LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
Exactly. The AH will stay within the Track to be within the limits set by the X Track Error settings entered.
If you set the XTE to half a mile, then you have a Mile of 'wander room'!
How important is it to have a chart plotter at the wheel pedestal?
- Thread starter Kukri
- Start date
If you set the XTE to half a mile, then you have a Mile of 'wander room'!
Graham376
Well-Known Member
I use the track feature regularly where we sail as, unlike the UK, we don't get strong tides where it's better to let the boat drift as with Channel crossing.
geem
Well-Known Member
On a long passage we use the Windpilot so obviously we are steering to a course relative to wind direction. Using the track feature on the plotter so we can see XTE is very useful. If the Windpilot takes us too far off course we can make adjustments to keep a sensible XTE.
We generally sail to the wind angle on autopilot and do the same thing with XTE. If we are using the engine when there is no wind we would sail to a track with zero XTE. So use goto. Sailing in a narrow channel we would often use goto so sail a track to be certain we were keepimg clesr of hazards then keep lookout with mk1 eyeball to make sure the plotter and view around us makes sense. Keeping an eye on depth as well so it matches the chart with no surprises.
We generally sail to the wind angle on autopilot and do the same thing with XTE. If we are using the engine when there is no wind we would sail to a track with zero XTE. So use goto. Sailing in a narrow channel we would often use goto so sail a track to be certain we were keepimg clesr of hazards then keep lookout with mk1 eyeball to make sure the plotter and view around us makes sense. Keeping an eye on depth as well so it matches the chart with no surprises.
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
Envy, I wish I had one.
Baggywrinkle
Well-Known Member
You might, depending on your instruments and autopilot .... Raymarine Wind Vane Mode, or on Tiller Pilots, WindTrim mode? Been around for quite a few years.
Page 22 of the manual
https://www.boatoon.com/en/shop/details/expose/raymarine-st1000-plus-pinnenpilot-2189/
geem
Well-Known Member
But its not the same as a Windpilot. No power requirement, steer to wind with no electronics
Kukri
Well-Known Member
The power drain in what I might call « modern sailing », with autopilot and radar both in use, may go some way to explain why so many people motor sail for so much of the time.
Scanmar (Monitor) recently came up with a little fitting which attaches to the vane gear to turn it into a low drain compass sensing autopilot for use under sail, as it uses the servo pendulum to apply the force to the helm. It isn’t intended for use under power, as the prop wash confuses the servo pendulum, but under power you have the electricity to drive a plumbed in autopilot.
What it particularly does is steer the boat under sail in light conditions particularly when running.
I bought one, but haven’t fitted it yet.. (will I ever see the boat again...?)
Scanmar (Monitor) recently came up with a little fitting which attaches to the vane gear to turn it into a low drain compass sensing autopilot for use under sail, as it uses the servo pendulum to apply the force to the helm. It isn’t intended for use under power, as the prop wash confuses the servo pendulum, but under power you have the electricity to drive a plumbed in autopilot.
What it particularly does is steer the boat under sail in light conditions particularly when running.
I bought one, but haven’t fitted it yet.. (will I ever see the boat again...?)
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Buck Turgidson
Well-Known Member
I have a chart at the chart table and a radio with GPS position in view.
i keep my iPad wherever is convenient. right next to me when hand steering.
I have AIS display on my cockpit instrument so don't need the iPad for that.
i keep my iPad wherever is convenient. right next to me when hand steering.
I have AIS display on my cockpit instrument so don't need the iPad for that.
geem
Well-Known Member
Our Windpilot has the fitting for a tiller pilot to do the same thing. The Windpilot isnt so good when the apparent wind drop below about 7kts on a run. Course gets a bit weavy! We generally just use the autopilot in that scenario. We dont have a power problem under way on our boat with 720w of solar, Duogen in water mode. We can resort to generator if we need to but have never done it on passage. I still love to use the Windpilot because its very good. It performs best with wind on the beam to close hauled?