remote outboard throttle setup

[mick hodapp]

good morning fellow sailors, i am wondering if any of you have installed any type of remote throttle set up that would run from the outboard to further forward in the cockpit. i have a 1985 m25 & the motor is a honda 1989 bf8ah, long shaft 4 stroke, pull start & it is located on the portside stern transom on a swing up mount. my problem is that i have to turn my back to the bow while docking & it is dangerous because my slip is very tight . any advice , pictures or diagram would be greatly appreciated. i am thinking along the lines of something like a throttle from a garden tractor or a lawnmower. i am going to make a outboard tiller handle like sumner did to his, & i will also hook the motor to the rudder tiller. thanks
mick

 

[Benny17441]

I don't think installing engine controls would help much. An outboard does a lousy job of controlling a sailboat in tight quarters and remote controls will not overcome that. If you are having trouble tending to the outboard and docking the boat it is likely that you are approaching too fast or trying to power the boat into the slip requiring multiple engine adjustments. Docking a boat is like landing a plane, it is a controlled crash. It takes a little practice to figure out at what speed you should approach to a certain point where you disengage the engine or cut power and can glide into the slip with just the last bit of steering left. Once a boat looses steering standing behind the wheel or tending to a tiller is useless so get up and grab a post or throw a line to complete docking. Even when backing it in I find that doing it at slow speed works best. It is all about calculating drift.

 

[sandytoes24]

Check out powertiller.com. I have one and it helps a lot with the problem you are having.

 

[mick hodapp]

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO REPLY TO MY SITUATION, YOU MAKE SOME VALID POINTS & I AM PERHAPS BRINGING HER IN A BIT TOO FAST & I WILL EXPERIMENT WITH SLOWING IT DOWN & SEE WHAT HAPPENS, HOWEVER I AM STILL INTERESTED IN A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS ME TO ACCESS THE MOTOR CONTROLS EASIER. THANKS AGAIN !!

 

[mick hodapp]

Check out powertiller.com. I have one and it helps a lot with the problem you are having.

THANK YOU FOR THE INFO. I TALKED TO BILL (THE OWNER OF POWER TILLER)2 WEEKS AGO . IRAN ACCROSS THE POWER TILLER ON A LINK I SAW SOMEWHERE. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER PRICING FOR ME, HOWEVER, IT SEEMS LIKE IT MAY BE SOMETIME BEFORE THIS HAPPENS& THAT HIS PRODUCTION OF THEM HAS SLOWED DOWN. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THE CABLES FIT ONTO THE MOTOR. I AM TOLD THAT EACH MOTOR COMPANY HAS THEIR OWN CONNECTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE ORDERED SEPARATELY . I HAVE A 8HP HONDA & HAVE TALKED TO BOATS.NET BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM ASKING FOR. ARE THERE BRACKETS THAT HOOK ONTO THE MOTOR FOR THIS APPLICATION. HOW DO YOU LIKE YOURS & WAS IT EXPENSIVE ? HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD IT ? IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE THE ANSWER TO MY PROBLEM.
THANKS AGAIN,
MICK

 

[Joe]

First..... Turn off your Caps Lock... please...
A remote control system for your outboard will be a fantastic addition. You should check with your OB manufacturer's for any kit's they may offer. Typically, you'll need some kind of throttle and shift arm linkage plus little parts that will be unique to your motor. The control box will be the most expensive piece....
So... just call your Honda service people, tell them you want a remote kit (not for steering, that's a different animal.. you want it for throttle and gear shifting.) Expect to pay around $350 to 500 or more.
I googled "Honda outboard remote control kit" and got a number of hits Here's one
Here's something from Honda Marine

 

[mick hodapp]

First..... Turn off your Caps Lock... please...
A remote control system for your outboard will be a fantastic addition. You should check with your OB manufacturer's for any kit's they may offer. Typically, you'll need some kind of throttle and shift arm linkage plus little parts that will be unique to your motor. The control box will be the most expensive piece....
So... just call your Honda service people, tell them you want a remote kit (not for steering, that's a different animal.. you want it for throttle and gear shifting.) Expect to pay around $350 to 500 or more.
I googled "Honda outboard remote control kit" and got a number of hits Here's one
Here's something from Honda Marine

 

[mick hodapp]

good morning joe, thanks for the info & i apologize for the capitol letters,i assume that everyones eyesight is as poor as mine. i will certainly check with honda tomorrow morning on the control bracket that is required. this price range might be out of the ballpark for me since i live in puerto vallarta & shipping would be a bear, but we'll see.
thanks again'
mick

 

[Macboy]

Right at the end of the season I made my way to the local bicycle shop and picked up a bicycle shifter, some cable and housing and cable stops to set up a remote throttle on the tiller of our Mac. Here's the link to the YouTube video. Easy DIY and only cost me $6 for the parts. I think the only way to get shift control is with some sort of solid linkage however which you would not be able to mount on the tiller but you never know...they say necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[mick hodapp]

thanks for the link & a great big DITTO on the mother of invention thing,especially down here in puerto vallarta where things aren't as handy as to get as they are in the states,plus not speaking the language well is a big factor also. . i will check this out.how is it working for you ?
mick

 

[sandytoes24]

Mick, my Power tiller was bought in 2011. The Power tiller cost $359. The kit to adapt the PT cables to my Tohatsu 9.8 cost $20 also from Bill at Power tiller. $20 shipping charge. $399 total. Fairly expensive but in my opinion it's worth it. You can control the throttle and gear shift while standing straight up in the cockpit.

 

[sandytoes24]

Mick, forgot to say that I also have connected my Tohatsu to the tiller and removed the tiller handle from the Tohatsu. I can fully rotate the outboard in both directions. Everything works great! Good luck with your mods!

 

[mick hodapp]

thank you so much for the information! i am still waiting to hesr back from Bill with pricing for the unit & shipping for it here. is it a bracket that you needed to hook the cables to the motor? i will let you know how it goes. thanks again !!
mick

 

[sandytoes24]

The Power Tiller comes with two separate sliding control knobs. Each knob is connected to a cable that goes to the outboard. Special fittings connect the cables to the throttle and gear shift on the outboard. The two sliding control knobs attach to your standard tiller however it is most convenient for you. If you have not already done so go to Youtube and search for "PowerTiller demo" and "Backing into slip with PowerTiller".

 

[Macboy]

It was a late season gear grab just before the bike shops packed away all the summer stuff so our Mac was already shuffled down on the priority list for a spell. Once the holidays pass and ice carving season is over (soon) I'll be back in the garage looking for things to keep tinkering on. This project will take shape then and I'll be sure to post pictures. In theory though it'll work a treat and not impact the operation of the tiller at all since the cables are so flexible. Still - it will lack the shifter which would be nice.

If it's just for maneuvering in close quarters at low speeds though I don't think I'd trust my power piloting skills. I'd opt for fending off and asking for help from those around. Far less damage to the old pride in asking for a quick hand than in apologizing cuz I thought I could do it without help. Around here I find people love the novelty of helping a sailboat since they are so rarely seen. Maybe on coastal waters or in marinas where it's more commonplace it wouldn't be so?