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Thread: Heliocopter Throttle Control...for a boat motor?

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    Default Heliocopter Throttle Control...for a boat motor?


    Years ago a car fall off a "Handyman" jack. I was under that car and laying sideways (feet at back bumper, & head towards front), working. I was underneath the axle housing tightening a muffler clamp and,,... it pinned me until help came. Bottom of axle housing was 9 inches from the ground, with tires still on the car but,,... my shoulders were (was) 24 inches wide. The weight of the 1976 Chevy Impala Station wagon imploded 2 1/2 inches of my left clavicle. Poof, gone. Now 22 years later there is very much pain and limited usage. OK, so be it,,... (don't need sympathy, just giving some facts for background) ... but using a standard tiller style controlled boat motor, is something I just can't hardly do anymore. I don't run nothing big, just a 9.9 Honda. Right arm is good yet. I am right handed. Here is my question;
    DO they make a "heliocopter like" steering and throttle control "combo" unit for a boat motor? If I could twist the handle on a old style stick steering control to throttle motor and then also to steer with the "stick", and then,,... then,,... I could do it all with my right arm and right hand, and no pain.
    I see the "regular" throttle can work, like they all do, and then the stick steering along with that regular throttle,,... but that leaves one or the other hand/arm, "out",,... when either using the throttle, or using the steering with my good arm. One sure needs both throttle and steering at the same time for complete control of the boat and also the motor, therefore here is my reason of my need.
    Anyone?
    Heliocopter Throttle control...for a boat? Maybe it just don't exist,,...yet. Could make operating a boat possible for one armed people! Not that one armed people can't operate a boat now, but just think what a blessing it could be for some to "have it all" for complete control all the time,,... in one, one handed operating unit!
    Ever heard of such a "thing"? Thanks ahead of time for any help here. Have a good day.

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    Thinking about it,,... they do. On a tiller model the steering and the throttle is in one unit operated by one hand, but if I wanted to do "this" (steer and throttle with right arm),,... I would have to set the motor way off center towards the right side of the boat (looking to the bow). I just thought I could sit looking forward and not off to one side, as I steer and also use my right arm for throttle, where now I have to use my left and it's not gonna be too much longer and,,...I'm out,,...to much pain to be worth it.

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    Anything is possible. I'm sure if your motor is not to old it should have the hookup for remote throttle and shifter. I'm sure if you could find some one to do some fabing there has to be a way to rig a stick steer with a twist throttle like motorcycle or 4 wheeler throttle along with a shift lever beside it. You could also look at finding a cheap used hot foot throttle from a bass boat and rig it for your throttle and rig a steering wheel with cable steer or a stick system.
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    ^^^^ Thats what I was thinking, stick steer and hotfoot. Mercury does have all in one tiller and Evinrude the shifter is out on the tiller handle and the tiller is adjustable to a certain degree up, down and side to side.

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    A good machinist could probably move that handle to the right side of the motor.
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    I'm looking forward to see what folks come up with. Some of the folks cane pole used to work with would be grinning just thinking about the stuff they could do. You'll get some good answers, I'm thinkin.
    Creativity is just intelligence fooling around

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    Quote Originally Posted by cray View Post
    Anything is possible. I'm sure if your motor is not to old it should have the hookup for remote throttle and shifter. I'm sure if you could find some one to do some fabing there has to be a way to rig a stick steer with a twist throttle like motorcycle or 4 wheeler throttle along with a shift lever beside it. You could also look at finding a cheap used hot foot throttle from a bass boat and rig it for your throttle and rig a steering wheel with cable steer or a stick system.
    This is most sensible solution.
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    I am looking at a Pondtoon. It is a custom made boat. I been thinking about the steering. I can make my own steering controls with high speed electric actuators, a couple of relays and a joy stick (steer by wire like the big boats), but I have decided to use hydraulic and use a small helm wheel with a suicide knob. I am somewhat lame (besides mentally) so I really need easy steering.

    Hydraulic is an option for steering.

    We need a budget number. I can get fancy with stuff. Ima ex government employee. ha
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    If you were to use a jet outboard(forward gear only) on a stick steer boat it would be real easy to replace the steering stick with 7/8 handlebar tube and use a standard motorcycle cable/throttle assembly. That would be more like a helo control. If I'm not mistaken I think I saw a setup like that on an old fiberglass airboat.

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    WOW! Great ideas ain't they! That starts me to thinking about the possibilities. I wonder why, in these days and present times, a remote/joy stick steering has not been available. The idea about hydraulics combined with the stick steering is really a great idea! This is a Honda 2006 9.9 with a carb for it's fuel system. I wonder how an injector fueled system (newer) would work on a motorcycle type throttle? Would it still be the same? Robot steering sure seems the answer but at what cost? they have robot steering for trolling motors don't they... so why not bigger engines? There is an answer and all sounded really great ideas. I'm gonna give it some more thought and research and see where it all might go. Forward and back, for gears forward and reverse, and push left to go left and right to go right, and then combined with the motorcycle grip throttle... could it all work together? Forward and reverse by actuators, like the push button 4X4 systems? The button on the top of the stick steering handle? Who knows? Maybe,,... anything's possible I suppose. From all the ideas I can visualize it, but that's about it so far. The hotfoot idea, if that is by foot operation, although it IS a GREAT idea, is out for me, for along with the car falling on me,,... I had a log fall on me when I was 21 and the accident resulted in having a fake leg on the right, and just half of left foot on left, so that is out. Not complaining just stating facts. Fake leg, has fake foot, and it doesn't move, and left foot is only half there and it has not got much strength. It all has to be operated by one hand, and in the right hand, for me anyway. I am really impressed with all these ideas! You guys are great!

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