maby
Well-known member
OK - that is the sort of information I was looking for - thanks. I still tend to consider the ability to link to a chart plotter as quite valuable, but this does, at least, make the decision a bit more difficult.
How much for a decent wheel autopilot?
- Thread starter FullCircle
- Start date
OK - that is the sort of information I was looking for - thanks. I still tend to consider the ability to link to a chart plotter as quite valuable, but this does, at least, make the decision a bit more difficult.
Bosun Higgs
N/A
I agree even though my old computer has the nmea link. I would be more interested in having the system steer by the wind which unfortunately isnt possible in my case because the NMEA sentence has changed between when my computer was made in 96 and my plotter some 10 years later.
But for me, the decision can be separated into two - the computer and the drive - since its usually the case that any of the computers can drive any of the drives. Electronics are fairly reliable and its the drive that does the hard work and gives up first. Its also the power of the drive which often limits the response times of the system as a whole and therefore its ability to cope in bad weather when arguably you most need it.
Piddy
Active member
I have a slightly older Raymarine S3G course computer, an ST7002 head and a Type 2 linear drive connected to the quadrant. All trouble free since fitting a few years ago.
It is connected to the chartplotter for those occasional times where it is nice to know you are on track (as described by Robin) and is connected to the Seatalk bus allowing it to be a repeater of any data on the bus and allows the pilot to sail to the wind – really handy if you want to go up foreward and see how the sails are set or what the mast is up to when on the wind. SWMBO thinks I am mad but I know it will be close to an optimum angle to the wind (if that’s how I set it!). Another handy tool is the remote control allowing course adjustment when on pilot (and access to all the instruents on the bus).
Hopefully it won’t replace me as I do have a boat to sail it but it’s a handy by product of an integrated setup.
Piddy
It is connected to the chartplotter for those occasional times where it is nice to know you are on track (as described by Robin) and is connected to the Seatalk bus allowing it to be a repeater of any data on the bus and allows the pilot to sail to the wind – really handy if you want to go up foreward and see how the sails are set or what the mast is up to when on the wind. SWMBO thinks I am mad but I know it will be close to an optimum angle to the wind (if that’s how I set it!). Another handy tool is the remote control allowing course adjustment when on pilot (and access to all the instruents on the bus).
Hopefully it won’t replace me as I do have a boat to sail it but it’s a handy by product of an integrated setup.
Piddy
fireball
New member
Thanks Robin ... 
Robin
Well-known member
Ours on the last boat was an ST6000, with a 1996 computer and ST50+ instruments and it could steer by the masthead wind instruments. The plotter itself has no relevance as it is only a display of position fed to it by the GPS, but anyway the data for sailing to the wind by pilot I'm pretty sure has no need for positional data it simply reads wind angle from the network. One slight problem unless the logic has changed is that the computer has a delay built in to stop the pilot trying to react to a very short term wind angle change. I think it does a sort of running comparison with compass heading and only reacts when it believes the wind angle change is confirmed. This delay can be helpful or it can be a PITA if the wind has genuinely headed you!
Piddy
Active member
I suspect some of the logic is still present!
I have played with it on a 4 -5 hour trip (nice day, no rush) where it seemed to cope with out-of Solent wind variations wwell enough but there are in-Solent times where it seems quite unable to react quickly enough - mind you, I have seen plenty of humans not quick enough to react in the Solent.
I have played with it on a 4 -5 hour trip (nice day, no rush) where it seemed to cope with out-of Solent wind variations wwell enough but there are in-Solent times where it seems quite unable to react quickly enough - mind you, I have seen plenty of humans not quick enough to react in the Solent.
FullCircle
Well-known member
Anyone got any experience with the new B&G Triton autopilot?
I am being offered that, with a 1/4HP Whitlock ram as a left field contender.
I am being offered that, with a 1/4HP Whitlock ram as a left field contender.
dulls
N/A
auto pilot
If i had a choice between an auto pilot and windvane i would go with out the auto pilot and not miss it.
But i do like having both, if your a sailing boat and sailing then the windvane is far more reliable and power free. For the times you have to motor then it is auto pilot time. We have an st 6000plus and it is fine and i have never used it for heavy weather because the airies leaves it for dead.
If i had a choice between an auto pilot and windvane i would go with out the auto pilot and not miss it.
But i do like having both, if your a sailing boat and sailing then the windvane is far more reliable and power free. For the times you have to motor then it is auto pilot time. We have an st 6000plus and it is fine and i have never used it for heavy weather because the airies leaves it for dead.