Moteur Boat Magazine No. 425 May 2025 | Text and photos: François Paris
Joysticks have revolutionized maneuvering, reducing stress for boaters in tight spaces or crosswinds. But a further step has been taken with Dockmate, a remote control that allows you to pilot your boat at your fingertips, from anywhere on board, or even from the dock!
Stress-free docking… Isn’t that every boater’s dream? Yet, in practice, departures and arrivals at the dock do not always go as planned. This can be due to wind, current, poor boat balance, low visibility, or even pilot fatigue… To make docking easy, even when alone, engine manufacturers have developed joysticks whose intuitive handling provides invaluable assistance to boaters. However, they require the pilot to remain at the helm.
Sometimes visibility is not optimal, especially on larger vessels and towards the stern, where the wheelhouse pillars can create a blind spot.
A system compatible with all engines
Based on this observation, Belgian Dirk Illegems created Dockmate in 2012, which is essentially a remote control system. Two years later, the first remote was brought to market. Since then, more than 8,000 boaters have adopted it. This system is compatible with all types of outboard and inboard engines (IPS, Z-drive, shaft line, pods, etc.) and with most brands on the market. The only technical requirement for installing Dockmate is that the engines must be equipped with electronic controls.