Pedistal wheel brake and autopilot

[largojimbo2003]

Hello,


Been hearing two schools of thought on the pedestal brake setting when using an autopilot.


1. keep a little tension on the brake so the rudder doesn't swing so heavy taking some pressure off the autopilot motor.



2. keep brake open (no friction) so the autopilot motor handles all of the work.


I look forward to your thoughts and ideas.


Thanks

[Stu Jackson]

#1 is nonsense. Why would anyone choose to maker a motor of some sort work harder to move the wheel?


Flat earth society folks, no doubt.

[dfelsent]

#1 will likely result in the need to reline the brake in short order.

[Suijin]

Yeah #1 is pretty idiotic. It does nothing but make the autopilot work harder against the friction of the brake. The autopilot is never going to "overstand" the specified rudder angle from the computer, and the brake does not "spare" the autopilot from counter forces on the rudder.

Whoever told you #1 was a good idea...well, anything else they told you about your boat's mechanical systems...ignore it.

[macman4190]

Try turning the rudder using the autopilot attachment points. If it attaches to the wheel, grab those attachment points and try to turn the rudder. If it is below deck, try to push the lever the autopilot is pushing. Then decide whether putting the brake on would be helpful. On my boat, I can’t budge the below deck lever to move the rudder. When you steer normally and turn the wheel, how much force do you exert to stop turning the wheel? On my boat, it is none.

[Moontide]

Only good I can think of is that you'll get to buy a new AP motor sooner.

[GordMay]

Wow - unanimity on CF!
Me 6.

[sailormed]

Me 7