It just means you don't have a mechanical throttle and gear cable, same as the expression means in planes and other uses.

Fly by wire means no cable from the throttle to the throttle body. Instead it has a TPS (throtttle position sensor) wich reeds an elctronic signal of varying voltage from the position you move your throttle wich will open the throttle accordingly. Not the most reliable set up but does away with cables.

Actually that is the reverse of why they have them in aircraft.

In aircraft, its safer because you can build in redundancy and they require less maintenance than mechanical systems - some of which would still apply for boats!

If your TPS shits it self on your boat how would you get home. If your cable seized or snapped you could easily rig up a bit of a dodge to get you home.

Totally missing the point, but that wouldn't be a first for you.

If you have a cable one, and don't maintain it, it could fail. The FBW one one doesn't need maintenance.

It seems to be growing in popularity a bit the old fly by wire business. 

Just because its an electrical system doesnt mean it doesnt need maintenance especially being around salt water. So if you dont maintain/look after either system it will eventually fail, if it did fail the cable system would be easier and cheaper to repeair. No need for the tears

Most of you guys are probably driving vehicles that utilise Drive by wire systems and prolly dont know it. If the TPS fails then the PCM will go into default for another table causing partial rpm limit of say 3000 rpm only, still allowing mobility. How do I know this you ask?? I tune Fords all day, for a living.

Regards

Terry

I have both systems and have to say that the DTS or FBW wins hands down.  Both have their pros and cons, but FBW get my vote at the moment.

I had the joys of owning a 175 verado with FBW , luckily only for 8 weeks , it broke down 8 times while trying to run the motor in due to sensors and electronics not eing setup correctly , stay with the cables , at least you have some idea how to make your motor work in an emergency 

I think that with everything, there are lemons, except for my friends lemon tree that has been in the ground for 5-6 years and it just wont fruit.

Alfred's FBW is just coming up to a year old and fires every time. Sometimes you just get unlucky I gess.

Didnt the first of the BA falcons have big troubles with there fly by wire system. True every product has its lemons