Arduino controlled boat motor HELP please

Projects General Guidance
1

I have been pulling my hair out for some time, attempting to make my boats throttle run by utilizing a servo to pull the throttle.

I honestly know very little about how to program an Arduino. I wish I did this would be a lot easier. So I'm asking for help. I'm about to paint a picture so bare with me, so if you're not familiar, it may be easier to understand. I will try to attach photos and explain examples.

Currently, I have a 21' Carolina skiff DLX boat. The main motor is a 115 Suzuki. The smaller motor, a 9.9 Mercury, is about 18 inches to the right of the primary motor. Its purpose is to maneuver the boat while fishing in shallow water.

I want the controller to be a joystick with 4 momentary (tactile) buttons and a trigger on the front. (see photo 1)

The buttons A, B, C, D, and the trigger E. A-D will be in a 2x2 set. A will be the top button far left. B will be bottom left. C will be top Right. D will be bottom right .

Button A function will be Run
Button B will be Idle
Button C will be throttle Up
Button D will be throttle Down

The servo, when attached to the throttle in the "run" position, the servo will move to the specified position 1-6. 1 being about 15% throttle. 6 about 90% throttle. When you press the Idle button regardless of what gear the boat is in, the throttle goes back to zero throttle. The trigger will be full throttle at any time when held.

Hopefully, if you have made it this far, I painted a good enough picture for you to understand my goals with this project.

The attached link is the type of joystick I would like to use, but unfortunately, they are about 900 bucks. I have the frame of the exact joystick with no buttons or componets.

https://www.suregripcontrols.com/je-handle-product_template.htm

The below website is a type of throttle control called an Itroll, which virtually the same concept but not in a joystick. I need to know where I can find the correct buttons that I can add to the joystick so that it will function properly.

http://www.itroll.us/itroll.price.buy.2020.html

Im pretty sure the Itroll is just an Arduino that is commercially manufactured.

If needed, I will purchase all the parts and mail them to whoever will help and also compensate the person for there time. I want the completion of this project to be by the middle of March. Thanks Please feel free to email me tahoyle@gmail.com, and I will provide further contact info so that we can talk about it more in-depth.

2

Are you looking for help to do the project yourself, or do you just want to pay someone to do the project for you?

The reason I ask is because we have a forum board specifically for offering paid work. The people who take these sorts of jobs are much more likely to see your post in that board. So if you want free assistance in learning to do the project yourself, this is the correct forum board, but if you want to pay someone to do it for you, I should move it to the other board.

3

What arduino equipment do you have now to experiment with?

4

pert:
Are you looking for help to do the project yourself, or do you just want to pay someone to do the project for you?

The reason I ask is because we have a forum board specifically for offering paid work. The people who take these sorts of jobs are much more likely to see your post in that board. So if you want free assistance in learning to do the project yourself, this is the correct forum board, but if you want to pay someone to do it for you, I should move it to the other board.

I would love to do it myself. The goal is foremost to learn how to accomplish the project. If someone could point me in the correct direction with resources like the buttons in this joystick JE Handle | Sure Grip Controls, Inc. I have no issues in purchasing all of the components. Which I'm sure would be cheaper than the approximately $1300 that the Sure Grip Joystick Handle and the Itroll its self would cost me. Then trying to piece them together.

In a way I was offering payment for someone's time and I certainly apologize if I inadvertently offended someone in making this post. It is my first post on this forum and time on this website in general. If you need to send it to a separate forum I perfectly understand.

5

zoomkat:
What arduino equipment do you have now to experiment with?

I will be more then happy to purchase any Arduino Equipment that is needed for the project. Looking at what others have accomplished with Arduino related projects I do not feel like the project would cost the approximate $1300 or more to purchase a joystick from Sure Grip and an Itroll system then combine them. Essentially I feel like the Itroll is pretty much an Arduino. Please Correct me if I'm wrong.

Keep in mind the electronics (brains) can be separate from the Joystick and it will have to be both tough, reliable and water resistant. The length from the back of the boat to the pedestal where the joystick will be mounted is approximately 21 ft. plus maybe 3ft. That would only be servo cable length.

6

"I will be more then happy to purchase any Arduino Equipment that is needed for the project."

I kind of take that as you haven't purchased the equipment yet. Might be a good thing. Just thinking about the project, you might start simple by getting an RC system like below to test your idea of engine control and steering using servos (or linear actuator). I've never held an RC transmitter like below (you could check one out in a local hobby store), but it looks like being held in the left hand, both throttle and steering could be done single handed (steering by thumb). Being wireless you could take the controller to any part of the boat as desired and operate from there. Make a $100 wireless control setup with $1200 left over for beer.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-Quanum-2-4Ghz-3ch-Pistol-Grip-Tx-Rx-System/281684062177?hash=item4195adafe1:g:drAAAOSweZJaCp0u

7

zoomkat:
"I will be more then happy to purchase any Arduino Equipment that is needed for the project."

I kind of take that as you haven't purchased the equipment yet. Might be a good thing. Just thinking about the project, you might start simple by getting an RC system like below to test your idea of engine control and steering using servos (or linear actuator). I've never held an RC transmitter like below (you could check one out in a local hobby store), but it looks like being held in the left hand, both throttle and steering could be done single handed (steering by thumb). Being wireless you could take the controller to any part of the boat as desired and operate from there. Make a $100 wireless control setup with $1200 left over for beer.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-Quanum-2-4Ghz-3ch-Pistol-Grip-Tx-Rx-System/281684062177?hash=item4195adafe1:g:drAAAOSweZJaCp0u

Sounds like you're on the right path haha. If you save me that much Ill bring you along on the trip anytime you would like to go and I will provide the beer.

As for equipment, I have a servo and the frame of the joystick not the electronic hardware that goes in it just the skeleton. I was hoping I could some how make it work by purchasing tactile buttons and using them on the joystick. But I also don't know which ones to buy. I basically want as close to the sure grip design as I can get with out spending that much money. I do like your idea of making the servo Wireless. So for Turning the motor I have a linear actuator already. I have had a servo setup on the throttle as well. but its on a potentiometer and its not very efficient. I have to use both hands at all times.

I mainly bowfish. So there is a lot of stop and go trolling. For example If I shoot a fish I want to be able to press the Idle button and basically stop going forward so I can real in my line. If I want to cover ground at faster pace just change the gears (rotation of the servo arm) if I'm trying to chase a fish I can see is running away from me then I can hold the trigger which is full throttle (or avoid stumps) haha.

If I end up using an Arduino that's fine. I just can't solder very well and I'm not very efficient with connecting wires that's so small. I would also need a back up incase something happened to brains of the first one so that Im not stuck.

8

If you want to go wireless and get started testing quick, then you might get two of the below wifi WeMos D1 development boards, and some pots like below. Beyond that, some cat3 four condictor telephone wire for hookup wire, and two micro USB cables from the DollarTree store for the boards (get a USB wall charger or two there too). These are US shippers with ~5 day shipping time. Note that the WeMOS only has one A0 port, so that would be a factor with two pots. A two pole toggle switch probably could solve that issue.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/OTA-WeMos-D1-CH340-WiFi-Arduino-UNO-R3-Development-Board-ESP8266-ESP-12E/383124613310?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-x-B5K-5K-OHM-Linear-Taper-Rotary-Potentiometers-USA-Seller-Get-It-Fast/323303344127?hash=item4b466187ff:g:es4AAOSw0YlcMQ57

9

My main concern here is that you're talking about a 21' (6.5m) boat. That's a full size boat. The motors I'm not familiar with but it sounds like good old gas guzzling outboard motors, probably the main one pretty powerful as you have a second one.

Safety is a major concern. What happens if your controls go wrong when your motor is on full power and you can't slow it down or stop it? At the very least you're going to need a manual override to switch off the motor, or otherwise take control over it entirely bypassing the contraption you cobbled together. There is always the risk of a wire breaking, or a coding error, or wireless communications loss, just to name a few.

Now if you were talking about a small low powered RC model boat, the worst that could happen is that it ends up on the other side of the lake and you have to find a boat to go and retrieve it. With a full size boat, with you and possibly other people on board, and a high power engine... it can go bad, fast.

Back to your project: forget about wireless for now, it's adding a whole layer of complexity on it. Also as it's on a boat I don't really see the need of wireless, assuming that joystick and buttons are mounted in a fixed place which is the most sensible thing to do. Wired connections are far more reliable than even the best wireless connections.

10

wvmarle:
My main concern here is that you're talking about a 21' (6.5m) boat. That's a full size boat. The motors I'm not familiar with but it sounds like good old gas guzzling outboard motors, probably the main one pretty powerful as you have a second one.

Safety is a major concern. What happens if your controls go wrong when your motor is on full power and you can't slow it down or stop it? At the very least you're going to need a manual override to switch off the motor, or otherwise take control over it entirely bypassing the contraption you cobbled together. There is always the risk of a wire breaking, or a coding error, or wireless communications loss, just to name a few.

Now if you were talking about a small low powered RC model boat, the worst that could happen is that it ends up on the other side of the lake and you have to find a boat to go and retrieve it. With a full size boat, with you and possibly other people on board, and a high power engine... it can go bad, fast.

Back to your project: forget about wireless for now, it's adding a whole layer of complexity on it. Also as it's on a boat I don't really see the need of wireless, assuming that joystick and buttons are mounted in a fixed place which is the most sensible thing to do. Wired connections are far more reliable than even the best wireless connections.

Safety is always a concern while fishing but not much of one. I have the motor on a Key switch. It has actual physical gears. Forward, neural, and reverse that I control with a steering cable. If all of that were to fail. Which would be catastrophic failure. I would just pull the power from the servo and the gas from the motor. I could also trim the motor up enough so that it would be out of the water.

Its a very large boat the motor only pushes it around 10 mph in calm water thats max speed and it takes a minute for it to get that fast. Average trolling speed is probably 4-6.

11

Ok so in the past I had this project completed with an Arduino. But I didn't really do much. I had a friend who was in the mechatronics program at NC state help me. Well my buddy no longer lives in Raleigh and he works for NASA now so he doesn't have much time. So I know it works. But this prototype lasted about 4 months and it was no longer operational. The brain were directly under the Joystick and the joystick was a $25 purchase from amazon. (not very structurally sound). (project box was to small and had to much flex)

luckily I found this video on youtube last night and someone has done most of the work for me. PowrTran iTroll Pro Drive Bowfishing boat overview. MSP Bowfishing - YouTube. Virtually Identical to what I want. Hopefully I can get in touch with him and I troll company and be ok. I have the exact same powetran (ballscrew actuator) steering setup with the two buttons and the machined bracket.

At this point I will just need help with constructing the top of the joystick instead of buying one from sure grip because they are way to proud of them.

So I'm assuming I will need a PCB board with the buttons put in them and the trigger. I have no Idea how to do any of that so if anyone has any ideas please send them my way.

View album “Recents”.png
View album “Recents”.png1125×2436 287 KB

12

BIGTREV94:
In a way I was offering payment for someone's time and I certainly apologize if I inadvertently offended someone in making this post. It is my first post on this forum and time on this website in general. If you need to send it to a separate forum I perfectly understand.

I don't think you offended anyone. Certainly not me. I just want to give you the best chance of accomplishing your goal. Since your goal is to get assistance in doing the project yourself, I think this is the best place for your post. If you do eventually decide you want to try the paid route, just click the "Report to moderator" link at the bottom of the post and request that it be moved to the "Gigs and Collaborations" forum board.

13

"luckily I found this video on youtube last night and someone has done most of the work for me."

Interesting setup if you only operate from the console. I would make a remote transmitter with a belt clip that has two control knobs, one for speed and one for direction. On the aux engine, I would look at making a small slide/clamp on receiver unit that fits on the tiller. Attach one end of the actuator to this part, and the other end of the actuator would be attached to the transom with a clamp. Easy on, easy off. With the transmitter attached to one's belt, one could stand on the bow (or any other place) and operate the aux engine. Just thinking of a shrimping setup.