Auto pilot

[stnick]

I have a Morgan 38 with wheel Ray marine auto steering just will not do the job.
How hard and how much to do the job right ? One of those drive units on the steering hub???
Who makes it etc>>??????

[Snore]

Are you balancing the rig? If I don't trim her right, my wheelpilot works way to hard and slips.


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[onestepcsy37]

Boat is too big, overpowers the pilot. The only wheel pilot that will work on your boat is the CPT. Have been using one on my similar sized boat (CSY 37) for nearly ten years and love it. See it at www.cptautopilot.com

[stnick]

Originally Posted by Snore

Are you balancing the rig? If I don't trim her right, my wheelpilot works way to hard and slips.


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B I N G O !

[stnick]

Originally Posted by Snore

Are you balancing the rig? If I don't trim her right, my wheelpilot works way to hard and slips.


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So when I ask a question you ask another question? I have a wheel pilot i'm replacing it !

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by stnick

So when I ask a question you ask another question? I have a wheel pilot i'm replacing it !

And I always thought stnick was a jolly happy fellow! Lighten up, the guy was trying to be helpful.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by stnick

I have a Morgan 38 with wheel Ray marine auto steering just will not do the job.
How hard and how much to do the job right ? One of those drive units on the steering hub???
Who makes it etc>>??????

Which Ray auto are you using? I have their highest-rated above deck tiller pilot, a SPX-5GP. It is rated to 16,500# displacement. They make it in wheel version as well. The CPT unit looks great, and is rated much higher, but Ray does appear to make a version that would handle your boat (assuming SailboatData.com has the right specs for your boat).

It is all about the balance. My Raymarine tiller pilot manages my 30,000# boat as long as the seas are gentle and the rig is properly balanced.

[barnakiel]

Try a below deck ram. They do seem somewhat stronger.

b.

[stnick]

My point if the seas are gentle and the wind calm whats the sense of a auto pilot ? I need for bad conditions.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by stnick

My point if the seas are gentle and the wind calm whats the sense of a auto pilot ? I need for bad conditions.

Do you not actually want info? I just told you Ray makes an above-deck auto that is rated for your boat. It's way under for mine, but foolish me, I thought you'd like to know it even steers us under modest conditions.

Barn's comment is bang-on; get a below-deck if you want real power.


Why go fast, when you can go slow

[roverhi]

Raymarine does not make a wheel pilot with enough oomph to steer a boat that with a heavy helm. The X5 pilot would steer my Pearson powering but would just stall out and quit above about three knots sailing. If you have a boat with a balanced spade rudder it would probably do fine but not an unbalanced skeg or keep hung rudder on a mid 30' boat.

If you need the power, a CPT auto pilot is the way to go or a below deck pilot.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Do you not actually want info? I just told you Ray makes an above-deck auto that is rated for your boat. It's way under for mine, but foolish me, I thought you'd like to know it even steers us under modest conditions.

Barn's comment is bang-on; get a below-deck if you want real power.


Why go fast, when you can go slow

One can take a horse to water but.....

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by stnick

My point if the seas are gentle and the wind calm whats the sense of a auto pilot ? I need for bad conditions.

I see your problem. Your expectations are upside down.

The real purpose of an ap is to relieve you of the "tyranny of the tiller". On a long trip you dont want to spend hour after hour with your hands glued to the wheel and your eyes fixed to the compass. Its not just boring; after ten hours its maddening. And what do you do when you need to sleep? I would much rather be awake and alert and in control during a storm than during a calm.

Your message troubles me. You are saying that when conditions get bad you want to give up control of the boat to a black box. Just the opposite of what I think most sailors would choose to do.

[sailorboy1]

I had a 39' boat with a wheel drive, it would steer the boat when things were good. But that doesn't help much as you want it to steer when things are bad.

You need a below deck. A RM SPX10 with a below deck drive unit should be enough. Figure $2k to do it right. Not very hard to install and if you are reasonably hardly you can do it (make sure you use at LEAST the wire size recommended).

[bensolomon]

I second the vote for the cpt autopilot. I have a hunter legend 37.5 and it has functioned above expectation. Also, Jeff at CPT is amazingly responsive and helpful. It does not make any noise, and is robust. PM me if you want some pictures and video of it in action.

I didn't have enough room for a below deck pilot, so I had no choice but to get a wheel pilot. Best upgrade I have done.

Ben