Redefining Control | Yamaha’s Helm Master EX
Test Driving Helm Master EX control system
Yamaha Marine Ambassador Gareth Jones has always preferred to keep a firm grip on the helm, trusting his own instincts and steady hands over electronic systems. So when Bill Hull from Northside Marine in Queensland invited him aboard a customer’s boat fitted with Yamaha’s revolutionary Helm Master EX system, Gareth stepped aboard with a bit of scepticism.
“This is a Jeanneau Merry Fisher 895,” Bill explained as Gareth surveyed the twin Yamaha 250 outboards. “It’s fully rigged with the Helm Master EX system.” At first glance, the array of digital electronic controls and the joystick seemed intimidating to Gareth. But Bill, with decades of marine experience, was confident Gareth would soon appreciate just how Yamaha’s technology can transform the boating experience.
As they motored calmly out of the marina, Bill began to break it down. “The beauty of Helm Master EX,” he said, “is that it’s modular. You can start with the digital electric controls, then add electric steering, the joystick, autopilot, and all the station-keeping modes. It fits anything from a single Yamaha 150 to a quad 450 setup.”
Bill eased the boat out onto open water and began demonstrating one of Helm Master EX’s standout features. “I’m on autopilot now,” he explained, gently nudging the joystick to adjust the course in five-degree increments. “Push, wait for the beep, and it’s locked in. The joystick makes minor course corrections so simple you barely think about it.”
As the Merry Fisher tracked steadily toward their waypoint, Bill introduced Gareth to Course Hold — a mode that allows the system to maintain a set heading while the joystick fine-tunes the course as needed.
Knowing Gareth’s passion for fishing, Bill was keen to showcase the fishing-focused functions of Helm Master EX. “You’ve got Fish Point, Stay Point, Drift Point, and Drift Point Track,” he explained. “On a twin-engine setup like this, you get all of them.”
Bill detailed each mode. “Fish Point holds the boat on a spot using either the bow or stern as a pivot. Stay Point holds your position and heading, perfect when you want to stay put in current or breeze. Drift Point lets you drift naturally with the tide, while Drift Point Track can follow a series of waypoints to drift along a fishing pattern.”
Recalling a recent trip to the beacons in Moreton Bay, Bill described how Helm Master EX handled challenging conditions. “At high tide, the system barely touched the engines,” he explained. “But later, when the breeze picked up and current was running, it was constantly adjusting throttle and steering, holding us within metres of our mark.”
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"Imagine you’re fishing alone,” Bill added. “You pull up, hit Fish Point, and the boat holds itself while you jig for bait. You don’t need a second person on the helm — you’re free to fish.”
Bill also recounted stories of customers who had once struggled with boat manoeuvring but became confident skippers thanks to Helm Master EX. “People write to me and say they look like pros now,” Bill laughed.
Beyond its advanced control modes, Bill pointed out how Helm Master EX integrates seamlessly with the Garmin sounder and chartplotter. “Set a waypoint,” he explained, “and auto-guidance will take you straight there. You can even program a deceleration zone so the boat slows down and goes into neutral exactly where you want. Set it at 100 meters out and at the point it will start its deceleration procedure and stops on the point you have specified.”
Next came a demonstration of Trim Assist. “Trim Assist automatically adjusts the engine trim to get you on plane quicker and keep you there,” Bill said. “It makes the ride smoother, improves fuel efficiency, and takes another task off your mind. It’s all automatic but you can take control at any time simply by touching the trim control.”
As they cruised further along Brisbane’s waterways, Bill ran through the system’s ability to execute circle or zigzag patterns, adjusting radius on the fly. “One customer showed me a swirl pattern he programmed on his Garmin,” Bill laughed. “Fifteen knots of breeze, but the Helm Master drew a perfect swirl track. You’d never manage that manually.”
Bill highlighted another advantage: futureproofing. “There are extra buttons on the panel,” he explained, “that aren’t active yet. When Yamaha releases new features, you’ll get them with a simple software update.”
By the end of the afternoon, Gareth’s scepticism had given way to genuine respect for the system. Bill had barely touched the wheel, yet they had navigated, held position, and manoeuvred with absolute precision.
“Helm Master doesn’t replace your skills,” Bill told him. “It makes them better. It takes the harder parts of boating and makes them easy, so you can focus on enjoying the water.”
