Autotiller- Need help picking one out.

[Giles]

My brother (in South Africa) has asked me to aquire a Autotiller for him from here (UK). Not knowing much about such things I was hoping I could prey off your expertise.
30ft Full-keel Herreshoff H28 weighing in at 4.5 tons.
What, in short, should I buy for a South Atalntic crossing? (and subsequent cruising) Money is a little tight but I'd rather spend money than be stuck in the middle of the Atlantic with an Autotiller that's as useful as the bicycle pump it looks like.

Thanks

 

[tony_brighton]

Check the Autohelm range - I've had good experience with those before. The website is www.raymarine.com. They've got some good product selection advice - check the autopilot/tillerpilots sections. looks like you need an St2000+ or St4000+.

 

[HaraldS]

South Atlantic crossing? 30 ft Herreshoff ? Sounds like the right thing would be an Aries wind vane, unless you feel you will always have enough power and enough crew to stand watches if the electronic things fails.

 

[Eudorajab]

Couldnt agree more. Alternative of course if to take about 5 autohelms (just in case).

 

[HaraldS]

.. and a towing generator and two turbines for it in case you catch that big fish.

 

[Chris_Stannard]

Agreed with the principle of Raymarine being good kit. Mine works very well, but i only use it when the engine is running as it takes a lot of power. For long distance a winevane system, with no power requirement must make good sense

Chris Stannard

 

[Giles]

There will be a windvane installed. The autotiller is in addition to the wind-vane.

 

[Mirelle]

That changes it quite a bit

If the wind vane is a servo pendulum type (Aries, Monitor, etc.) and the autopilot is set up so that it is acting on a stub vane rather than on the tiller, so that the servo pendulum is multiplying the force applied to the tiller, you can get away with a much smaller unit.

there were some postings about this on the YW forum a bit back and there is a discussion about it on the Scanmar (Monitor) website.

 

[PeterGibbs]

Auto pilots are a bit like electric drills - the cheap ones are fine for the occasional holes but, as you know, are not built for sustained working. You can also buy the "professional" tool at a higher price! This is the one that actually lasts and can take the strain over a period of time - the one the professionals use!

And so it is with these gizmos. As you know from reading accounts of long races, they are always breaking down. The tyros carry lots of spare parts! For an Atlanctic crossing you are not going to get by with the cheapie - when it crashes and you open it up and look inside you will wonder how it ever got you out of the harbour! So be prepared. Even if you buy a heavy duty auto pilot, there are limits. Buying one of the lighter spec pilots, you will require in effect, to take a second unit with you on the trip planned just in case.

And any unit sitting on the tilleer or on deck exposed to the elements is going to take water in and crash the PCB - I know! A sub-deck mounting is strongly advised on the trip your brother proposes

With this experience behind me I purchased a hydraulic Robertson autopilot 4 seasons ago - surperb. But it stems from commercial requirements, not light pleasure cruising, and is suitably rugged. Not cheap, but cheaper than chucking away one of the others time after time.

How does your brother want to sleep? I rest my case.


PWG