2020 Yamaha Helm Master EX review

Yamaha's Helm Master digital engine control system has been with us for a number of years now. The Boatsales team has tested several Helm Master equipped craft, including the stunning Grady-White Express 330 rigged with a pair of Yamaha's range topping V8 425hp outboard engines.

Fitted with the full Helm Master control system, the big Grady-White was a breeze to manoeuvre at low speeds, the joystick control making it much easier to bring the boat into a marina pen or alongside a wharf for re-fueling, for example.

Yamaha Helm Master has traditionally been available only on boats powered by multiple Yamaha outboards. It has not been available for craft with a single Yamaha engine – until now.

Today, Yamaha Motor Australia officially unveiled its all-new Helm Master EX, the second generation Helm Master system that combines digital electric steering and digital throttle controls with an optional new Yamaha autopilot and joystick.

Helm Master EX is available for single through to quad Yamaha outboards fitted with digital electronic controls (DEC). This covers Yamaha outboard engines from 150hp through to the aforementioned 425hp V8 XTO Offshore motor.

Importantly, Helm Master EX can also retro-fit to existing boats powered by Yamaha DEC outboard engines.

The Helm Master EX system is expandable too – hence the EX designation in the name. Customers can purchase the whole kit and caboodle in one go – or start with the base system and upgrade from there.

The base Helm Master EX set-up consists of a new, smooth-shifting digital electronic throttle control box (single or dual lever), a new electronic key switch panel with keyless floating key fob remote (with anti-theft function), and the new Yamaha Command Link 5 touchscreen engine gauge that is compatible with all Yamaha EFI engines right down to the diminutive F20.

This base Helm Master set-up works with a regular hydraulic steering system, but is designed to integrate with Yamaha's new digital electric steering system – but more on that shortly.

Key features of the new control box include shift detente and throttle friction adjustment, trim assist (that automatically trims the engine to suit engine revs or boat speed), a push-button speed/rev control feature for incremental cruise speed rev adjustments, a safety feature called Neutral Hold to keep the engine in neutral should someone accidentally bump the throttle lever, along with a "trim all" button, centre engine button, and single lever control for multiple engine installations.

Anglers will also appreciate the new idle speed control feature called Pattern Shift. It allows you to set the controls so that the engine shifts in and out of gear by itself (in forward or reverse) so that the boat is barely moving. This feature will be awesome for ultra-slow trolling lures or live baits.

Pricing for the base kit (which is ideal for retrofitting to existing Yamaha digital engined boats with regular hydraulic steering) is yet to be determined, but we will update this article with that information as soon as we can.

The addition of Yamaha's new digital electric steering system (adapted from the range-topping Yamaha 425XTO) is the next step in the expandable Helm Master EX system, bringing the package price to $9805.

The digital electric steering system is pricier than a traditional hydraulic system, but it draws less power, requires less maintenance, and is much easier to fit as there is reducing rigging, no pumps, and so on.

Yamaha's digital steering is compatible with all Yamaha DEC outboards and supports single through to quad installations.

Features include the option for a straight or tilt-adjust stainless steel steering wheel, adjustable steering friction and the ability to choose between four and nine lock-to-lock turns. Both adjustments can be set to be constant or variable too.

At high speeds, for example, skippers might want to configure the steering to be heavier and have more lock-to-lock turns so the boat does not veer sharply should someone accidentally bump into the steering wheel.

On the water, I found the new steering system on the single Yamaha powered Cruise Craft 360M to be very smooth and light - possibly too light. As noted, however, you can adjust the steering friction to your personal preference.

Yamaha's all new autopilot system adds significantly to the functionality of Helm Master EX. It works in parallel with the joystick control to provide the key capabilities of the Helm Master EX system, but it also offers a suite of functions in its own right.

From a compact flush-fitting control pad, you can choose from regular autopilot functions such as heading hold and course hold. Your course can also be adjusted to port or starboard by one through to five degrees at the touch of a button.

When the autopilot is paired with a compatible multifunction display (which at this point is limited to Garmin- and Raymarine-branded units) you can also take advantage of the autopilot's Track Point and Pattern Steer features.

As demonstrated by the Yamaha techs on our Cruise Craft 360M test boat, you can input a waypoint or GPS co-ordinate into your MFD and the autopilot will use Track Point to steer your boat to your destination, automatically slowing the boat down when approaching your target mark/fishing spot.

Should you subsequently add the joystick control to your Helm Master EX system, you will then also be able to pre-set Helm Master EX to engage the Fish Point position holding function (or any other Set Point feature) once you pull-up and bring the engine back to neutral.

More on Fish Point and the other Yamaha Set Point features shortly.

Pattern Steer is a feature that allows you to set the boat on either a zig-zag or expanding circle course to cover more ground when trolling lures or baits, and/or to explore a potential new fishing ground, or find that elusive reef pinnacle.

Adding the Yamaha autopilot to your Helm Master EX system adds another $4319 for a new total of $14,124.

The last piece in the Helm Master EX puzzle, the piece-de-resistance, is the Yamaha joystick control.

To get the most from the Helm Master EX system and enjoy all of its features and functions you need to add the joystick for an extra cost of $6034. This brings the total package cost, when bought incrementally, to $20,158.

Buy the whole Helm Master EX kit from the outset and the price drops to $19,154.

As noted in our opening paragraphs, the Helm Master EX joystick control is now compatible with single outboard boats. This is a world first; never before have you been able to use a joystick to manoeuvre a boat with a single outboard engine.

As with dual and multiple Yamaha engined boats we have tested in the past, having a joystick on a single-engine rig makes it easier to turn and rotate your boat in a tight space, such as backing out of launch ramp or jockeying into a marina berth.

Instead of having to spin the steering wheel back and forth whilst working the throttle lever to move the engine in and out of gear, you can now use one hand to operate the joystick to steer and drive simultaneously by rotating or twisting the joystick and/or moving it fore and aft.

Having noted the above, I should stress that you still can't crab sideways with a single outboard boat as this technique requires dual or multiple engines to drive and turn in different directions.

For this same reason, Yamaha's hold position and direction function (Stay Point) is not possible either. You can, however, hold a heading and a course using the joystick with a single engine (and the autopilot), and this makes it possible to enjoy most of the Helm Master EX features and functions including the best feature of all, Fish Point.

I was able to explore the features and functions of the full Helm Master EX system In Brisbane last week, fitted to single- and dual-engined Cruise Craft boats. I spent the most time aboard the single outboard Cruise Craft 360M.

During the course of the afternoon, Yamaha technicians demonstrated many of the features I have highlighted so far in this article, as well the Set Point functions available with the addition of the joystick control.

If there is a single Helm Master EX feature that will win you over, it has to be Fish Point. Included in the suite of Yamaha's Set Point functions, Fish Point is activated by pressing a button on the joystick.

Fish Point uses the autopilot's GPS to work in conjunction with the outboard engine and digital electric steering to hold your boat in position.

There's even the option to choose whether you want the boat to hold station with the bow into the wind (Fish Point Bow), or stern to the wind (Fish Point Stern). How good is that?

During our on-water test, we reversed our single-engine Cruise Craft up close to a navigation beacon and then hit the Fish Point button.

The Helm Master EX control system then took over control of the Yamaha 150hp outboard, shifting the engine in and out of gear, and steering the engine back and forth to hold the boat in position.

This technical wizardry was fascinating to behold. The potential for anglers is exciting.

Once you have found that fish-holding pinnacle on the bottom – or that ball of bait fish wide offshore – you can hit the Fish Point button and Helm Master EX will keep you there for as long as you like. And you don't have to touch or adjust any of the controls – unless you want to.

For example, if you bump the joystick once to the right, the boat will shift position to starboard by a pre-set increments of of 1.5m, 3.0m, or 6.0m. Likewise to port.

There are also five different push-button strength settings on the joystick so you can adjust it so the engine and steering react more aggressively in windy conditions to help keep the boat in position.

Other fisherman-friendly Set Point features available with the joystick control includes Drift Point and Drift Point Track.

The former allows you to angle your boat in a particular direction or heading whilst you drift with the wind and current. This allows you to pick whether you want to fish over one side, or perhaps directly over the stern etc.

With Drift Point Track, you can change the course of your drift by setting a number of waypoints on your multifunction display.

Providing waypoints are not too far away from a natural drift path, the Helm Master EX will be able to manoeuvre the boat to each of these waypoints whilst maintaining your preset heading. I can see anglers using this function to adjust the boat's drift course to follow the direction of a reef or other fish-holding structure.

Yamaha's Helm Master EX is a exciting new product, particularly in the way it has been refined and developed for use with single outboard powered boats.

Joystick manoeuvrability, a full range of autopilot functions, and a suite of user-friendly navigation and fishing aids are now available for boaters with single- through quad-Yamaha DEC outboard engines.

Is there a downside? Well, with prices starting at $19,154 for the full Helm Master EX system, the package is not cheap.

Anglers with smaller, less costly trailerboats in the 5.5m to 6.5m size range may baulk at this expense – although there are savings to be had by not having to fit a regular hydraulic steering system and standard engine controls.

Further, as noted throughout this article, you don't have to buy the full kit.

Consider the entry-level Helm Master pack for around half the price at $9,805. This does not have the stand-out Fish Point feature, or the other autopilot GPS based functions, but it does have the superb digital steering and throttle controls, the trick new Command Link 5 touch screen display and the key-less electric remote starting system.

For those of you who can afford the full Helm Master EX kit, I think the only downside is that overuse of the Fish Point function will add plenty of engine running hours to your Yamaha, resulting in the requirement for more frequent servicing.