ELECTRONICALLY REPRINTED FROM JANUARY 2010 GAME CHANGER? STORY BY CAPT. BILL PIKE PHOTOGRAHY BY MARTY MASON ::: Twin Disc challenges pod drives with a smooth, quick joystick system for shaft-drive boats. ost likely, it was the eyebrow that got me. I was winding up a pleasant dinner with a boatbuilding friend at the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and gabbing about one of my favorite topics— the super-sophistication of oil-field vessels—when he turned to me, dabbed his mustache with a linen napkin, and raised an eyebrow while pulling a business card from his shirt pocket. Lots of people pull cards at boat shows, but few raise their eyebrows so intriguingly.

“The thing I am turning you on to here, Bill, is confidential,” he said while writing something on the back of the card, “but if you call this number and mention my name, I think they’ll let you see the system.” The next afternoon, hot on the heels of several phone conversations, the corporate folks at Twin Disc had finally agreed to let PMY do a story about something that was still very hush-hush, which is why I was standing at a designated spot well beyond the hubbub of the show, waiting for a ride to an undisclosed location. At length, a Lincoln Navigator pulled up, a side door opened, and...

systems today. Indeed, some two decades ago, when I was working on such vessels, joystick-DP systems were already common and spreading rapidly throughout the industry. The next step entailed the purchase of a test bed, a mainstream, off-the-shelf 47foot inboard-drive sportfisherman. It was equipped with Twin Disc’s QuickShift transmissions, unique marine gears that are not part of the pod systems on recreational vessels but are currently part of many commercial systems. The QuickShift is a robust, patented, and proven piece of machinery (see “How It Works,” this story) that offers several maneuverability-enhancing...

You need to feel the speed, fluidity, and versatility of the system firsthand to thoroughly appreciate it.

47-footer looked like any other wellmaintained mid-range convertible. Her flying bridge steering station, though, announced a difference. Alongside the 316L stainless steel EC300 Twin Disc Power Commander electronic engine controls to the right of the wheel was a solid stainless steel joystick with a large knob atop it. After cranking up the engines, Twin Disc’s skipper, Capt. Marty Mason, settled into the co-pilot’s seat and said simply, “She’s all yours, Bill.” During the ensuing two hours, I docked the sportfisherman stern-first in several different slips, negotiated a couple of tight fairways...

THE TWIN DISC EJS™ T WIN EJ S IT’ S SIMPLE. IT’S SI MPL E . DON’T BUY YOUR NEXT BOAT WITHOUT IT. YO UR N E XT BO AT W I THO UT I T. The Twin The Twin Disc Express Joystick System™ (EJS) absolutely revolutionizes docking and slow speed Express Joystick System absolutely revolutionizes slow maneuvering of diesel powered, conventional driveline boats. diesel powered, conventional boats. With easy fingertip movements you control direction With easy fingertip movements you control direction and speed —instantaneously. No lagging. No lugging. instantaneously. No lagging. No lugging. ously ® No lurching....