Dependable Freedom, Redefined

The remote offers next-level functionality with fingertip control. Courtesy Yamaha

The Helm Master system from Yamaha has proven valuable on boats for more than a decade. The Helm Master EX system is newer, with EX meaning “expandable.” That expansion of features is continuing with the new Helm Master EX Wireless Control System, a device that lets boaters do far more than a typical wireless controller. 

“There are some other products that offer wireless joystick control, but this device puts nearly total boat control in the palm of your hand,” says Cortlandt Minnich, who leads Yamaha’s Rigging and Autonomy Product Management. “You can adjust the autopilot. You can activate the windlass. You have the joystick functions. It’s not just a wireless joystick. It’s a fully functional boat control system.” 

The Helm Master EX wireless controller also lets captains set heading and course; monitor depth, heading and speed; access Trim Assist along with autopilot speed control; and use features such as StayPoint, FishPoint and DriftPoint. Those features are designed to allow for easier close-quarters maneuvering in marinas, or maintaining cruise control in no-wake zones, or keeping the boat in place while stowing lines and fenders, or keeping on course while moving fishing rods around, or any number of other things boaters can do easier with the technological boost. 

And with this wireless controller, it can all be done with a single hand.

Yamaha’s Helm Master EX provides wireless control of a boat’s autopilot, windlass, speed and much more. Courtesy Yamaha

“One of the innovative features of the Helm Master EX Wireless Control System is that, unlike other handheld systems designed for yachts, you don’t have to use both hands,” Minnich says. “We designed the twist function from our wired joystick for one-hand use within the wireless version.”

Yamaha achieved that goal by thinking about how the thumb and index finger are positioned when a remote control is in someone’s hand. The thumb can control the joystick function while the index finger, can engage a twist button. 

“We had to focus on the sensitivity and control you need in a joystick function,” Minnich says. “You’re doing delicate navigation with a joystick, so we had to be very precise about how it feels when you push that joystick to the left or the right. This mimics the control of the wired joystick in the palm of your hand.”

This kind of advancement is possible, in part, because other industries that target drone operators and video gamers are making wireless control more common. Yamaha’s Helm Master EX Wireless Control System adds the robustness and reliability that are necessary in a marine environment.  

“We wanted the Yamaha level of performance,” Minnich says. “That’s where we are today. The technology is mature enough that we can operate an expensive vessel in tricky conditions when you’re docking or underway, and it’s fully designed for dependable performance.”

Yamaha’s team tested the Helm Master EX Wireless Control System for all kinds of boats, including power configurations with two, three and four outboards. They thought about how boaters would use it while fishing, while docking, while anchoring and more. And they integrated a wireless Man Overboard feature with a wristband for peace of mind. 

The system includes two MOB tags but supports up to eight. If someone goes overboard, the engines will decelerate, idle or shut down, depending on the situation. Courtesy Yamaha

“We want to make sure the boat is disabled if someone goes overboard,” Minnich says, adding that there are captain and passenger versions of the wristbands. “If there is a captain and passenger on the boat together and the captain goes overboard, the boat slows and the outboards power off. If the captain is on the boat solo and goes overboard, the system stops the boat immediately.”

The Helm Master EX Wireless Control System has all-day battery life and recharges in a wireless cradle—with the ability to mount multiple cradles in various parts of the boat, allowing the captain to grab the device whenever and wherever it’s needed.

“Imagine pulling up to a dock and wanting to hand someone a line,” Minnich says. “With this device, you have the freedom to take the helm with you and hand them a line.”

Remember to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal flotation device and protective gear. This document contains many of Yamaha’s valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only, and are not intended to be an endorsement. © 2025 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. 1-866-894-1626

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