Are Raymarine Autopilots any good?

IMO wheel pilots have and will always be second best (read c r a p)
They are controlled by a small overworked motor using under engineered cogs that have to overcome any resistance and slack in the wheel to rudder linkage.

So no, I don't have anything good to say :o
 
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LadyInBed said:
They are controlled by a small overworked motor using under engineered cogs :o
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Same goes for the tiller pilot. The first time I opened one up I was horrified to see how small and fragile the internal works were. We have two ST2000+ units that are about on the limit for our Westerly Storm. One failed off the Spanish Atlantic coat and it was cheaper to order a replacement from the UK than pay Spanish repair rates. In the event, when we got back home we sent the failed unit to Raymarine for repair and they fixed it quite cheaply, so we now have two.

That said, the 2000+ performed quite well and provided welcome time off the tiller on the lonmg hops, however we were quite concerned about the high power drain and the fact that the pilot had to work quite hard to deal with some of the bigger Atlantic swells. Should we set off on another long trip I will seriously investigate non-electric self steering gear such as SeaFeather etc.
 
I went on a boat from Florida to Adelaide with a below decks raymarine autopilot for use when nobody wanted to steer. It disengaged a couple of times but was otherwise fine. The raymarine stuff in general seems prone to annoying glitches where 1 instrument has the lights on really brightly but all the others are dim etc.

The cockpit pilots like the st1000+ tiller pilots seem OK. My new st1000+ only lasted about an hour and needed fixing after taking a small wave (they are not waterproof) but is now OK. Can't comment on the cockpit mounted wheel pilots.
 
Having had a Nautech Autohelm Mk II, in 1972, I'm probably biassed.

I've had one of the early 4000ST Tillerpilots on this boat for 19 years, same one, two actuators, does about 3000-3500 miles a year, and the actuators are serviced every 2nd year,

You'll find virtually no single-handed racer using the Raymarine gear and IMHO the all-in-one tiller pilots are unreliable toys.

For serious use a drum-belt autopilot on a wheel-steered boat is unlikely to give serious service - they have to operate direct on the rudder quadrant - anyone satisfied with them, has either not used them in serious weather or they're kindly, easily satisfied customers for whom the industry thirsts.

To answer the ?
raymarine autopilots are built down to a price and the best of them just make the grade.
 
charles_reed said:
Having had a Nautech Autohelm Mk II, in 1972, I'm probably biassed.

You'll find virtually no single-handed racer using the Raymarine gear and IMHO the all-in-one tiller pilots are unreliable toys.

QUOTE]
I have an old Raytech 1000 which came with the boat so must be 10+yrs old. I think its great although I haven't used it in heavy weather. But it transforms long passages and allows you to make lunch, have a pee etc without having to stop.
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Raymarine pilots

Just before we help dump another UK company into oblivion perhaps a bit of balance. I sold my last boat at 18 years with the Autohelm 7000 pilot still working well though the display head got a £16 return to factory service after about 12 years, my current Raymarine 6000 pilot looks mechanically identical with the same actuator pushing the steering quadrant,and so far it is working fine. However it normally only goes on and off with the engine unless I am singlehanded.
I agree with those who criticize the belt drive bolted on to wheel concept as a cheapo option which struggles to perform. However those who bought it obviously knew that they were opting for a cheaper bit of kit and must have decided it suited their purpose. If intended for serious use the ST6000 pilot in my opinion offered good value, high power and robust construction.
I also accept that the remarkable aftercare one used to get from Autohelm is a thing of the past, but at the time it was almost too good to be true but I think that Raymarine have attempted to sell competitively priced products which keep their competitors keen, if and when they go, expect to pay a lot more.
By the way, did you know that if you have an immersed metal rudder shaft, even a stainless steel one the autopilot actuator should be electrically isolated from the rudder shaft, not that hard to do but often neglected even by reputable builders, probably more of a risk with lightweight alloy rudder shafts.
 
Raymarine ST4000+ and ST60 depth and log working fine. 10 years old.

Navman wind on third display unit and shows erratic wind speed.

Garmin chartplotter shows drying heights in feet yet wet bits in metres and S.O.G. fluctuates by +/- 0.5 knots.
 
Wheel pilots are a compromise, and as such they'll work OK much of the time, but not all of the time - regardless of make. If you have wheel steering, you should fit a proper below-decks autopilot, acting directly on the rudder quadrant. These are tried and tested, will last for years, and will be cheaper in the long run. My Autohelm 6000 is 20 years old and I wouldn't be without it.
 
Iagree with quandary, I have had my present 6000 for 5 years (this is 6th) the ram on the quadrant was not replaced and had served another 5 or 6?? this came unscrewed as I was entering st peters port and made for an exciting minute or 2 as it jammed all steering, when I investigated i found that it hadnt been screwed in properly by the so called expert who installed the new pilot - 5 mins later it was back together and has worked perfectly ever since, i use it rather a lot, it is probably the best bit of raymarine kit that I have. other items have not been so relatively problem free
 
Have had an 800, 1000 and 4000 tiller pilots.

Only problem was with 1000 after it went flying across the boat, down below, during rough weather. 4000 best unit so far as is stronger and quicker.

Have been quite happy with Raymarine gear so far.
 
I have a St4000 wheel pilot on our 31 footer.... its really not up to the task in strong winds when I am trying to get the sails up on the Catterwater with minimal throttle on, or bigger seas, especially quartering..... when it loses the plot.. BUT it is reliable and when the boat is set up and going its can cope easily with normal conditions.. After 10 years it could do with a bit of a service as its getting a bit noisy.

I would think that you wont gain anything over the 3000 on your boat... if you want to upgrade I think a inboard pilot would be much better for you... In reality I think the little wheel pilots are ok for the smaller boats but your windage will cause them some problems unless you are giving it some whelly...

I tend to use mine once the boat is set up and going but most importantly when getting the sails up and down by myself.... If I was upgrading and had the cash I would get a inboard with a remote.

TiggerToo deserves better!
 
TiggerToo said:
Following on for this thread (http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2525855#post2525855), I thought I'd do better by asking the direct question here:

does anyone have anything good to say about the newer Raymarine Wheel Pilots?

I was thinking of replacing my old ST3000 (which is still going... )... but maybe I should think again?
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If it still works I would keep it. Just had my 3000 repaired after the fluxgate compass bust. Have thought of a 'ram' system on to the quadrant but it would still have to move the wires and wheel, etc.
 
a vote for the wheel pilot

No extended offshore trips, but the Autohelm A4000S wheelpilot I installed in '95 (about $950.US at that time) is still working fine. Raytheon bought that company and later was renamed Raymarine somewhere around '02.
Several years ago the computer part of it quit and the Raymarine service folks replaced the board for about $275.US.
They put in the A4000S+ board but since our model does not have the larger digital display there is no advantage to be seen (pun alert...).
The helming algorithms may be improved, but I have not noticed any obvious change.
We use it every time we go out for a sail or a cruise.

I agree with the critics that the below-decks model are far more robust, but they had better be for three to four times the money. The labor to install the ram often involves glass work as well as mechanical work in a usually-crowded area in the stern, and can either consume a lot of your time or your money. ;)

L
 
Just fitted an inboard pilot using an Octopus RS drive

Just fitted an inboard on my Ocanis 31, had wheel pilots on a couple of other boats and whilst they wrere ok didn't feel happy with the drag or clutch which on occasions would disengage.

Spent ages looking for a cost effective solution as its a small boat and eventually fitted a drive from Octopus a type RS coupled to a Raymarime SX10 corepack. The RS drive is a simple to fit bowden cable type drive and I have to say it is all working really well. Plus support from Octopus in making a fitting to attach it to my tiller pin was superb. They are also ver paitent I asked loads of questions and always got a very prompt reply before I bought it.


Their European website is http://www.octopuseurope.com/sailboats.html worth a look. Plus they have pricing on there which is good.
 
davidwf said:
Just fitted an inboard on my Ocanis 31, had wheel pilots on a couple of other boats and whilst they wrere ok didn't feel happy with the drag or clutch which on occasions would disengage.

Spent ages looking for a cost effective solution as its a small boat and eventually fitted a drive from Octopus a type RS coupled to a Raymarime SX10 corepack. The RS drive is a simple to fit bowden cable type drive and I have to say it is all working really well. Plus support from Octopus in making a fitting to attach it to my tiller pin was superb.
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Is the type you got one that disconnects when not in use ? If not then what is the drag like ? AAMOGI, is there a way of dis/connecting the "below decks" versions of these drives when they are not in use ? (Apart from delving into the nether regions of the boat armed with scredrivers etc, I mean).

Boo2
 
As the one who originally raised the doubts on the first thread, I have mixed experience of Raymarine gear. My ST 1000 has behaved perfectly for years - even if not really powerful enough. My instruments, both ST40 on one boat and 60 on the other have again been good, except the wind direction on the 60 packed up this year.

Experience with wheel pilots has been dire. The first 4000s (around year 2000) were hopeless and I had two disintegrate, one on an Athena cat and the other a Bavaria. So when I bought my 37 in 2001 it was fitted with a 4000 head and a 3000 drive. Although underpowered it was adequate for lighter weather and motoring. Itlasted well until the casing broke. I then bought the ST4000 upgraded drive unit in 2006, but for various reasons did not fit until last year. On our recent trip across the Med, it seized after less than 500 relatively easy miles. As this was a time constrained delivery trip I bought a complete new unit in Sardinia (1350 Euros!). This seized in the same way off Majorca. The drive gear on the end of the motor has fractured. Being replaced under warranty, but had to abandon the delivery in Spain. Replacement drive arriving end of next week, but will probably ship the boat back by road, partly because I no longer have confidence in the autopilot to handle the Atlantic leg.

The dilemma in wheel autopilots is the big jump in price to the below decks models - more than double the price plus the more complex installation (the complete SPX system took only 3 hours to install). If I keep the boat and do any more long distance, I will be tempted to fit a Lewmar Mamba drive, but again this doubles the price.

It seems to me that Raymarine should spend more time/money on improving the mechanical bits rather than constantly adding electronic features, many of which rather like the 10 extra programmes on washing machines or esoteric features on video camcorders, never get used.
 
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