Raymarine st4000+, failure.

[Jim van Cleve]

My new Raymarine st4000+, with less than 500 nm on it packed up
at 20 hrs on a 23 hr trip from Savusavu to Suva Fiji.
Later upon disassembly and inspection it's clear that the plastic "gear box" is stripped internationally.
I have been using autopilots since 1980 and have never seen such lightweight, cost cutting construction. BTW, my 1968, P35 is 13,00
lbs. The autopilot is rated 36' and 16,000 lbs
. Raymarine, NEVER again.

Fijijim,
P35, Solent rig
Suva, Fiji

[Pete7]

Jim,

Is this a new EV100 system? if so you appear to be right on the limit for the drive and if you have stocked up for the trip could easily be over the limit.

Pete

[gmakhs]

Raymarine at 4000 is old design and this should happen to you , maybe the problem was on your gear .


Now about the Ev100 stay away from this piece of crap, my boat weights just 2100 kg and I have allready change 2 drives into warwnrhy in 8 months !!!
The first one had broken gear and the second water intrusion.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

Now about the Ev100 stay away from this piece of crap, my boat weights just 2100 kg and I have allready change 2 drives into warwnrhy in 8 months !!!
The first one had broken gear and the second water intrusion.

Actually for the price I think it's a really good bit of kit and 18 months since installing it consider it money well spent. What have you replaced yours with? Oh and do you have to tiller version, most fit the wheel drive. So why do you call it "a piece of crap"? I would have thought it quite suitable for coastal cruising.

Jim, which ST4000 version do you have fitted?

Pete

[SSgtPitt]

Great!! This is what I have and I’m at 16500 empty and getting ready to shove off this Nov. Something else to buy , upgrade, replace

[gmakhs]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Actually for the price I think it's a really good bit of kit and 18 months since installing it consider it money well spent. What have you replaced yours with? Oh and do you have to tiller version, most fit the wheel drive. So why do you call it "a piece of crap"? I would have thought it quite suitable for coastal cruising.

Jim, which ST4000 version do you have fitted?

Pete

I have the tiller version because my boat has a tiller .

Being broken because of bad quality twice in 8 months is not enough for you to call it a piece of crap ?
I do offshore sailing , and the EV 100 suppose to handle the stress , all the problems I had was due to bad quality , now I am on the third drive , and leaving soon for AFRICA if it brakes again I am gonna replace it on warwnrhy remove it from the boat and sell it..

[roverhi]

The P35 takes a lot of force to turn the rudder, heaviest helm I've had on any of my 5 boats. The Wheel pilots aren't meant to handle that much force over very long periods. Had a Raymarine X5 on my P35 and it worked fine under power but would shut down in a minute or two if asked to steer the boat under sail. The X5 auto pilot had a good bit of use steering for 36 hours straight motoring on one passage so can handle the boat just not under sail. The size reccomendations for auto pilots should be based on force needed to move the helm not the length/displacement. A balanced rudder on a 50 footer would probably be easier to turn than the P35's. The Wheel Pilots just aren't designed for steering a boat with a heavy helm and definitely not for an offshore boat as the only means of self steering.

Get an auxillary rudder self steering vane and use a tiller pilot on the vane. if you are going to continue cruising with the boat you'll be a lot happier. That's how I've now got mine set up. The Auxillary Rudders vane is balanced and a peice of cake for a tiller pilot to handle. Only problem is close quarter maneuvering in harbor with the boats rudder having overcome the vanes rudder to turn.

If you are going auto pilot only an STRONG under deck pilot will probably be the only one that will be able to move that barn door rudder under sail. Better have a good sized battery bank as you are going to have a lot of amp usage under sail.

Is your boat the P35 that was at Vuda Point Marina a few years back?? Saw the boat there and wondered how it managed to wander so far afield. Checked around after I saw it but couldn't find out anyone who could shed light on it's provenance.

FWIW, mines a '69 #108 that I bought in SF in '05. Set it up to cruise Alaska but ended up soloing it to Hawaii in '10 where it's been since. Started a major interior overhaul which I've made very slow progress at.

Originally Posted by Jim van Cleve

My new Raymarine st4000+, with less than 500 nm on it packed up
at 20 hrs on a 23 hr trip from Savusavu to Suva Fiji.
Later upon disassembly and inspection it's clear that the plastic "gear box" is stripped internationally.
I have been using autopilots since 1980 and have never seen such lightweight, cost cutting construction. BTW, my 1968, P35 is 13,00
lbs. The autopilot is rated 36' and 16,000 lbs
. Raymarine, NEVER again.

Fijijim,
P35, Solent rig
Suva, Fiji

[Pizzazz]

The ST4000+ is a fine piece of gear and one of the most popular autopilots. I would estimate 60% of the boats in the marina have them.

The problem is the actuator, the wheel, the belt is just not capable of transferring enough torque. The solution is to find a Raymarine Type 1 linear drive that you connect to the quadrant below.

They go for $1,500 on ebay. Sell your wheel pilot and get one of those. You will need to run two additional wires for the clutch. Great system.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

I have the tiller version because my boat has a tiller .

Being broken because of bad quality twice in 8 months is not enough for you to call it a piece of crap ?
I do offshore sailing , and the EV 100 suppose to handle the stress , all the problems I had was due to bad quality , now I am on the third drive , and leaving soon for AFRICA if it brakes again I am gonna replace it on warwnrhy remove it from the boat and sell it..

I didn't call it a piece of crap, you did. I would be interested in seeing what you did to break 3 in quick succession. Actually what you need is the older GP drive which is bigger and stronger but sadly not made anymore so difficult to find. Alternatively I am sure NKE can supply something. They are fitted to those crazy 6.5m Petit-Bateau yachts that the French sail across oceans.

Pete

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by SSgtPitt

Great!! This is what I have and I’m at 16500 empty and getting ready to shove off this Nov. Something else to buy , upgrade, replace

Mate, I don't know how to break this to you, but you are stuffed, or up a creek without a paddle :-(

I can offer you a few $$ for the bits if it helps.

Seriously if you are planning on crossing oceans or even long offshore passages then, either underdeck or windvane. Keep the wheel pilot for the short trips or quick times you just want to hold a steady course whilst raising the sails or putting the kettle on for tea.

Pete