TRENDS Our definitive guide to assisted mooring systems.

Mooring a sailboat, especially in crowded harbors or difficult weather conditions, can challenge even the most experienced skippers. For this For the past few years, designers and construction sites have been developing smart systems that, once installed on board, make it easier to maneuver

When he is out on the open sea, sitting at the helm of his boat with his sails set and his hair blowing in the wind, the sailor feels like a phenomenon. All he needs to do is set the course, take a look at the compass, follow the Gps, and if he is not quite overcome by laziness every now and then he may give the genoa or mainsail a trim, just to gain an extra fraction of a knot.

End of his problems, just the pleasure of going to the horizon. The real sailor, however, is seen in port. Everything changes when you have to moor your boat, perhaps conquer a berth within a small and crowded marina, or sit idle waiting for fuel. Then if there is a crosswind and undertow that sense of bravado on the skipper’s face in an instant vanishes, the gaze becomes serious and focused, losing aplomb amidst ranting orders and cursing at every saint for a clumsy maneuver is so easy.

There is the fear of colliding with the dock or a nearby boat, of seeing a transom get caught in the propeller, of making a fool of yourself in front of the other docked sailors ready for sarcastic giggles and relentless judgment. It happens to everyone, first-time sailors and seasoned owners. The truth is that mooring is always an ugly beast, making people break out in cold sweats and lower their feathers.

A STRESS-FREE BERTH PLEASE….

That’s why when we hear about assisted mooring more and more sailors are pricking up their ears. The idea of being helped, protected, and facilitated during a docking maneuver at the dock or when dropping anchor in the roadstead is very much liked. No more stress, nervous breakdowns and cold sweats. But is it all true or an impossible dream? Good news: assisted mooring is now an established reality, even on sailboats.

In fact, for the past few years more and more companies and shipyards have been developing smart devices that can make mooring an easy task for everyone. This boating revolution stems from advances in automotive technology, in the classic game of mirrors that often sees boats copying cars in terms of comfort, ease of operation and safety.

Indeed, it is not so much the boats that copy the cars, it is we boaters who now want to repeat at sea that reassuring feeling of being “pampered” technologically, as if we were aboard an SUV or sedan. The nautical market is merely intercepting these needs and meeting them.

So let’s see what is available to a sailor today who wants to be a phenomenon not only offshore, but also in port. What specifically are assisted mooring devices? How do they work? What are their advantages? How can they be installed aboard a monohull or sailing catamaran?

EVEN FOR SAILORS

Wrong, we said, are those who think that assisted mooring is a hi-tech revolution for the exclusive use and consumption of powerboat owners. Of course, the “powerboat people” have been the target audience of designers and manufacturers of these intelligent systems from the start, but only as a matter of numbers: that there are more of them in the world than sailors is a fact. However, let’s not forget that the mooring maneuver a sailboat always does with a motor.

In addition, the sail is now ready to absorb the assisted mooring for at least three reasons. Cultural first and foremost: the skepticism of hard-core sailors toward novelty is now a thing of the past, especially if those novelties make life at sea better.

Technological: Today even sailboats are born already automated, with the systems connected to each other and easy to manage, full of advanced technology and true to the philosophy of easy sailing.

Finally, sailing has seen its user base widen more and more in recent years with neophyte people who perhaps charter the boat once a year for summer cruising and are able to appreciate every single hi-tech gadget that makes it easier for them to perform the most difficult maneuvers, such as precisely mooring.

A BIT OF HISTORY

As a testament to the extent to which sailboats have been protagonists in this revolution, one need only mention one of the first assisted mooring prototypes that was developed in 2010 by engineers from the German company ComfoDrive. The device was developed through the German Nautical and Tourism Institute’s Fit&Sail scientific research project, which analyzed levels of physical exertion and stress during sailing related to crew age.

Leading the study was Dr. Burkhard Weisser, a professor at the University of Kiel, who personally conducted a series of tests on sailors over 60 years old by recording their heartbeats during phases of sailing. It turned out that the key problem for the older crews was precisely mooring maneuvers.

The Fit&Sail project then convinced the ComfoDrive team led by Wolf-Dieter Mell to focus on an intelligent system that could help in dockside docking maneuvers for shipowners over 60 years old. The idea was to incentivize this huge demographic to enter the yachting industry, buy boats and enjoy them in retirement.

Thus was born the ComfoDrive, an assisted mooring system that featured a large joystick with three-axis motion and wide tilt angles that could be operated with one hand and offer great precision in all conditions. Associated with the joystick were a pair of thrusters, bow and stern, installed on the boat’s drive shaft and servo motors to operate the standard mechanical gearbox and throttle cables.

The first commercial application of ComfoDrive using external Exturn bow and stern thrusters featured a sailboat of its own, a Bénéteau Cyclades 43.3 model that was being chartered by the Yacht & Charterzentrum company based in Heiligenhafen on the Baltic Sea.

BENETEAU FIRST SHIPYARD TO “SNIFF OUT”

The positive experience of ComfoDrive definitely paved the way for assisted mooring, and many other companies, such as the French shipyard Bénéteau, for example, immediately invested in this area. Those who buy an Oceanis sailing cabin cruiser from 50 to 55 feet today have the option of being able to install the Dock & Go device on the boat. How does it work? Boat maneuverability during mooring is provided by the combination of a 360-degree rotating saildrive synchronized through a control unit with a bow thruster.

With a fixed joystick located near the wheelhouse, you can thus easily maneuver in tight spaces, with 90-degree translation to starboard and port, forward and backward, including hull rotation on the spot. The 180-degree rotation of the pod also means that the folding propellers can release the same power in both reverse and forward gear. Whatever the winds, currents and port configuration, thanks to Dock & Go you can then maneuver the boat with impeccable precision.

STILL BOAT? EASIER WITH RADIO CONTROL

Another type of assisted mooring available to sailors is that of the Yacht Controller system (developed by an Italian company), which involves the use of a handheld radio remote control that allows the boat’s engine to be controlled not only from the cockpit, but from anywhere on the boat, thus maximizing visibility of the scenery around the boat and having greater mastery of the mooring maneuver in the harbor or marina.

Such a device is also useful while standing in line at the fuel dock, since if there is a so-called “electronic anchor” installed on board, that is, the system that automatically holds the boat stationary, the remote control also controls this function.

But also think about its functionality during anchorages in the roadstead. Basically, it allows you to perform the maneuver yourself by positioning yourself at the bow: with the transmitter in your hand you choose where to drop the anchor, for example, avoiding the posidonia, then you check the necessary chain calum and operate the reverse gear until the anchor has caught.

Same advantage occurs when you need to de-anchor, as you give forward gear until you find the vertical of the anchor and pull it up without stressing the windlass. Finally, it could also come in handy in anchorages with ground lines, again due to the fact that you do not need other people to perform the maneuver. What’s more, all Yacht Controller devices are waterproof, so you can safely dive into the water and fix the top on your own.

Same prowess as a radio control and the same freedom to move along the boat offers the Dockmate, a device developed by the Belgian company PPA, which allows you to operate the inboard (forward and reverse), any bow and stern thrusters, and even the windlass.
For example, among the sailing applications of the Dockmate is the Surfari 50, a cabin cruiser built by the American shipyard Fontaine Design Group for American singer Jimmy Buffett and equipped with an original, highly apprued wheelhouse that is fully protected by side windows and an extension of the deckhouse that acts as a roof. With the Dockmate, our Jimmy can also moor solo.

NICE TO MOOR WITH THE CAMERA

One of the assisted mooring systems that more than others borrows technology that has already been applied to cars for years, particularly parking sensors with associated cameras, is theECAB. How would you like it, for example, if as you approached the berth for docking on a multifunction display installed in the cockpit you were shown the perfect image of the dock coupled with data on the distance to the obstacle, the time of impact, and real-time and estimated trajectory calculations? What if an audible alarm set by you warned you as the dock approached, giving you the opportunity to best dose the engine throttle and trim the maneuver?

Well the ECAB, whose acronym stands for “Easy Control Automatic Boat” does just that. It is a device developed and patented in 2014 by the Friuli-based company Astra Yacht. Its Rgb cameras interfaced with radar, Gps and shipboard compass data come in handy not only while mooring in ports, but also in anchorages in roadsteads, as well as when sailing in narrow passages or near rocks or other boats.

CRUISE CONTROL GETS ON THE BOAT

Also inspired by automotive technology and even more advanced is the Docksense assisted mooring system, recently developed by Raymarine. You know the Adaptive Cruise Control that corrects your driving when you are with your car on the highway and unintentionally cross another lane? Here the Docksense does the same thing when you are mooring your boat.

With five built-in Flir thermal imaging cameras that give you a 360-degree view, you can visualize everything around your boat, e.g., docks, buoys and buoy markers, plus if an object enters the range of your “virtual fender,” DockSense automatically introduces corrective course and engine power commands to avoid damage and assist you in the most delicate phase of mooring. Here is the “plus” of this system: the mooring maneuver with the Docksense is always you doing it from the cockpit, but in case of mistake or distraction, the system takes over and saves your boat.

Initially designed for power boats, DockSense is programmed in its latest versions to integrate best on sailboats as well, at least on those that have their propulsion systems integrated with each other.

WHAT IF THE BOAT MOORED ITSELF?

But the opportunities to be assisted during docking do not stop there. Companies such as Volvo Penta are at the forefront of meeting the demands of hi-tech-loving sailors. To wow them with the latest industry breakthrough, the Swedish company in 2018 took advantage of the Gothenburg leg of the famous Volvo Ocean Race, the round-the-world crewed race.

In front of the spectators packed into the dock, a 20-meter Azimut moored itself perfectly in the space between two Vor 65 race participants, despite the fact that a strong wind was blowing. A maneuver made possible by “Self Docking Yacht Technology,” a Volvo Penta patent. The system, which will be on the market by 2020, is based on Ips (Integrated Propulsion System) propulsion characterized by a rotating double pod, a control unit, and four sensors to be placed at the dock to locate the precise mooring area.

Basically, when you approach the berth with your boat, the system will warn you that you have entered the signal capture area: once this has activated the “self docking” function, the boat, taking advantage of the Gps with Dynamic Positioning System technology, which automatically keeps the boat stationary at a point, will position itself in the “ready to dock” mode. All that will be left for you at the helm is to initiate the final phase of the maneuver by pressing a button, and the system, interpolating maneuvering propellers, Gps, and dockside sensors, will automatically move the boat into the berth with pinpoint accuracy. A useful system at berth, when standing at anchor or in case you are waiting for a bridge to open or for your turn to refuel.

At the moment, the Swedish manufacturer has specified that Self Docking will be available for new boats, but it will be possible to retrofit the system to models that already have Volvo Ips engines. In short, thanks to all this sailor-friendly technology, today mooring maneuvers are truly within everyone’s reach. And the real phenomenon at the helm will be those who just can’t moor…

David Ingiosi

FOCUS: THE MARKET FOR ASSISTED MOORING SYSTEMS

BENETEAU / DOCK & GO

After an initial prototype tested in 2009, French shipyard Bénéteau patented and made the Dock & Go available to the public starting in 2012. The first cabin cruisers to be equipped with the device at the owners’ request were the Sense 50 models and the Oceanis 46 and 50, which were equipped with a 75-hp Yanmar diesel engine. The Dock & Go is basically a system involving a joystick that synchronizes the boat’s 360-degree rotating sail drive foot with a bow thruster, allowing the hull to turn on itself and move sideways or diagonally. Very intuitive, safe and simple to use, this technology allows the boat to be moved in a limited space and easily accessed even in ports with the most complicated moorings. Info: www.beneteau.com

PPA / DOCKMATE

Dockmate, developed by the Belgian company PPA, includes a remote control and a receiver that transfers commands to on-board engines. In its “Single” version, the remote control allows you to operate the inboard (forward and reverse), any bow and stern propellers, and even the anchor windlass. The advantage is precisely the absence of a fixed joystick that allows the helmsman to move around the boat in search of the best view during the mooring maneuver. For now, this is not an easily applicable “retrofit” device. It should be mentioned, however, that inboard manufacturers, such as Yanmar, for example, are making thrusters with this technology even under 40 hp, so this kind of assisted mooring will also be able to be applied to smaller hulls. The Italian distributor is Polinautica. Info: www.dockmate.eu

RAYMARINE / DOCKSENSE

One of the most cutting-edge applications in assisted mooring is DockSense, designed and developed by Raymarine. The device takes advantage of Virtual Bumper technology, which is a kind of “virtual fender” that locates the safe zone around the boat. If an object enters the range of the Virtual Bumper, DockSense automatically introduces corrective course and engine power commands to prevent damage and assist the skipper in the most delicate phase of mooring. DockSense uses five Flir thermal imaging cameras, the onboard Gps, a central processing module, and an application that runs on Raymarine’s Axiom navigation display. Should the skipper then wish to have complete manual control while maneuvering, DockSense can always be turned off, via a button on the display. Info: www.raymarine.com

ASTRA YACHT / ECAB

ECAB is a high-tech device that is the result of nearly 4 years of research work carried out by the Italian company Astra Yacht in collaboration with MareFvg, Fvg’s maritime technology cluster, the Monte Carlo Yachts shipyard, the Ermetris company and the University of Trieste. It was created as a modular system that is easy to install on motorboats and sailboats and helps to maneuver in port or while anchoring safely and without accidents. The device combines one or more Rgb cameras and radar-based image recognition systems. The images are displayed by overlaying them with a grid of Gps, compass, and accelerometer data directly on onboard multifunction displays providing the skipper with an exact measurement of the boat’s distances to obstacles, time of impact, and real-time and estimated trajectory calculations. Various alarms can also be set for perimeter control of the boat remotely. Info: www.astrayacht.com

VOLVO PENTA / SELF DOCKING

Among the most advanced assisted mooring systems is Volvo Penta’s Self-Docking Yacht Technology. It is an automatic mooring system that allows the boat to position itself thanks to sensors mounted on board and at the dock. How does it work? When you are close to the desired berth, simply enter the Self Docking function, which works with the help of Gps and sensors mounted on the boat and at the dock. Therefore, it will be necessary for ports to equip themselves with compatible components in order to use it at present. The Self-Docking project is part of the easy boating philosophy launched a few years ago by Volvo Penta: letting the boat moor on its own thanks to an electronic control unit that automatically assesses spaces, operations to be undertaken, and power to be used without the captain’s intervention. Info: www.volvopenta.it

YACHT CONTROLLER / DUAL BAND

All “made in Italy” technology is that of the Yacht Controller, a radio engine control system that makes it easy to maneuver sailboats and motorboats in port and roadstead. It is developed by the Brianza-based company of the same name, which with its two subsidiaries Axiomtek Italia and Micro Device (world leaders in industrial computers and automation) forms the Microfin Group. The Yacht Controller is a small radio controller that has the ability to maneuver the boat during mooring by directly operating the motors and maneuvering propellers. It is currently declined in 5 models, the Dual band, the Dual Band Plus, the En-Joy, the Jcs-Plus, and the V.Ips, which connect easily and securely to the thrusters’ electronic throttles via plug and play interfaces. Info: www.yachtcontroller.it

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