Autopilot recommendations

[skyflyer]

My previous boat came fitted with Raymarine ST4000 wheel pilot, which suffered from the usual problem of a disengaging clutch lever and poor performance in anything other than light winds and seas.

Seduced by the sales talk of a Raymarine rep at the London Boat Show I invested in their new SPX-5, being assured that it would revolutionise performance. The difference was undetectable, the drive motor broke within weeks (replaced under warranty) and - not that I really use the feature - even on a flat clam day its ability to intercept and follow a course on the plotter was dire!

My current boat has an even older wheel-pilot fitted, a WP10 by Simrad, which has broken so I am considering replacements

Raymarine are now offering the Evolution range, which will supposedly ‘revolutionise performance’…uh-oh, haven't i heard that somewhere before.

So to say i am not best disposed towards another Ray product is putting it mildly, but if someone has fitted one and can tell me different I’d love to hear.

My research tends to indicate that a below decks unit is essential, possibly with a rudder reference unit needed as well.

Any recommendations? In particular I’d like to hear how they perform under the “acid test” if sailing downwind with a quartering sea.

By all means add opinion and thoughts to this thread but its actual experience of a unit fitted to your boat that I am after! I suppose its with mentioning that the boat is 32ft, bermudan sloop, 13ft beam, shallow draft of 1.3m with a wing keel and a deep thin spade rudder with wheel steering. Its also 19 years old so I'm not investing 10k on an a/p!

 

[GrahamM376]

My experience of a wheel pilot on a 34 ft boat wasn't good so I uprated to ST5000 with linear drive which transformed it. I suspect it's not boat size or weight which matters, more rudder loads and how hard the unit has to work. Also have ST5000 on current boat, 12 years with no problems over a few thousand miles.

 

[Mrnotming]

Here you are skyflyer
http://tmqeurope.com/products/sailboat-drives/
€1625 must be a bargain if purchasing with Sterling, around £1180.
ready to fit out of the box.may come with its own rudder reference unit built in.
Search Octopus Drive MDR 40 under my posts for link to all information.
My unit is being driven by the 4000+ control head which has the computer (now supplied separately) built in.
No problems in installation or performance.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Raymarine SPX10 to steering quadrant.

Very pleased with it. Steered almost all of 2000 miles on my Solent-SoF trip this year. Carried the boat through a boisterous Alderney Race a couple of years back, with the wind angle at about 160º back from the bow. Mostly, I have the response rate set at 2 (out of 5). At 5, it's a bit hyperactive, to the detriment of power consumption.

34' boat, 5 tonnes unladen.

 

[Piddy]

I fitted a set of Raymarine A/P kit a few years ago to replace an ST4000. I fitted a Raymarine Linear drive Type 2 (£200, brand new on ebay - the seller was gutted as he was expecting much more), an S3G course computer and an ST7002 control head.
I changed from the wheel pilot for a couple of reasons:
1. I was offered most of the kit at a very good rate
2. The ST4000 worked Ok-ish but was so noisy in operation

Wow what a difference - the pilot has worked flawlessly since 2008. It helms the boat for probably 80% of our travelling time (when we are 2 up) and hasn't yet underperformed in any kind of sea conditions.
it is silent in operation - what a joy - and even makes a reasonable job of sailing to the wind instruments allowing me to enjoy the trip if I want to without being glued to the wheel.
My chart plotter tells it where to go (if I want it to) - again flawless in operation.
I also have a couple of remote controls that make life sooo much easier - lounging on the foredeck on calm days but still being able to dodge lobster pots without that frantic dash back to the cockpit is great.

It was a bu^&%r to fit as the boat wasn't designed for it but with a bit of work and a few engineering decisions everything squeezed into the space available.

Boat is a Moody 376, 8/9 tons.

 

[maby]

The current Raymarine kit with a linear drive is excellent - ours took us round the south coast and Solent last weekend in some pretty horrible conditions without blinking. The setup is also much easier these days - no need for long configuration sessions. We just turned it on, answered a few questions about the characteristics of the boat and went sailing. You sail it manually for a few minutes and the AP computer monitors how the boat handles, then you let it take over and it carries on learning.

My only current gripe about it is that the rudder reference is not perfectly aligned. When you engage the AP, it always initially pulls to port, then compensates and steers very accurately after that. I need to correct it, but that really requires a mile or so of calm water with no cross winds or currents to let me accurately find the rudder-centred position and key it in - has not been easily achievable since we had it installed.

 

[simonfraser]

The current Raymarine kit with a linear drive is excellent - ours took us round the south coast and Solent last weekend in some pretty horrible conditions without blinking. The setup is also much easier these days - no need for long configuration sessions. We just turned it on, answered a few questions about the characteristics of the boat and went sailing. You sail it manually for a few minutes and the AP computer monitors how the boat handles, then you let it take over and it carries on learning.

My only current gripe about it is that the rudder reference is not perfectly aligned. When you engage the AP, it always initially pulls to port, then compensates and steers very accurately after that. I need to correct it, but that really requires a mile or so of calm water with no cross winds or currents to let me accurately find the rudder-centred position and key it in - has not been easily achievable since we had it installed.

cant you just guess the rudder error and key that in, go from there ??

 

[Tranona]

I have a Garmin fitted to my new boat. Only just arrived so no experience yet, but feedback from other owners suggest it is as good as it gets. Comparable in price to Raymarine. Also look at B&G. That and Gramin have taken a big chunk of the new boat market from Raymarine - Garmin with Bavaria and B&G with Beneteau and Jeanneau.

 

[maby]

cant you just guess the rudder error and key that in, go from there ??

I'm sure I could, but it is a minor issue and I haven't yet bothered. When I first engage it, it swerves three or four degrees to port, then realises the error of its ways and comes back on course. If I were using it to steer up a narrow channel, or between marina pontoons, it might be a problem, but would anyone do that? I just need to find an area of flat water at low or high tide with little or no wind and line up on a transit to a landmark, then poke the "calibrate" button.

 

[maby]

I have a Garmin fitted to my new boat. Only just arrived so no experience yet, but feedback from other owners suggest it is as good as it gets. Comparable in price to Raymarine. Also look at B&G. That and Gramin have taken a big chunk of the new boat market from Raymarine - Garmin with Bavaria and B&G with Beneteau and Jeanneau.

I quite like Garmin, but the boat came prepared for Raymarine - installation was little more than a case of bolting it in. If I were starting from scratch, I would probably go Simrad/B&G - I like their 3g/4g radar.

 

[jdc]

The autopilot comes in two major parts, and these need not - and probably usually are not - sourced from the same manufacturer. The 'control electronics or 'course computer' is from the usual suspects like Raymarine or Garmin or Simrad or B&G, and the actuator which can be from (some of) the above but also could come from companies with a more 'mechanical' heritage such as Lewmar or Jefa for instance.

For what it's worth I have a Raymarine 6000 control unit and a Lewmar Mamba drive actuator with direct rod linkage to the rudder stock, and the combination has given excellent service for 10 years.

 

[yoda]

Raymarine SP3X, 6000 series control head, ray rudder reference unit and gyro compass. Reversing hydraulic pump and hydraulic ram.

All works brilliantly in all conditions.

 

[Tranona]

I quite like Garmin, but the boat came prepared for Raymarine - installation was little more than a case of bolting it in. If I were starting from scratch, I would probably go Simrad/B&G - I like their 3g/4g radar.

Mine came with the Garmin package factory fitted.

 

[pvb]

Mine came with the Garmin package factory fitted.

But you'll probably find that the linear drive is a Jefa unit.

 

[nauticalnomad]

Im installing a jefa unit at the moment. Their quality outweighed the toys that raymarine were offering.

 

[Tranona]

But you'll probably find that the linear drive is a Jefa unit.

Had a look in the lazarette yesterday - all very neat but did not crawl in far enough to see the drive. Boat only arrived last Friday so have only had time for a brief inspection. Being Coppercoated at the moment - launch date probably 13 August. So far everything looks good.

 

[pvb]

Had a look in the lazarette yesterday - all very neat but did not crawl in far enough to see the drive. Boat only arrived last Friday so have only had time for a brief inspection. Being Coppercoated at the moment - launch date probably 13 August. So far everything looks good.

Mine has the factory-fitted autopilot, Garmin head and computer with a Jefa linear drive. Works brilliantly!

 

[LadyInBed]

My experience of a wheel pilot on a 34 ft boat wasn't good so I uprated to ST5000 with linear drive which transformed it. I suspect it's not boat size or weight which matters, more rudder loads and how hard the unit has to work. Also have ST5000 on current boat, 12 years with no problems over a few thousand miles.

I also fitted an ST5000+ 15 years ago, it works very well and is in use 99.9% of the time that the boat is moving. No issues with down wind sailing, but I do it with twin headsails and no main which IMO makes for a hell of a different in the way the boat handles.
The linear drive unit to the quadrant is impressively powerful.

 

[strathenry]

I fitted a set of Raymarine A/P kit a few years ago to replace an ST4000. I fitted a Raymarine Linear drive Type 2 (£200, brand new on ebay - the seller was gutted as he was expecting much more), an S3G course computer and an ST7002 control head.
I changed from the wheel pilot for a couple of reasons:
1. I was offered most of the kit at a very good rate
2. The ST4000 worked Ok-ish but was so noisy in operation

Wow what a difference - the pilot has worked flawlessly since 2008. It helms the boat for probably 80% of our travelling time (when we are 2 up) and hasn't yet underperformed in any kind of sea conditions.
it is silent in operation - what a joy - and even makes a reasonable job of sailing to the wind instruments allowing me to enjoy the trip if I want to without being glued to the wheel.
My chart plotter tells it where to go (if I want it to) - again flawless in operation.
I also have a couple of remote controls that make life sooo much easier - lounging on the foredeck on calm days but still being able to dodge lobster pots without that frantic dash back to the cockpit is great.

It was a bu^&%r to fit as the boat wasn't designed for it but with a bit of work and a few engineering decisions everything squeezed into the space available.

Boat is a Moody 376, 8/9 tons.

hi piddy

I’m just about to take ownership of a moody 376 and need to fit an autohelm. Which type you’d buy now if you were doing it now/ where you’d mount it ( I’m thinking in the space in the stbd quarter to keep it out the way)/ how to attach to the rudder shaft without losing the option for an emergency tiller and any other tips all welcome please!

 

[Tranona]

hi piddy

I’m just about to take ownership of a moody 376 and need to fit an autohelm. Which type you’d buy now if you were doing it now/ where you’d mount it ( I’m thinking in the space in the stbd quarter to keep it out the way)/ how to attach to the rudder shaft without losing the option for an emergency tiller and any other tips all welcome please!

Probably a good idea to join the Moody Owners Association and ask the question there. Plenty of them fitted with Raymarine linear drives. The drive goes onto the quadrant. does not affect the emergency tiller which is on top of the stock. Alternatively any Raymarine agent will advise on how to fit it.