The Tech on Axius

Joystick control for mid-sized sport boats and cruisers

By Mike Gridley

Diesel pod drives for larger cruisers have set the boating world on a new course. Now there is a new technology from MerCruiser called Axius, which promises to have an even greater impact on boating in the long run due to its application with more popular mid-sized sport boats and cruisers.

So what is Axius? It’s a computer-based technology that marries several of Mercury’s electronic control systems with twin independently articulating MerCruiser Bravo 3 sterndrives. This allows you to manoeuvre a boat in any given direction in close quarters using a joystick.

At the helm of an Axius-equipped boat, everything looks pretty straightforward except for the addition of a joystick. In actual fact, there is a host of Mercury’s existing electronics at play, starting with the Digital Throttle and Shift (DTS) part of Mercury’s SmartCraft system along with several hidden hardware and software additions.

DTS replaces cables with electronics for instant response and individual engine and transmission or shift control, plus synchronization and docking control – all required inputs for Axius functions. And, of course, the computers for the Axius system also require directional control inputs from the joystick.

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View the video online: See Episode 2 of the 2010 season of PowerBoat Television.