New Zealand company’s exterior helm stations were shown for the first time in Europe

New Zealand company’s exterior helm stations were shown for the first time in Europe

A New Zealand company which creates exterior helm stations, providing an unprecedented level of control from the decks, showed their products for the first time at Monaco. 

Specialist exterior helm station designer and installer, IMED, is bringing its watertight outdoor control panels to the Monaco Yacht Show for the first time. Though the fully-custom, technologically-advanced helms have been installed in Europe before - with the team meeting yachts globally to complete helm installations - this is the first time IMED will appear at a European boat show.

IMED’s helm panels are designed to suit any installation, and crafted in carbon fibre, membrane or glass and the innovation they represent mean they’re being hailed as game changers by captains. Former captain of S/Y Thalia, Jake Reid, says IMED’s electrical knowledge is the best he’s encountered in the industry. 

"I'd like to thank IMED for the great job they did in designing, manufacturing and installing new helm station panels on S/YThalia. The panels operate exactly as required and they look great. [IMED’s] electrical knowledge is the best I have come across anywhere in the

superyacht world.” says Reid.

Completely waterproof, they’re designed to resist anything the elements throw at them while delivering control, functionality and reliability. They’re also created with the engineer in mind. While the functionality these helm stations deliver is complex, the IMED team have bundled components into simple elements so that, if repairs are needed during the helm station’s life, they can be managed onsite by the yacht’s own engineer with a small selection of spares. 

IMED creates everything from rudder angle indicators to LED dimmers in-house to guarantee the quality of the finished product it delivers. IMED’s helms take pride of place on a spread of superyachts including S/Y Genevieve, S/Y Silvertip, M/Y Como, S/Y Destination, S/Y Thalia, and the tenders of M/Y A.

“S/Y Destination won the Boat International Refit of the Year Award in 2012 and IMED were a valuable contributor to that accolade,” says Mike Lawrence, captain S/Y Destination.