Autopilot remote failure - help request

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TonyG1681

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If you don’t have a Raymarine Autopilot system then I am sorry for troubling you. For those who do, or know of someone who does, I have a problem you may be able to help me with.

St Joan is the 2018 Flagship of the National Historic Ships and currently circumnavigating the UK, raising funds for the RNLI and RAF100 Charities. We plan to complete the journey when we arrive for the Classic Boat Festival in St Katherine Docks on the 4th September.

However, my Autopilot controller has decided to fail (it won’t go to AUTO), which is very frustrating given the 600 or so nautical miles we still have to go to complete the circumnavigation.

The controller is a ST600R, which is a wired remote unit, but is no longer supported by Raymarine. It was ‘state of the art’ in 2004 but things have moved on since then.

You or a friend may have updated your Nav System and have one in the garage or box in the attic.
We can do it without the Autopilot but I’d prefer the mechanical help on the helm.

Hence my plea to anyone who has one and may be prepared to loan it to me for a month (we should be back in London in the first week of September). I return to the boat in Inverness on Friday.

If anyone can assist that will be greatly appreciated.
 
Does it drive a Type 1 linear drive unit? If so, check the connector for the clutch for a bad connection.
I say this as the only issue I've ever had in 18 years with my 5000+ was that connector.
Whilst your at it, strip down the linear drive unit and clean the buildup of carbon dust around the brushes in the motor.
 
Why do you believe it's the remote control that's at fault? The remote only sends Seatalk commands to the pilot control box, and while not impossible it seems unlikely that a fault in the remote would give the symptoms you describe.

Saying that without the remote you cannot use the autopilot implies that this is your only interface to the system; no fixed control heads? In that case step one is surely to obtain any compatible controller and see if the problem is with the controller or the rest of the pilot system. Any Raymarine autopilot controller with a Seatalk 1 interface (also known as just plain Seatalk, not Seatalk NG etc) will do for this, you don't need to track down the quite rare ST600R. Connection is just three wires, the connection to the instrument is standard small spade connectors, so you might even find some generous person willing to temporarily undo the two mounting screws and lend you theirs for half an hour; I probably would if you were near me except that I replaced my Seatalk1 pilot system last year and sold the parts.

Pete
 
It might be worth contacting Raymarine themselves. They have a fixed price repair scheme and will repair broken units for £150+VAT. If it is obsolete and they can't repair it, they will replace it with a new unit of the same or better specification. I know because they replaced our P70 autopilot head unit. Not sure if it will apply to yours, but it's worth a try.
 
I have already remade the wire connections as you did but it didn't resolve the issue. The unit doesn't respond to pressing the "Auto" button.
 
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