What Type/Brand Autopilot?

[Panope]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

Your new autopilot has a wind sensor input and a wind vane function.

I got no wind-sensors, not even a wind feather (just look at the water). Don't have a single electrical wire in the mast.

Got to keep my life as simple as possible or I will go nuts.

Some of my friends call me a minimalist. I wish it were so.

Steve

[Cap Erict3]

I have yarn tied to the shrouds and my wind genny as my tattle tales. Am running an led lantern up on a halyard when at anchor until I can rewire my mast.

Keep a close eye on your wheel pilot until you get the belt tension spot on. My tension handle would pop halfway up when dealing with confused seas while running down wind. I kept the Allen screw loose enough to tweak the tension while underway .

[Panope]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

Keep a close eye on your wheel pilot until you get the belt tension spot on. My tension handle would pop halfway up when dealing with confused seas while running down wind. I kept the Allen screw loose enough to tweak the tension while underway .

Thanks Eric,

The "tension handle" that you speak of - is that also the "clutch" handle or is this a separate control?

Also, is this a "toothed" belt or smooth? Do you keep a spare belt on-board or is the weak link the (reportedly) plastic gears?

Steve

[Sailmonkey]

The tension handle referred above is the clutch to disengage the drive unit from the wheel. The normal wear item on these things is the gears. The belt is toothed and no fun to change either.

[Cap Erict3]

Correct. I was referring to the clutch handle and the tension adjusting knob next to it.

[Tymadman]

If you go ahead with the Raymarine autopilot, check out my website (in signature below) for a lower cost option for a wireless remote control for it.

[RaymondR]

Also, is this a "toothed" belt or smooth? Do you keep a spare belt on-board or is the weak link the (reportedly) plastic gears?

The weakest link is the toothed belt and I probably went through 5 - 7 belts before the gears gave out. The gears in later units were larger and slightly more robust.

Sailmonkey is correct about the belt being no fun the change, you have to take the wheel of to do it and I think the newer versions have ball bearings instead of the little wheels fixed on axles that the older version had.

I can recall one occasion when I changed a belt one handed whilst steering with a vice grip on the shaft in the middle of the night because I was in a narrow spot between reefs and shore and did not want to heave too or hand steer for the rest of the night.

It is better not to tighten the belt too much as then it preferentially slips and keeps from tearing the teeth from the belt. I found that one of the problems was people using the wheel as a grab spot when the boat was rolling and overloading the belt.

The design of the wheelpilot is not bad it is just too lightly built. I found that for casual weekend use it was fine however when I transformed into a full time cruiser it was just not industrial enough for the work load.

About two years ago I helped another cruiser by fixing his hydraulic unit which the service person had told him was had it and required replacing. It was a beautifully engineered piece of work from another brand of autopilot with the pump, oil reservoir and cylinder all incorporated into a single unit. After having fixed it I realized that I had screwed up and should have agreed with the service person and offered the owner a couple of hundred bucks for it as spares. This good Samaritan crap just does not pay?

If you can afford it I think the hydraulic drive is the way to go.

[Panope]

Originally Posted by Tymadman

If you go ahead with the Raymarine autopilot, check out my website (in signature below) for a lower cost option for a wireless remote control for it.

I did go ahead and ordered a Raymarine.

Couple of questions. Does your remote require that the fixed module remain "line of sight with the handheld unit? Can the signal shoot through glass? Can the signal propagate around corners? Does the signal pass through aluminum?

Thank you for the info.

Steve

[Tymadman]

Originally Posted by Panope

I did go ahead and ordered a Raymarine.

Couple of questions. Does your remote require that the fixed module remain "line of sight with the handheld unit? Can the signal shoot through glass? Can the signal propagate around corners? Does the signal pass through aluminum?

Thank you for the info.

Steve

Hi Steve,

No, the fixed module doesn't need to be in line of sight of the handheld units (fobs).
It uses a radio transmitter so the signal will pass through glass and aluminium but the signal strength will be reduced of course, and it therefore can 'go around corners' so to speak.
For a boat your size I'd recommend the external antenna option. With that I wouldn't expect you to have any issues with range from anywhere on your boat.
If you go ahead and purchase one I'd be happy to take it back and refund all your money if you're not happy with it once installed.

[Stu Jackson]

This was written before 1998, maybe early 90's, but still applies when going downwind or especially with quartering seas. The "logic" or lack thereof of the head end brains hasn't changed much. Coupled with the tiny toy motors most wheel pilots have, one has to wonder how the manufacturers have survived so long with such a cruddy product. From all of my reading on this and other sailing forums, not much has changed, unless one switches to a more robust underneath unit.

"Wacky Autohelm"

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[Panope]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

This was written before 1998, maybe early 90's, but still applies when going downwind or especially with quartering seas. The "logic" or lack thereof of the head end brains hasn't changed much. Coupled with the tiny toy motors most wheel pilots have, one has to wonder how the manufacturers have survived so long with such a cruddy product. From all of my reading on this and other sailing forums, not much has changed, unless one switches to a more robust underneath unit.

Wow! You mean I will actually get to be out on my boat with a following wind? I can't wait. Wind is usually non-existent or blowing the wrong way.

I am so looking forward for the wind to kick up and overwhelm my wimpy autopilot so I can turn it (and the engine) off and get some long over due sailing - by hand.

Steve

[goat]

Good call Panope. I sail. Following seas are a handful when motoring and are better handled under sail. You won't regret your purchase, I use mine daily and I've got a wired remote (which I've never used). The X-5 works great. I will, one day, get a wind vane, but for general cruising wheel pilot is simple and reliable. Watch when your batteries run low though she'll kick in to manual.
Everything is above decks and right in your face, If something goes wrong it's right there in the cockpit, and for the same price as a high end unit you can keep a spare.
Good luck with your purchase.

[Matt Johnson]

We have the larger display remote (Raymarine Smartcontroller) which uses the same wireless receiver as the S100 remote, and can be anywhere on the boat and control the autopilot. The receiver is mounted below deck and has to go through a lot of stuff to reach the bow, but still works fine there.

My control head is mounted back by the wheel and I typically sit a full 4 feet away while on watch. No way am I actually going to get up and control the autopilot.... much easier just to use the remote

We did have the wired one before this and really liked that too. Unfortunately, I sold that last month or you could have had that. They go for under $200 on ebay.

[Seman]

Does anybody know if the Raymarine X 5 pilot with P 70 control work better with a rudder feedback transducer?

[Cap Erict3]

Mine would work without the rudder fb.