AUTOHELM 2000 IS IT ANY GOOD OR TO OLD???

[trouville]

Many years ago i had a sail boat with a tiller. I bought an autohelm 1000 which was rubbish, it wouldent keep a course the wind vain never worked, eventually i threw it overboard when it broke a rubber band, replacing it with an old sharp drum and string system which worked.(my autohelm may just have been a bad one)

I did wonder if the 2000 would have been better, the reason is the control compass like the sharp, which i would use to steer with and even tack with without having to lean accross the transum to press the red buttons

Now im getting another boat with tiller should i look for a second hand Autohelm 2000 or buy a new somthing???? How much should i pay for a secondhand 2000????

Any suggestions and any opinions or comments about them

 

[KREW2]

hi
I have an autohelm 2000 it came with the boat a gib'sea 84 so i don't know how old it is, all I can say its user friendly and steers a better course than I can

 

[trouville]

i bought my 1000 in 1986 and then they were quite new, does the 2000 have a tack button? or do you turn the compass conrtol? and how is the control fixed? in a holder? dose it have a plug for the wind vain? Do you use the wind vain?
Dose it tack OK ??
Last question if you need to take the tiller can you just lift it off and stear? without turning it off?

 

[VicMallows]

I have a 1985 AH2000 (the sort with a seperate control unit with a round knob on top). Still using the original tiller ram, though original control unit became problematic due to moisture ingress. Repaired it several times (it's analogue circuitry, and I have the circuits if you need them).

Bought a complete one, seemed nearly new at a boat jumble 10 years ago for £45. Now have mounted the control unit just inside companionway, and have never had any more trouble. Still have the second actuator as a spare.

Interestingly, once worked with the original founder of AH!

Vic

 

[trouville]

do you tack with it or do you take it off to do that? I havent found one yet but if i see one i will probably buy it.
I like the system of useing an analoge control rather than being fixed to a 15 degree course change for tacking (i think it was) or counting the 1 degee beeps--

 

[VicMallows]

Yes I use it to tack. I'm nearly always single handed. From experience know how much to turn the knob, which I will vary depending on situation. One thing I've observed is that after a long period of not being used, the compass unit can stick (may be temperature related, especially at the moment here!). Can always free it with a few sharp twists, but can catch you unaware. I simply couldn't sail single-handed without some sort of autopilot. By the way; the 'rudder' gain control underneath is quite critical on my boat, but once determined is fine.

Yes, does accept an analogue windvane, though suspect you might find it difficult to get one now. Never found it that useful except for dead down wind. If you just take the arm off the tiller, it 'hunts' at one extreme of travel, so best to be able to switch it off easily.

Vic

 

[trouville]

Sounds as i hoped it would, i may still have my wind vane and mounting pole.

How should i judge the gain? just asking in case i cant find the answer if i get a 2000, and perhaps opening the compass and giving a good sqirt of WD40 would help??

 

[VicMallows]

I have a feeling your 1000 windvane was simply 'left-right on/off' rather than analogue, but could be wrong.

Compass itself is sealed unit and definately won't like WD40 inside it!. Quite possibly the 3 slip-rings and spring contacts will benefit from cleaning (preferably with contact cleaner/alcohol..not WD40), but that's not the occaisional problem I get.

Best of luck. Wait for the 'buy something more up to date' comments.
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif


Vic

 

[homerj]

Hi, I have an AH 800 which is quite basic but does seem to look after things quite well when I`m not around. I had a problem when I first got it in that it worked erratically and hunted all I did was open it up an spray some switch cleaner on the contacts of the rotary switch and now it`s ok. I do store it indoors during the off season whereas it had been lying in the boat I bought for about three years. Good Luck with it .. Homerj

 

[doug748]

I have the old autohelm which came with my boat 10 years ago. I thought I might renew it pretty soon, but have found it excellent. I have a pretty heavy helm, at times, when racing in strong winds. I find the 2000 hold its own when the rest of the fleet are having problems. Brian

 

[trouville]

Thats great! Im definatly interested,i havent as yet bought the intended boat yet!! It will be a Folkboat so no problem with the size, do you have the fitting instructions? that is what distance along the tiller the mounting should be? Thats quite important, but could simply be found by measuring one in service.

As there is absolutly no hurry on either side if you want to sell it then send me a PM and we can sort it out.

Just one point its not an auto helm with buttons just a round control unit with a red compass drawn on it? If i had any idea how to add an image i would post one of it. The ram on the tiller is a black round tube about 1 1/2 inch thick?

 

[philip_stevens]

I've had four different Autohelm 1000, 2000 and 3000 models.

The one you are talking about, the 1000 with the round compass unit and a cable to the round tube ram - on my Colvic 26 Sailer; an AH1000 model with the compass dial on the ram unit, and an ST2000 with the digital readout and the pushbuttons - both on my previous Konsort 29.

I now have a wheel AH ST3000 on the present motor sailer.

None of them gave a moments problem.

From memory, the tiller mount should be 18inches from the rudder pintels, and the same on the gunn'l mounting.

The ST, with an interface box and ST+ (NMEA) models can be fed from a GPS to give track steering.

 

[pvb]

You can download installation instructions from....

You can download installation instructions from this page.

 

[trouville]

Re: You can download installation instructions from....

That would be nice but the model is to old it not there!

 

[pvb]

What model are you interested in?....

Sorry, thought you were asking about the Autohelm 2000, which is listed. Which model do you need installation details for?

 

[VicMallows]

Trouville,

For the 2000 you and I are talking about, mounting details as follows:

Tiller pin (to connect to the ram) 18inches (460mm) in front of the rudder pivot centre.

You can reset the compass for left/right ram installation and/or forward/rearward facing control unit.

With basic ram and no pushrod extension, the socket for the ram is 241/2inches (625mm) from the centre line of the tiller, when centred.

The ram should be horizontal.

Extensions for the pushrod were available up to 6inches; also pedestal points for the outboard end; and underhang brackets for the tiller end, to achieve horizontal. May not be still available, but quite easily made up. Have easily made replacement tiller pins (they used to be £9 each, and that many years ago!).

Good Luck,

Vic

 

[KREW2]

The autohelm 2000 is great for tackingI do not have the ah version only the straight autohelm 2000 one push of 2 buttons together takes the boat thru 100 degrees you do not have to hold them down whilst the tack happens leaving you free to set your sails

 

[KREW2]

Reading other posts it seems to me the plain autohelm 2000 has more features than the ah model I dont know what year the 2000 came out in it also has a remote so you can operate it from the cabin and it can take a wind vane and nmea input

 

[VicMallows]

Unfortunately, the company seems to suffer from a marketing problem when it comes to naming it's products!.

The AH2000 which Trouville is talking about existed until about 1985/6 and had a seperate actuator and control unit. It used purely analogue circuitry.

They then brought out a digital 2000 which was a one-piece tiller pilot.

The nearest digital eqivalent to what had been the 2000 became the 4000!, and I believe in various incarnations still is.

You'd think there were enough 4 digit numbers to choose from!

Add to that quite a few company take-overs and name changes along the way.

Vic

 

[trouville]

There dose seem to be a problem. seems to me that its a profitable company. The numbers are a problem having bought an AH 1000 later it became the 800. now perhaps i beter just buy a super simrad.

Here a gif image of the autohelm would be more than useful.

Ive noted all the diamentions for when i get one thanks.i suppose ill find one though im not going to buy by ebay where there is one for sale for £40 !

Auto helm are good pilots though the new simrads are very good and not expensive at all

Thanks very much its really helpfull really thanks