After more than a decade using EC300 electronic controls, Captain Steve “Creature” Coulter agreed to test the new EC600PC on Sea Creature, his charter fishing vessel—and says it reflects “the incredible commitment Twin Disc has to making things go better.”

Based in Hatteras Village, North Carolina, Coulter has worked closely with Twin Disc engineers for more than 15 years, testing various controls solutions. The 58-foot Sea Creature was the first boat to use EC300 with non-QuickShift® transmissions, leading to a new configuration for standard MG units. And when Twin Disc sought a new way to enhance vessel control, our team started with Coulter.

A prototype EC600PC electronic propulsion control system was installed on Sea Creature for nearly two years of testing and validation. Says Coulter, “I’d tell the engineers what I liked and what I didn’t like. They’d go back to the drawing board, make some changes, and come test it again. They want this product to be right.”

With the controller prewired and mounted directly to the transmission, the EC600PC is the simplest control system to install, eliminating remote mounting and extra wiring, minimizing labor costs and saving engine room space. “It went from more than a dozen wires to just four—two from the EC600PC to the bridge, and two to the engines,” Coulter says. “That’s about a hundred pounds of wires I don’t have to carry anymore, which also makes the boat more efficient.”

The system includes SmartChip™, maintaining service information and operating profile data to optimize propulsion system performance. Coulter says better feedback from the digital display supports timely, cost-effective maintenance. “I know when it’s time to change the clutch oil. I can monitor transmission pressures and know when to change the filter.”

And the EC600PC provides the ultimate in positioning options. “I have more control, especially in slow troll mode,” Coulter says. With precise control for water, wind and other conditions, Coulter and his crew can make sure customers enjoy a fishing trip that’s productive, fun and comfortable.

Coulter says he’s delighted with the EC600PC—and always ready to test new Twin Disc products. “I have that much faith in them. Twin Disc is an incredible company to work with.”