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'MouseBoat' Makes Debut at Seawork
01 Jul 2006
Hamilton Jet (UK) Ltd used the occasion of Seawork 2006 to launch their new blue ARROW waterjet control system, which is suitable for use with twin jet installations on a wide range of high speed workboats, patrol boats, crew boats, fireboats, landing barges and ferries. The system is suitable for monohulls or catamarans of approximately 8 to 16m length and can accommodate power outputs ranging from 270 to 1,340hp.
The result of a five year development programme, blue ARROW provides simple and intuitive control of the throttle, gearbox, steering and jet deflectors to ensure that even inexperienced crews can operate their craft proficiently. All components are provided by Hamilton Jet, including the waterjets themselves, waterjet control interface, engine/gearbox control interface, helm station control input devices and cables.
Multiple safety back-ups are built into the system to ensure a high level of redundancy, combined with comprehensive diagnostics and alarms.
The blue ARROW system will eventually be able to link with DP systems as they come down in price. The first UK installation is in an Oyster LD43 motor yacht built by Ipswich based Oyster Marine Ltd.
Also debuting at Seawork was Hamilton Jet's 'MouseBoat', a manoeuvring control device specifically designed for blue ARROW equipped craft.
Shaped like a boat and slightly larger than a computer mouse, MouseBoat gives the helmsman one handed control in all tight and tricky low speed manoeuvring situations.
Providing twin axis movement in single waterjet installations and triple axis movement with twin waterjets, vessel movement follows that of the MouseBoat, with the operator intuitively reacting to changing situations without having to think about what to do. Upon release, MouseBoat returns the controls to a 'zero speed' neutral condition.
MouseBoat is totally integrated with the blue ARROW control system, which is programmed to translate its movement into differential control of the astern deflectors to provide a full range of manoeuvres, particularly sideways tracking with twin jet installations. Ahead/astern, sideways movements and rotation can be combined.
MJInformation No: 22002
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