2nd tiller pilot has just expired

There used to be a waterproofer that you could spray inside mobile phones. Can't remember the name. It'll probably invalidate the warranty, but it seems rain and sea spray do that anyway.
 
thanks chaps

thanks for your suggestions

replies more or less in order

don't fancy rinsing it it with water - fresh or otherwise - but might have a go - nothing to lose I guess

durex for tillerpilot seems a good idea - but fitting one now seems a bit like shutting door after horse has bolted

Raymarine did give me the first one - seven years ago now - so it has done pretty well - I did meet a KTLer from Raymarine and he did ask the PR person who promptly changed the subject

fan heater on opened unit in the past

been screwed and unscrewed so many times the screws are worn out

power supply seems fine

it makes the st2000 beep so I am sure the power is getting there

the st 1000 also powers up but instead of moving the arm it just clicks

thanks for the offer of a replacement

love to swap dvds for old simrad

SPX5 is out of my price bracket - as is life raft, epirb, new every season life jackets, bubbery boots

however, I am sure I should have disasembled both devices and silconed the seals and screw holes

D
 
If you type tiller pilot into the search box you'll find many that have packed up relatively early in life.

Problems..... usually salt air/water getting to motherboard etc.

Possible short term solution.... open up, dry thoroughly with a hair drier.... warm not hot for a few hours, leave it in a warm dry place like an airing cupboard for a week and try again.

If it comes to life, spray all the motherboard with a waterproof sealant.... Maplins etc.. and put silicon grease on the rod just before it enters the main body to help keep water out. Also put a plug of silicon grease up the little hole that is up behind the pin that fits to the side of your boat. Why there is an opening there I cannot imagine???

I lost two and Raymarine reluctantly replaced the second. The problem is they are designed for a boat but hate wet!!!!! :(

I eventually made a canvas cover (which had a see-through window for controls etc..) that slipped loosely over mine to keep the green stuff out.

I now have a 4000 which has the control unit in a much drier place, ironically in a much drier boat and only the ram and the cable gets wet.....

so far so good.

S.
 
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Further to my earlier post regarding my new ST1000 blowing a fuse on it's first time used.

This happened when on a reach in light.ish(F2 - F3?)winds then a strong gust between two islands started to round-up the boat and the unit had to work harder. It fully extended, stopped working and on investigation I found the fuse on the switch panel had blown.

In what sort of wind strengths should these expensive units function properly? I'd like to be able to rely on it for fore-deck work and/or going below, but on this experience I think it will be pretty useless.

Please don't say my rigging is badly set-up......................
 
Robert Wilson said:
It fully extended, stopped working and on investigation I found the fuse on the switch panel had blown.
Click to expand...

What size fuse?

Robert Wilson said:
In what sort of wind strengths should these expensive units function properly?
Click to expand...

Depends very much on the boat and the point of sailing. The ST2000 on Kindred Spirit could steer upwind in any conditions I'd want to be out in, provided the sails were properly balanced. On a broad reach in force 4 or above she often needed large fast tiller movements to keep on track, for which the pilot was pretty marginal. I'd put it on briefly while I needed to do something, but felt a lot happier hand-steering (and it was great fun too!).

Pete
 
Robert Wilson said:
Further to my earlier post regarding my new ST1000 blowing a fuse on it's first time used.

This happened when on a reach in light.ish(F2 - F3?)winds then a strong gust between two islands started to round-up the boat and the unit had to work harder. It fully extended, stopped working and on investigation I found the fuse on the switch panel had blown.

In what sort of wind strengths should these expensive units function properly? I'd like to be able to rely on it for fore-deck work and/or going below, but on this experience I think it will be pretty useless.

Please don't say my rigging is badly set-up......................
Click to expand...

Raymarine will possibly tell you the loads in your boat are too severe when they are at their extreme.

e.g.
O.k. to have a well balanced 28' Twister with a ST2000+ in calm dry conditions F3 but give it a rolling swell in a F6 going to windward wind over

tide on a very wet day and it's probably too much.

That's where you have to up-grade to a 4000 or similar I'm afraid.

If you hear your tiller pilot working overtime your boat/sails may be out of balance or you may be using the tiller pilot in extreme conditions.

I suggest....get the boat sailing with almost zero weather helm first then connect, it could be a better scenario.

I decided very early on to get a wind vane steering and in anything towards extreme I connect that to the tiller, but a very costly way to go.....

but not expensive due to the advantages gained. My monitor is extremely powerful and cannot be worked against and yet is not challenged by

weather helm severely at all. All Tradewind owners except those possibly with bowsprits will know all about weather helm :)

S

p.s.
Don't sail close to a moored giant ship with tiller pilot on and nip below for a quick pee. The interference to the compass in the Tiller pilot can be

so seriously effected that it can take you directly towards the big ship. Bin there, done that..... Crash! :(

Off for a cruise now..... see you in a few weeks :)
 
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Centaurs do not usually have high tiller loads, in fact IMO one of the few failings of the design is that the feel on the helm is too light and neutral !

If Dylan isn't already at it, he should approach Raymarine going for the PR angle; if they are as clueless as most PR people Dylan, go through tech support there, they are very good blokes !
 
Scotty_Tradewind said:
Don't sail close to a moored giant ship with tiller pilot on
Click to expand...

I believe the proper term is huge ship :D

714PH4X5FRL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.gif


Pete
 
Scotty_Tradewind said:
p.s. Don't sail close to a moored giant ship with tiller pilot on and nip below for a quick pee. The interference to the compass in the Tiller pilot can be

so seriously effected that it can take you directly towards the big ship. Bin there, done that..... Crash! :(
Click to expand...

Also don't have anything magnetic in your pocket or stored nearby. I wondered why mine changed course every time I moved and I finally (I can be a bit slow sometimes :p) twigged that my beloved Mauser knife that lived in my pocket was magnetic.
 
dylanwinter said:
thanks for your suggestions

replies more or less in order

don't fancy rinsing it it with water - fresh or otherwise - but might have a go - nothing to lose I guess

durex for tillerpilot seems a good idea - but fitting one now seems a bit like shutting door after horse has bolted

Raymarine did give me the first one - seven years ago now - so it has done pretty well - I did meet a KTLer from Raymarine and he did ask the PR person who promptly changed the subject

fan heater on opened unit in the past

been screwed and unscrewed so many times the screws are worn out

power supply seems fine

it makes the st2000 beep so I am sure the power is getting there

the st 1000 also powers up but instead of moving the arm it just clicks

thanks for the offer of a replacement

love to swap dvds for old simrad

SPX5 is out of my price bracket - as is life raft, epirb, new every season life jackets, bubbery boots

however, I am sure I should have disasembled both devices and silconed the seals and screw holes

D
Click to expand...

Bit of a case of horses bolted, but if you get it going again or get another, open it up and spray all the electrics with a conformal coating, comes from RS and Maplins in a spray can and makes electronics oil and water resistant, just keep it off switches. Not cheap but it does work. also worth treating your VHF.
Works for me anyway.
 
See how you get on with it first. You will have to move your pivot pin in about 4", I made an extension piece but I think I got the thread wrong but I can have another go if you like, or do you have your own solution?
PS. I'm the chap who met you in Island Harbour in May...You had a go on my bike.
 
dylanwinter said:
but it rained and it stopped - now all it does is beep like a sad seagull chick
Click to expand...

A very well known problem, with a well known solution...

HcVoIcG.jpg


After 14 years and 32k miles my boat's on its 2nd cover, and original ST2000+ pilot. I have promised someone here, although I can't remember who, to make a similar ugly but effective cover for their boat when I get back in the autumn from my 3 month holiday. While I've fired up the sewing machine I might make a few.
 
I tried a condom on mine but it just split asunder when I poked the ram through the teat bit on the end. In have 2 more to try so cutting the end off may work. The clingfilm is a fall back position. They really should be waterproof.

Mine is in it's second season but I usually only use it when motoring, I hardly ever sail singlehanded.

I don't know where seajet get's his lack of feel from, OK it's not like the transom hung rudder on my Copland Harrier, but my Centaur certainly has weather helm when hard pressed. In have to used lots of rudder input on a beam or broad reach with waves too, not tried the ST2000 in those conditions, I'm usually having too much fun.
 
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