot to the previous two levels. Autopilot uses GPS technology to control steering, and it offers four different modes of autopilot navigation: Heading Hold, Course Hold, Track Point, and Pattern Steer.
For tow sports, maintaining a straight path is critical for all activities. The pros can easily tell when the boat veers off a straight path by just two or three inches. A straight path matters for tow sports at all levels because it keeps the boat’s wake consistent. A consistent wake makes crossing easier for water skiers and gives wakeboard riders better conditions for jumping the boat’s wake to do tricks.
Driving a perfectly straight line requires focus and skill—especially in boats with hulls not designed for precision tracking. That’s where Course Hold comes in. It keeps the boat on a straight path, automatically adjusting for wind and current to maintain a straight path.
Enhanced Safety
Course Hold not only gives the skier or rider a consistent pull and consistent wake, but it also allows the driver to focus more on the waterway—watching for other boats or potential obstacles—instead of constantly correcting the path. When boating traffic or any other situation calls for a course change, the driver can move the steering wheel to disengage autopilot and return to manual control.
Level 4: Full Maneuverability (FM)
At the center of the fourth level is the joystick control. The features from the first three levels—shift into gear, throttle, and steering—are all contained in the joystick. This combination of functions in one unit takes controlling and maneuvering a boat at slow speeds to an even higher level of precision.
Once the joystick is engaged, the driver can push it forward to make the boat move forward. Pull the joystick back, and the boat goes in reverse. Twist the joystick to the right or left to make the boat turn in that direction.
Precise and Easy Maneuvering
This feature makes maneuvering the boat—especially pontoons, center consoles, dual consoles, and bowriders—much easier. When the boat stops and idles back to a fallen rider, the driver can use the joystick to pivot the boat around efficiently instead of making a wide turn. This not only saves time getting back to the rider but also prevents the boat from throwing a roller down the lake, which can negatively affect water conditions for the next pass.
This easy and efficient way of maneuvering at idle is also ideal when positioning the boat properly at the start of the tow sports pass. For multi-Yamaha outboard-powered boats, the joystick can be pressed to either the right or left to move the boat sideways. This makes maneuvering to a skier or rider in the water much more efficient.
The thrust of the joystick can be customized and fine-tuned in five speed levels, giving the driver precise control of the boat at slow speeds and enhancing overall maneuverability.
The New Standard in Tow Sports
With its four progressive levels—Digital Electronic Control, Digital Electric Steering, Autopilot, and Full Maneuverability—Yamaha’s Helm Master EX is more than a technological upgrade; it’s a transformative leap forward for tow sports. Each level builds upon the previous, seamlessly blending precision, control, and maneuverability to give both the person in tow and the driver a better, more secure, and more enjoyable experience on the water. The future of tow sports isn’t on the horizon—it’s already here.
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