Rigging Tillerpilot to Windvane

[jimbim]

I posted this also to SSCA, but that forum seems to be down, at least to me here in Borneo so I will try you guys.

Our autopilot recently died and nothing seems able to resuscitate it. We have a Monitor windvane which is fine when the wind is blowing, but we are tied to the tiller when it's not.

A generous Aussie boat took pity on us and gave us an unused Raymarine ST1000 tiller pilot. Refused payment. Their intention when they bought it a few years ago was to connect it to their windvane, but never got around to it. We plan to do the same.

Does anyone know of plans/instructions/advice available on the web to make such a tillerpilot to windvane connection?

Cheers and thanks from Kota Kinabalu.

[svquest2]

I don't know of any plans, but the general idea is to set the tillerpilot to push your windvane back and forth just like the wind does, so that it can move your tiller. You have a Monitor so if you want to change course you will have to hang over the stern to adjust the autopilot. Why bother?

That tillerpilot should be okay for that boat directly on the tiller, and you can adjust your course directly from the cockpit.

Good luck

Joe S

[marno]

I haven't tried it yet, but this is how it is supposed to be done on my Fleming. FLEMING » Autopilot Bracket - There and back for 40 years

[jimbim]

svquest2, according to Raymarine, the ST1000 is spec'd for a boat of about 3,000 kg, about two-thirds the size of mine, but I think such specs are wishful thinking. My dead tillerpirlot, an ST4000 that wasn't very old, seemed barely up to the job of running day and night.

Thanks Marno. Will look at it.

[George Wade]

If you can work on having the tiller pilot run the light part of the wind vane: taking the vane off and having the pilot arm actuate the servo mechanism. Directly or through push-pull bicycle brake cable... through 200lb fishing monofilament...

I can't see the mechanism from here so it will take some inspiration.

Then the servo mechanism, if there is one, would be doing the heavy work and the electronic pilot would last as long as you could keep it out of the weather.

[dialdan]

Hi Jim

www.sailsarana.com/selfsteer. Well worth a look
Al

[DaveSherman]

When our self electronic self steering went out on passage, I connected a tiller master to our monitor windvane. (We had already test made the conversion before we left)

It worked ok as long as we were moving a pretty good pace, although it was not nealy as good as the regular electronic self steering.

I am about to go again, but this time, I plan to have two electronic self steering systems (one for a backup) - and bag the Monitor.

Dave

[DaveSherman]

Oh, I forgot to mention that we were on a 47' boat. The monitor may work better on a smaller vessel.