Autopilot recommendations

[PaulRainbow]

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!

There is just enough exposed shaft on the Moody 376 to fit a Jefa tiller arm and connect the linear drive of your choice. The drive unit should fit more or less on the centre line and does not affect the emergency tiller.

What are the other existing electronics ?

 

[RobF]

I've got the Raymarine Ev-200 unit and I'm very pleased with it. I suspect the units by Garmin and B&G are at least as good as the Raymarine. I've heard rumours that the best autopilot units are made by NKE, but at a price.

 

[Graham376]

There is just enough exposed shaft on the Moody 376 to fit a Jefa tiller arm and connect the linear drive of your choice. The drive unit should fit more or less on the centre line and does not affect the emergency tiller.

As Tranona says, the alternative is to bolt a plate to the quadrant and mount it to that, leaving the top of the shaft free for emergency tiller. That's how ours was mounted by previous owner.

 

[strathenry]

There is just enough exposed shaft on the Moody 376 to fit a Jefa tiller arm and connect the linear drive of your choice. The drive unit should fit more or less on the centre line and does not affect the emergency tiller.

What are the other existing electronics ?

Thanks for your reply There’s all new B+G ‘everything’ connected to an NMEA spine (in my last boat of 13 yrs everything was analogue so I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!)

 

[PaulRainbow]

As Tranona says, the alternative is to bolt a plate to the quadrant and mount it to that, leaving the top of the shaft free for emergency tiller. That's how ours was mounted by previous owner.

Tranona states that it does fit to the quadrant, bolting plates to the quadrant is an alternative that works, but the separate tiller arm means that you'd never need to use the emergency tiller, because no matter what goes wrong with the cable system (including a broken quadrant) you can steer with the autopilot.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks for your reply There’s all new B+G ‘everything’ connected to an NMEA spine (in my last boat of 13 yrs everything was analogue so I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!)

I'd fit a B&G autopilot then.

 

[mrming]

Slightly OT as the OP has a wheel, but worth mentioning for the sake of info. My recently purchased second hand boat came with a Raymarine Evolution setup including the EV-100 tiller pilot. We tested it in some reasonably stiff weather on a non stop passage from the Solent to the East coast last month, mostly involving large following seas. In wind vane mode it reliably steered the boat for the whole trip. It’s been a while since I’ve used an autopilot but it’s safe to say the tech has moved on hugely. Most impressed.

 

[Piddy]

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!

Hi Strathenry,

Since I fitted the pilot it has needed no attention so wouldn't see any reason to change to another brand. Having said that, as it is so reliable, I haven't looked at any other brands!

If you join the MOA, there are a number of articles covering this available on the technical forum. It's well worth the £22 per year! If you buy the boat and join, I'm sure you will appreciate the help available..

Cheers,

Piddy.

 

[steve1963]

Here you are skyflyer
E彩堂-E彩堂官网
€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.

That link is useless.

 

[Tranona]

That link is useless.

That was a link to the Octopus drive (and 6 years old!) octopuseurope.com will give you information on a wide variety of drives. However their straighforward linear drives are similar price to those of others, although they have a range of cable drives which can be useful in situations where there is not room to fit a linear drive.