Two Selectable Power/Transmission Controls into 1 Motor

[rwatson]

The challenge - A boat with two nav Stations ( one on the Stern ala sailing boat - for nice weather, docking etc) and one in the Cabin (for bad weather) - needs to be able to control (Gears and Throttle) on one motor.

I don't envisage that both need to be connected at the same time, but the transition from one to the other needs to be as easy and quick as possible.

Are we looking at taps in a hydraulic system, linkages between two control plates ????

All ideas welcome.

[Poida]

I quite often, although I know nothing, try and work out how I would do something asked on this site, and see how close I can get to the experts.

However, you mentioned sailing, as in wind sail or a power boat sailing ie do we have an engine running all the time for hydraulics or is it wind powered and mechanical linkages are required?

Poida

[rwatson]

Originally Posted by Poida

I quite often, although I know nothing, try and work out how I would do something asked on this site, and see how close I can get to the experts.

However, you mentioned sailing, as in wind sail or a power boat sailing ie do we have an engine running all the time for hydraulics or is it wind powered and mechanical linkages are required?

Poida

Asking is always a good plan.

I shouldn't need need anything but muscle power to drive small hydraulics on this boat. I should have mentioned we are talking a 28ft trailer sailer, with a 50-80 hp outboard.

Important details I omitted.

[rwatson]

Research so far :-

Teleflex 177030 Dual Station Throttle Unit

http://www.boatersland.com/tel177030.html

[gonzo]

You can also get them from Uflex. The parts mix and match between brands

[rwatson]

Originally Posted by gonzo

You can also get them from Uflex. The parts mix and match between brands

I'm not even sure what the parts do - I have sent an email off to Teleflex, to see what they suggest.

[gonzo]

Everything is off the shelves. I install them all the time. The lower helm pump gets two fittings that connect it to the upper.

[rwatson]

Originally Posted by gonzo

Everything is off the shelves. I install them all the time. The lower helm pump gets two fittings that connect it to the upper.

Pumps ? - they are supposed to be engine controls ?

[CDK]

The Teleflex 177030 solution is mechanical, with a selector to lock out the control unit you do not use.
Works not as smooth as hydraulic or electronic controls, but it's much cheaper, especially if you already have a cable operated unit.

[rwatson]

I don't mind which method, but I would like to locate and understand a reliable method of operating two stations (not simultaneously). Hydraulic appeals a bit more than electronic.

I cant remember if most outboard engines in the 50 - 70 hp range have two cables ( gear and throttle ), or if the one cable is all that is required.

[powerabout]

check out the outboards carefully as many have electric controls now so second station is simple
Multi station controls have been around for years

[keysdisease]

I would NOT recommend this unit or anything similar.

There are two methods for dual station controls that are typical. Both call for dual lever controls, one lever for throttle, one lever for gear.

These units can almost all be rigged in series, that is one unit has two control cables that go into the next unit and then two cables go to the engine.

The other option in parrallel, the two control cables from each control go directly to the engine. This method also allows redundancy.

Both these methods are commonly found on dual station motorboats, my own vessel has the controls in parralel from the factory.

Both the above methods involve a total of 4 cables. The unit you are looking at calls for 7 cables and the attendent friction of the exchange box . My experience with these has been that they are problematic in their complexity.

If you have to have single lever control, one lever throttle and shift in one, then the electronic controls are the way to go. There are no hydraulic single lever controls available that I am aware of. Hynautic brand is all dual lever.

Steve in South Florida

Originally Posted by rwatson

Research so far :-

Teleflex 177030 Dual Station Throttle Unit

http://www.boatersland.com/tel177030.html

[keysdisease]

Take a look here for diagrams of both series and parallel installations:

http://www.foreandaftmarine.com/UF-PICKACONTROL.htm

Steve

[rwatson]

Many thanks for that info guys - very helpful.

The electric controls would be ideal by the looks of it.

I had envisaged the paralell connections, but I was worried about what happens to the controls to the unoccupied station when the cables have to be dragged around by the active station.

If, say, the motors throttle cable is operated by one cable, I would have thought that the unused cable would also have to be 'dragged' , making the operation heavier.

It sounds like the average dealer will have no trouble finding a solution. I might do a ring around some dealers to get some local info also.

[gonzo]

The steering (helm) is a rotary piston pump and get connected in parallel. The shifter/throttle are already setup to be connected together.