Tiller Steering, Autopilot

[Pete7]

Is tha the ST2000? we have one and regularly check e bay and the likes for a spare but they go for outrageous money in the UK. Almost better off buying a new one as the spare.

Pete

[GypsyHawk]

It is 10 years old and the current replacement is the SPX-5 GP version which can be bought in Australia for about $1800 just for the drive unit. In the US it can be bought for about $1600.

[s/vfootloose]

The TP-32 has worked well for me for the last 5 years and my boat is about 20,000 lbs. It also has a remote that has a 15' control so I can control the unit from the mast.

[lateral]

Thanks! It will be on my wish list for a back up to the autohelm 2000.

[wingssail]

We have Autohelm GP4000 (older version of Ray X5) and monitor wind vane which we use 99% of time when sailing and have used this combination for 15 years, 33,000nm. The GP4000 performs well but we have worn out drive units, about one every 5 years. Generally it cannot handle heavy duty usage such as steering while sailing in big winds or heavy seas without extraordinary load on the motor and they wear out.
Now we use it for light wind sailing or motoring. We carry a spare unit (actually a complete X5 still in the box). The drive unit can be purchased separately and this is the only part we've had problem with so usually we have a spare drive unit. Recently we were unable to buy the drive unit so we bought the whole X5 system. We might install it soon because the LCD on the GP4000 control unit is starting to fade.

Our boat is 18,000lbs, 43 ft, tiller steered, with fin keel and balanced spade rudder, but it is a powerful rig and when pushed hard requires big steering inputs. This is why we wear out the units and feel we must carry a spare. You vessel is different but I still would carry a spare if going offshore due to the loads you are going to put on the drive unit with your vessel and it's keel hung rudder.

The use of a lighter unit attached to the windvane might be an excellent solution.

[sctpc]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Is tha the ST2000? we have one and regularly check e bay and the likes for a spare but they go for outrageous money in the UK. Almost better off buying a new one as the spare.

Pete

Same in Aus also if you buy from US Raymarine will not honer the warranty

[lateral]

Originally Posted by sctpc

Same in Aus also if you buy from US Raymarine will not honer the warranty

So much for the global economy.
I buy parts for my Yanmar in the US as they can be three times the price
here. But, I have to have someone onship, that is in the dealership area. PIA!

I wonder if Simrad are as shortsighted? Some US electronics firms will honour
their warranties if you ship the item back to the US.

[BILL_S]

Newbie here trying to wade through acres of info. I searched on tiller and autopilot to determine if a tiller sailboat can have a autopilot? after reading this string I have determined yes it can but a specific kind and they may be a little troublesome. As I have not bought my boat yet maybe I should stick to a boat with a wheel? or maybe I misinterpreted and still don't know anything.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by BILL_S

Newbie here trying to wade through acres of info. I searched on tiller and autopilot to determine if a tiller sailboat can have a autopilot? after reading this string I have determined yes it can but a specific kind and they may be a little troublesome. As I have not bought my boat yet maybe I should stick to a boat with a wheel? or maybe I misinterpreted and still don't know anything.

You can definitely use a tiller pilot. They are simple, draw little electricity and I would guess just as reliable as most autopilots... and cheaper! One of the early Autohelm units worked for me from Seattle to mexico for 1.5 years. I'm amazed at thow expensive the AP's are now though. You'd think like computers they would be cheaper than 20 years ago. Problem is everybody wants them to do everything but wash the dishes I suppose.... drives the cost and the failure rate up... and sells more units with people wanting the latest version. Personally i want to set a course and let MY BRAIN decide when to change it! Yeah... I know.,.... I'm old school...

[Cormorant]

Bill S -- tiller pilots are easy to set up and easy to use. You don't need to choose your boat based on steering mechanism, wheel vs. tiller. Choose your boat on all the other important factors, then install autosteering if the boat doesn't come with it.

[Ciabi]

Watching this thread carefully. The Chester P is a 32 Foot full keel tiller boat at 10T/20,000lbs. Was leery about the X5 Grand Prix but maybe that's our ticket!

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Ciabi

Watching this thread carefully. The Chester P is a 32 Foot full keel tiller boat at 10T/20,000lbs. Was leery about the X5 Grand Prix but maybe that's our ticket!

Probably not. It is designed for boats up to 7.5T.

It will be fine for motoring in calm conditions though.

For serious steering you will need a stronger drive.

b.

[Ciabi]

I fully realize the limitations of the X5- Presently there doesn't appear to be a stronger drive on the market according to my research.

My intent is to use the windvane for sailing and the auto-pilot for motoring anyway due to the large tiller input requirements. Tiller inputs of 185 lbs can be expected with a barn door rudder on our canoe stern.

Does anyone know of a larger (i.e. high tonnage capable drive) available elsewhere (i.e. outside of the the U.S.)?

I may just have to build my own!

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Probably not. It is designed for boats up to 7.5T.

It will be fine for motoring in calm conditions though.

For serious steering you will need a stronger drive.

b.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Ciabi

My intent is to use the windvane for sailing and the auto-pilot for motoring anyway due to the large tiller input requirements. Tiller inputs of 185 lbs can be expected with a barn door rudder on our canoe stern.

Does anyone know of a larger (i.e. high tonnage capable drive) available elsewhere (i.e. outside of the the U.S.)?

We have what you call the barn door on a canoe stern and believe me I can drive our boat effortlessly in the worst of conditions ... so probably a design issue with some boats, nothing wrong with barn/canoe thing per se.

Raymarine (and others) make bigger units too, but you mount them under the deck. Any limitation for such a solution on your boat?

b.

[Ciabi]

Hi "Barnie"-

Yup... won't work for us. Aries-32 is a Thomas Gillmer design. Tiller and Rudder are one unit mounted on through bolted pintles fully after. Soooo... there is no rudder post coming up through the aft deck.

We'll probably wind up with an X5 Grand Prix in the end because it will fully integrate with the rest of my ST60+ instruments and see how it performs. It is a lot of $'s to drop though without fully researching *ALL* of the available drives out there prior to throwing down the dollars.

Appreciate the response-

Chuck
The Chester P