Docking a boat is always a bit of a show, especially for spectators. And in the age of social media, every skipper should know that a botched maneuver might earn them the starring role in the next docking fail video.
This is a reminder of how antisocial social media can be and how helpful joystick-assisted docking can feel by comparison. In the past, docking assistants were only available for twin-engine boats. If you had a single outboard, you were still on your own, with just your skills, instincts, and bow thruster to get you through.
That’s changed. Major engine makers now offer central harbor control for single-outboard setups, too. Market leader Mercury Marine has just rolled out a product that makes docking as easy as uploading a fail video. The only clunky part? The name: “Joystick Steering for Single Engine Vessels”.
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Is this kind of convenience really necessary? Of course, the most crucial maneuver in boating—docking—is something every skipper should practice thoroughly. But in real life, external conditions make all the difference. A gust of wind, a bit of swell, and suddenly it’s filming time for the dockside crowd.
If in action the lights turn red © Wildberg
Those tricky conditions were exactly what we encountered during our test on the Rio Minho. A light southwesterly breeze funneled through the valley of this border river between Portugal and Galicia, occasionally kicking up. The river’s glassy surface was deceptive—the current was strong. As we crept toward the dock, the flow quickly started to pull us off course.
One tap of a button transfers control from the wheel to the joystick. “You can cancel anytime—just touch the wheel or the throttle,” explains Mercury product manager Christian Diop.
He recommends wrapping your whole hand around the joystick, not just using two fingers. Currently, the new system is compatible with Mercury’s three large Verado engines (V12, V10, V8). While it’s designed for new builds, retrofits are possible too, provided the boat already has electric steering and a bow thruster.
Steer in nearly any direction
Much like BMW’s iconic “iDrive” controller, the Mercury joystick is a chunky knob, not a flimsy stick. You can tilt it and rotate it at the same time. A green light ring indicates readiness; once moved, the light turns red.
Tilt it forward, and the boat moves ahead. Tilt it back and you reverse. But if you want the boat to shift diagonally—say, aft to port—you tilt and twist simultaneously. The more you turn, the more power is applied to the outboard and bow thruster. When released, the knob springs back to center.
The logic is intuitive. To move the stern back to port, twist right, as if you were trying to push the boat.
