Tom Serrao, our chief engineer, surveyed this Little Harbor 44 in Charleston, SC in early 2021. The owner wanted to sell the boat but knew it needed some upgrades. He commissioned Darden Marine Solutions in North Charleston to do some mechanical work and also to customize the dashboard to accommodate a joystick. In April, 2022, the boat had been moved to nearby Mt. Pleasant, where we installed the Control Stick™ along with new hydraulic packs built in our factory here in Maine. We also installed a joystick-operated remote control which allowed the owner to control the boat from anywhere on the vessel.

The boat was sold in 2023, and the new owner drove it to its new home in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts.

High Praise FROM THE

BOATING INDUSTRY AND OUR CLIENTS

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

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

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

System has been working great! Thanks again, and look forward to working with you again!

J. Alex Keller, Alacrity Yacht Services, Bristol, RI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Little Harbor 44,
Charleston, South Carolina