For decades, water skiers and wakeboarders have relied on specialized tow boats for one reason: an exact tow. But what if your family or fishing boat could deliver that same elite-level tow experience—without sacrificing versatility? With Yamaha’s Helm Master EX, it can.
The hallmark feature of every specialized ski and wake boat is the tow point, found on a ski pylon or a wakeboard tower. Over the past two decades, this feature for towing water skiers and wakeboard riders has been adopted by a range of boat types, including dual console and center console fishing boats, bowriders, deck boats, bay boats, bass boats, and even pontoons.
But even though these family and fishing boats featured the upward pull of a ski pylon—and the even higher upward pull of a wakeboard tower—they lacked the exact speed control and consistent wake characteristics found on specialized inboard ski and wake boats. That is, until now. Yamaha’s Helm Master EX is changing the narrative for tow sports.
The Helm Master EX is available on Yamaha’s new generation of digital outboards, which are offered in the 150- to 450-hp range. It is available in four levels, with each level building on the previous one. Levels can be added, and each enhances the tow sports experience for both the person in tow and the driver.
All four levels are packed with features designed to improve navigation, fishing, and docking. However, the standout features for tow sports include:
Level 1: Digital Electronic Control (DEC)
Provides smooth throttle engagement into gear and during acceleration—essential for precision when pulling a skier or rider. Includes speed control with 50-rpm adjustments, letting Yamaha-powered boats match the exact speed accuracy of specialized tow boats.
Level 2: Digital Electric Steering (DES)
Smooth, precise steering with adjustable wheel tension enables confident maneuvering around riders and helps maintain a straight course—enhancing control behind the wheel.
Level 3: Autopilot (AP)
The GPS-controlled Course Hold autonomously keeps the boat’s path perfectly straight—delivering a consistent wake shape crucial for tow sports. This advanced feature isn’t found even on specialized inboard tow boats.
Level 4: Full Maneuverability (FM)
Joystick control delivers efficient, precise low-speed maneuvering—ideal for smoothly turning to or around a skier or rider at the start or end of a pass.
Precision Matters: The Science Behind a Perfect Tow
When Helm Master EX features like speed control, precise steering, course hold, and efficient maneuverability are paired with the higher tow points now available on family and fishing boats, they expand a boat’s versatility and elevate the tow experience—enhancing enjoyment and skill development for riders and skiers.
To understand the impact of Helm Master EX, it’s key to know the two essentials for optimal water skiing and wakeboarding: exact speed and a straight path. These essentials produce a consistent pull and wake shape—critical for every pass, whether you’re a beginner or a pro. Any change in speed or wake shape disrupts performance.
Here’s how Helm Master EX raises the bar for tow sports and transforms a wide range of boating segments:
Dual Consoles & Center Console Boats: From Offshore Fishing to Big-Air Wakeboarding
These single- and multi-outboard-powered boats, designed for offshore fishing with deep-V hulls, were once limited to basic tow sports like tubing because they couldn’t hold exact speed when a rider jumped the boat’s wake. However, with Helm Master EX’s precision speed and course control, their larger, deeper-V hulls now become an advantage—creating a bigger wake with a smooth, upward slope ideal for wakeboarders, wakeskaters, and kneeboarders who want to get big air and perform stylish aerial tricks.
Adding to the Helm Master EX advantage, some builders—such as Grady-White® and Robalo—are even including a tow point on the hardtop on certain models. The combination of precise speed, consistent wake shape, and an elevated tow point results in more air time when jumping the wake to perform grabs, spins, and inverts. This higher tow point is also an excellent training aid, making two-ski or slalom starts and barefooting easier to learn.
The joystick feature is also especially helpful on these larger boats, making it easier to return to a rider in the water.
Bowriders & Deck Boats: From Tow Sports Morning to Afternoon Cruises
Already a great platform for family fun, bowriders such as Regal®, Chaparral®, and Cobalt®, and deck boats from Starcraft® and Hurricane®, come with features ideal for tow sports—such as ample storage for skis and wakeboards, plus optional pylons or towers.
Helm Master EX is a masterstroke on these boats, with its speed control solving the common problem of holding a precise 20 mph for wakeboarding—a speed where the boat is not fully on plane. This combination of pre-existing tow features with Helm Master EX’s precision creates the best of both worlds: a boat that’s great for family cruising and tow sports performance.
Bay Boats & Bass Boats: From Casting Lines to Carving Slalom Turns
Though designed for serious fishing, the lighter, more agile nature of bay and bass boats makes them ideal for tow sports. With Helm Master EX, their digital steering, smooth throttle, and speed control greatly improve the tow experience for skiers and riders.
These boats’ lighter weight and outboard power also provide a smaller, flatter wake—perfect for water skiers, slalom skiers who like to cross the wake aggressively, and barefooters. The smaller wake is also great for tube riders. The open deck and low-to-the-water design make reboarding easier.
Although lighter boats, they can still produce a well-shaped wake for wakeboarding—but holding a consistent speed of around 20 mph when a rider is jumping the wake is difficult. Helm Master EX speed control solves that problem beautifully.
Some bay boat manufacturers—such as Key West®, Sea Pro®, and Scout®—offer a sturdy tow arch over the Yamaha outboard. This design keeps the tow line safely above the engine, simplifies line attachment, and provides an elevated tow point—a big bonus for skiers and wakeboarders.
Pontoon Boats: The Ultimate Social Cruiser—Now Tow-Ready Like Never Before
Pontoons are the quintessential platform for family and social boating. In recent years, they’ve evolved from slow cruisers to high-powered platforms well-suited for tow sports.
Boat brands such as Sylvan® and SunCatcher® now outfit modern pontoons with ski pylons, tow arches over the outboard engine, and even wakeboard towers. They also have plenty of storage for skis, boards, and tow lines.
The smooth throttle control, speed control, and precise digital electric steering in Helm Master EX perfectly complement the higher tow points found on today’s pontoons. This combination enhances recreational wakeboarding, water skiing, and kneeboarding. Even towing a tube is improved, with speed control contributing to a smoother, more controlled experience.
Tow Sports Nirvana: Unleash Your Boat’s Full Personality
Helm Master EX isn’t just a feature on a boat—it’s a sophisticated innovation that transforms the boat’s personality by enhancing the entire boating experience and expanding its capabilities.
With Helm Master EX, your family or fishing boat becomes a precision tow sports machine—ready to deliver new adventures and excitement for everyone on board.
Back to Blue Life
The hallmark feature of every specialized ski and wake boat is the tow point, found on a ski pylon or a wakeboard tower. Over the past two decades, this feature for towing water skiers and wakeboard riders has been adopted by a range of boat types, including dual console and center console fishing boats, bowriders, deck boats, bay boats, bass boats, and even pontoons.
But even though these family and fishing boats featured the upward pull of a ski pylon—and the even higher upward pull of a wakeboard tower—they lacked the exact speed control and consistent wake characteristics found on specialized inboard ski and wake boats. That is, until now. Yamaha’s Helm Master EX is changing the narrative for tow sports.
The Helm Master EX is available on Yamaha’s new generation of digital outboards, which are offered in the 150- to 450-hp range. It is available in four levels, with each level building on the previous one. Levels can be added, and each enhances the tow sports experience for both the person in tow and the driver.
All four levels are packed with features designed to improve navigation, fishing, and docking. However, the standout features for tow sports include:
Level 1: Digital Electronic Control (DEC)
Provides smooth throttle engagement into gear and during acceleration—essential for precision when pulling a skier or rider. Includes speed control with 50-rpm adjustments, letting Yamaha-powered boats match the exact speed accuracy of specialized tow boats.
Level 2: Digital Electric Steering (DES)
Smooth, precise steering with adjustable wheel tension enables confident maneuvering around riders and helps maintain a straight course—enhancing control behind the wheel.
Level 3: Autopilot (AP)
The GPS-controlled Course Hold autonomously keeps the boat’s path perfectly straight—delivering a consistent wake shape crucial for tow sports. This advanced feature isn’t found even on specialized inboard tow boats.
Level 4: Full Maneuverability (FM)
Joystick control delivers efficient, precise low-speed maneuvering—ideal for smoothly turning to or around a skier or rider at the start or end of a pass.
Precision Matters: The Science Behind a Perfect Tow
When Helm Master EX features like speed control, precise steering, course hold, and efficient maneuverability are paired with the higher tow points now available on family and fishing boats, they expand a boat’s versatility and elevate the tow experience—enhancing enjoyment and skill development for riders and skiers.
To understand the impact of Helm Master EX, it’s key to know the two essentials for optimal water skiing and wakeboarding: exact speed and a straight path. These essentials produce a consistent pull and wake shape—critical for every pass, whether you’re a beginner or a pro. Any change in speed or wake shape disrupts performance.
Here’s how Helm Master EX raises the bar for tow sports and transforms a wide range of boating segments:
Dual Consoles & Center Console Boats: From Offshore Fishing to Big-Air Wakeboarding
These single- and multi-outboard-powered boats, designed for offshore fishing with deep-V hulls, were once limited to basic tow sports like tubing because they couldn’t hold exact speed when a rider jumped the boat’s wake. However, with Helm Master EX’s precision speed and course control, their larger, deeper-V hulls now become an advantage—creating a bigger wake with a smooth, upward slope ideal for wakeboarders, wakeskaters, and kneeboarders who want to get big air and perform stylish aerial tricks.
Adding to the Helm Master EX advantage, some builders—such as Grady-White® and Robalo—are even including a tow point on the hardtop on certain models. The combination of precise speed, consistent wake shape, and an elevated tow point results in more air time when jumping the wake to perform grabs, spins, and inverts. This higher tow point is also an excellent training aid, making two-ski or slalom starts and barefooting easier to learn.
The joystick feature is also especially helpful on these larger boats, making it easier to return to a rider in the water.
Bowriders & Deck Boats: From Tow Sports Morning to Afternoon Cruises
Already a great platform for family fun, bowriders such as Regal®, Chaparral®, and Cobalt®, and deck boats from Starcraft® and Hurricane®, come with features ideal for tow sports—such as ample storage for skis and wakeboards, plus optional pylons or towers.
Helm Master EX is a masterstroke on these boats, with its speed control solving the common problem of holding a precise 20 mph for wakeboarding—a speed where the boat is not fully on plane. This combination of pre-existing tow features with Helm Master EX’s precision creates the best of both worlds: a boat that’s great for family cruising and tow sports performance.
Bay Boats & Bass Boats: From Casting Lines to Carving Slalom Turns
Though designed for serious fishing, the lighter, more agile nature of bay and bass boats makes them ideal for tow sports. With Helm Master EX, their digital steering, smooth throttle, and speed control greatly improve the tow experience for skiers and riders.
These boats’ lighter weight and outboard power also provide a smaller, flatter wake—perfect for water skiers, slalom skiers who like to cross the wake aggressively, and barefooters. The smaller wake is also great for tube riders. The open deck and low-to-the-water design make reboarding easier.
Although lighter boats, they can still produce a well-shaped wake for wakeboarding—but holding a consistent speed of around 20 mph when a rider is jumping the wake is difficult. Helm Master EX speed control solves that problem beautifully.
Some bay boat manufacturers—such as Key West®, Sea Pro®, and Scout®—offer a sturdy tow arch over the Yamaha outboard. This design keeps the tow line safely above the engine, simplifies line attachment, and provides an elevated tow point—a big bonus for skiers and wakeboarders.
Pontoon Boats: The Ultimate Social Cruiser—Now Tow-Ready Like Never Before
Pontoons are the quintessential platform for family and social boating. In recent years, they’ve evolved from slow cruisers to high-powered platforms well-suited for tow sports.
Boat brands such as Sylvan® and SunCatcher® now outfit modern pontoons with ski pylons, tow arches over the outboard engine, and even wakeboard towers. They also have plenty of storage for skis, boards, and tow lines.
The smooth throttle control, speed control, and precise digital electric steering in Helm Master EX perfectly complement the higher tow points found on today’s pontoons. This combination enhances recreational wakeboarding, water skiing, and kneeboarding. Even towing a tube is improved, with speed control contributing to a smoother, more controlled experience.
Tow Sports Nirvana: Unleash Your Boat’s Full Personality
Helm Master EX isn’t just a feature on a boat—it’s a sophisticated innovation that transforms the boat’s personality by enhancing the entire boating experience and expanding its capabilities.
With Helm Master EX, your family or fishing boat becomes a precision tow sports machine—ready to deliver new adventures and excitement for everyone on board.
Back to Blue Life