Garmin Introduces GHP 20 Yamaha Helm Master Steer-by-wire Autopilot
OutdoorHub 04.15.13
Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced its new GHP 20 Yamaha steer-by-wire autopilot – a marine autopilot certified for Yamaha Helm Master systems. As a controller area network-based electronic steering system, the Yamaha Helm Master allows for direct autopilot control of the primary steering with no additional autopilot pump required.
“We are very excited to be the first autopilot manufacturer that brings autopilot support for the Yamaha Helm Master boat control system to the market” said Dan Bartel, vice president of worldwide sales. “With the Yamaha Helm Master, the helmsman has full control, which can lead to increased situational awareness, confidence and safety.”
Yamaha Helm Master is a fully integrated boat control system, including joystick, engineered for powerboats with twin or triple Yamaha outboard engines. The system uses state-of-the-art electronics and, with integrated joystick functionality, provides easy, 360-degree maneuvering capabilities. With the system, the helmsman can confidently move the boat forward, backward, sideways or diagonally, as well as rotating on its own axis, to accomplish docking maneuvers in tricky or crowded marinas.
The Garmin GHP 20 Yamaha marine autopilot system provides superior control algorithms for unmatched autopilot performance. The GHP 20 Yamaha marine autopilot system will interface to a Yamaha Helm Master boat via an included gateway and take control for heading hold, basic patterns or GPS routes while the Helm Master system is in normal steering mode. Taking advantage of the dynamic gain adjustments based on tachometer information provided by the Yamaha system, the GHP 20 Yamaha marine autopilot system offers optimal performance at all speeds.
With the GHP 20 Yamaha marine autopilot system, Yamaha customers will enjoy features found throughout Garmin’s existing line of autopilots, including Shadow Drive technology – a capability that automatically disengages the autopilot if the helm is turned, allowing for quick and safe manual maneuvers without manually disengaging the autopilot. The autopilot will automatically re-engage once a steady course is re-established. Additionally, this new steer-by-wire autopilot works as a system-wide heading sensor, which enables MARPA and chart overlay when connected to a Garmin chartplotter and radar. For easy installation and integration with other Garmin products, the GHP 20 steer-by-wire autopilot has full NMEA 2000 connectivity.
The GHP 20 Yamaha marine autopilot system will utilize the Garmin GHC™ 10 autopilot control unit, which was designed to help boaters configure and control the autopilot. With an easy-to-read 3.5” color display, three soft keys, and a dedicated “standby” button, boat owners with Yamaha Helm Master steering will benefit from the simple, interactive interface, and will be able to control the heading of the boat with the press of a button.
The GHP 20 Yamaha marine autopilot system is scheduled to be available in the second quarter of 2013. For more information on the GHP 20 for Yamaha, visit www.garmin.com/marine.
