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FAQ

Can the Control Stick™ be installed on any vessel?

Yes! We can customize a control system for any type of vessel from 24-foot to ship class. Many of our customers have replaced or upgraded their Hinckley, Little Harbor, Hunt, Rivolta, and Legacy systems due to failure or wear and tear of their original systems, and they are very happy with the performance and personal service they have received from our team. We have customers like L3Harris, who use our system on their research vessel, and Stealth Yachts, who put one of our systems on their water taxi being used in the Maldives. They depend on our systems!

I’m selling my boat. Would the Control Stick™ increase the selling price?

Absolutely! We’ve worked with the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Boat Donation Program for a number of years, assessing donated boats and adding our marine joystick control system. With the modern upgrade and ease of driving these boats, they were able to increase the sale price from $35,000 – $60,000. Many brokers and private owners have discovered this as well.

Does the Control Stick™ have any backup in the event of system failure?

Yes. The Control Stick™ comes with automatic default electro-mechanical backup.

What is the warranty on the Control Stick™?

We offer a 5-year warranty, the best in the industry, and it goes with the boat if you do decide to sell. The Control Stick™ is made with the highest quality state-of-the-art electronic circuitry, designed specifically for jet propulsion and to withstand the marine environment. Systems are manufactured here in Maine, USA, and are military tough and extremely reliable. All components are ROHS compliant. 

In the unlikely event of a problem, the Control Stick™ system has on-board diagnostics that enable any marine electrician, service yard, or private owner to address the issue. Our system is plug and play, which means you can disconnect and ship the control box directly to our facility in Bangor, Maine, for fast repair and return with minimal downtime.

24-hour technical support is available, so you can call with questions even if you are out at sea!

Will the Control Stick™ operate on a vessel without a bow thruster?

Yes, the Control Stick™ can be ordered with split bucket deflection that enables the power of the engines to maneuver sideways under any wind or sea conditions.

Will the Control Stick™ work in unison with the Garmin™ Smart Pump™?

Yes, it will. This simply requires leaving the old pump in line.

High Praise FROM THE

BOATING INDUSTRY AND OUR CLIENTS

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It has always been a pleasure working with you. The boat was only listed for two weeks before we got an offer from the buyer the very same afternoon he looked at it. He did his homework on Whisperjets.

S. Hanson and J. Namiatka, N. Kingstown, RI
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Thanks for making the trip to Connecticut. We are very happy to have our boat running again and appreciate Tom’s expert workmanship.

B. Gallagher, Norwalk, CT
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It was a pleasure doing business with you. I thank you for the awesome and prompt work on Bingo Bango. The customer is very excited to get their boat.

K. Eaton, Burr Bros, Marion, MA
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System has been working great! Thanks again, and look forward to working with you again!

J. Alex Keller, Alacrity Yacht Services, Bristol, RI
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I enjoyed working with you guys and really appreciate your efforts. I took the boat out yesterday and put her through her paces and everything worked! I was actually able to back in and dock her in her new slip. Thank you again.

J. Holmgren, Jr., Norwalk, CT
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The system was installed in about a day at my dock and worked perfectly from day one! I have been a boat owner since the 1960's and can honestly say that I have never encountered a marine technician/engineer with the skill, experience, integrity and ingenuity of Tom Serrao and Control Engineering.

H. Sher, M.D., Jacksonville, FL
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The joystick that started it all is the Hinckley Jetstick™, which was developed by Tom Serrao and introduced in 1998 for the company’s waterjet powerboats. Waterjet boats with joysticks are wonderfully maneuverable and can be more agile than pod boats.

Eric Sorensen, Soundings Magazine
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Tom Serrao installed his system, carried out sea trials and handed the revitalized boat over to me all in the course of a four-day visit to Germany. I found myself thoroughly won over by his friendly and thorough authentic manner, his obviously profound expertise and his quiet, methodical approach.

Peter Foerthman, Windpilot Blog
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The owner moved the joystick forward and to the left, and Crazy Horse obeyed without a moment’s hesitation. That’s the “joy” in Joystick. The boat goes where you point the stick. All the directional changes were silent – no gnashing of gears, vibes from propellers or lurches of acceleration.

Dennis Caprio, Yachting Magazine
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It’s a strange sensation because it is intuitive and vastly different from any other steering and control function on any production powerboat I have been on. In simple terms, the joystick handles all facets of the boat, except for the RPM. I don’t need to do the usual and dance and alternate between grabbing the wheel, throttle and gear shift.

Charles Barthold, Yachting Magazine
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I just wanted to thank you for all your help and to recommend you and your great product. I hope to work with you again in the future!!!

Stuart Hayward, Second Officer, M/Y KISMET
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Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how impressed I was with the performance of your control stick on John’s 38’ Little Harbor. We took the boat around Shelter Island this weekend and it was very cool the way the boat responded to the stick both underway and docking.

T.M. Sag Harbor, NY

CONTROL STICK™

MARINE JOYSTICK
CONTROL

Complete control in the palm of your hand.

Request a Quote

CONTROL STICK™

MARINE JOYSTICK
CONTROL

Complete control in the palm of your hand.

Request a Quote