Shift Controller
MDC has recently announced a new product to reduce the stress of docking a boat equipped with an SCS Crashbox. As we all know, docking with a Crashbox can be extremely difficult, even in the best wind and water conditions, requiring engine shut off between shifting gears and getting the gears to mesh before restarting the engine. Now MDC has eliminated the headache with shift-by-wire technology that does it all automatically and eliminates the stress of docking with a Crashbox.
MDC’s Crashbox Shift Controller uses our custom-built ECM to drive a CAN Bus actuator that is connected to the Crashbox using a standard shift cable. The ECM manages the shutdown, starter bump (if required) and restart of the engine, just like you would do manually but much, much faster.
Shift Control manages the entire shifting process so you can focus on driving the boat. When a shift is requested, the ECM disables the ignition and moves the actuator simultaneously. If the gears don’t mesh, then the ECM will bump the starter until they do and then immediately enable the ignition and activate the starter to restart the engine. The entire process is much faster than is possible when shifting manually.
The system can be installed in parallel with your existing shift levers by having a push button at the helm for each gear. Shift Control will actually move the shift lever when a shift is requested. You can always override it and shift manually, or, you can eliminate the shift cable running to the helm by using levers that are equipped with position switches, as most brands allow.
The installation of MDC’s Crashbox Shift Controller is straightforward and does not require any modifications to the engine or it’s position in the boat. The system is compatible with any currently installed engine / Crashbox combination.
With MDC’s Crashbox Shift Control you can have the peace of mind and reliability of the nearly indestructible SCS Crashbox with shift-by-wire control for easier docking and maneuvering.
