The new electronic plug and play control system for small and medium size Kamewa waterjets was displayed at seawork together with a Kamewa FF410 waterjet unit and was also available for demonstration at seawork's floating pontoon as installed in the new fast patrol boat from Swedish builder Dockstavarvet.

Vector Stick is a true thrust vectoring system where the operator is not required to think about nozzle and bucket positions or thruster and engine RPM. The operator is only required to move the stick in the direction of the desired boat movement and adjust the helm if heading changes are required. The Vector Stick is claimed to be completely intuitive, allowing even an untrained operator to manoeuvre a vessel with precision.

The 'drive by wire' system reduces vessel control to only three control axes: forward/ reverse motion, transverse motion, and rotation. Forward/ reverse motion of the vessel is controlled by forward/reverse motion of the joystick, transverse motion is controlled by transverse motion of the joystick, and vessel rotation is controlled with the helm. If the joystick is moved diagonally to port, the vessel will also move diagonally to port. Bow thruster adjustments as well as engine RPM, nozzle and bucket adjustments are controlled automatically such that vessel motion maps directly to joystick and helm movements. Calibration of the system is automatic and completed in minutes.

MJ Information No: 17231