navico tiller pilot

ChattingLil

ChattingLil

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Boats in Essex and London
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http://www.simrad-yachting.com/Products/Discontinued-Products/Autopilots/TP300CX-Corus-Tillerpilot/

I inherited one of these with my boat (3 years ago). I've never been able to get it to work properly. It does operate and moves in and out when I press the buttons, but it seems the compass is knackered as it won'd hold a course and does random things. (we've tried following instructions int he book re calibration).

Is it worth trying to get it fixed? Any ideas how I could go about that?

I've recieved advice from marina neighbours that it's probably not worth trying to fix and that I should just start saving for something new.

Opinions? advice?

thanks
Lisa
 
Is it set up for the correct side of boat? They default to either port or starboard so you occasionally have to remind it which way to correct if you mount it the other way.
Cheers
Dave
 
Oooh - I have a TP200CX (basically the same) and it has been sitting on a shelf in the boat for the last five years. I was planning to recommission this weekend.

I jury rigged it in the garage weekend just gone and mine is def setup for port side mounting and seemed to respond correctly. Hard to judge in a garage :-)

The manual makes great play of these things:
- correct mounting config - Starboard or Port - Starboard is default factory setting but you would REALLY know if this was wrong
- 18" between centre of rudder stock and mounting point
- 23.5" between fixing mount on seats and rudder when centred
- Setting the correct gain to avoid too much wandering
- recalibrating the flux gate compass by motoring in circles with the correct combination of button presses

I think the manual for the TP20 and TP30 is the same, so you have probably done all this but worth checking. Does it 'move in and out' when in auto mode?

Also the boat hull type is mentioned - steel and ferro cause big problems without an external compass.

But to answer the question of repair if faulty or save pennies for new toys, I think its a nice bit of kit so worth exploring with simrad.

Tony
 
I have a Navico TP1800 which I inherited with the boat, it has the two end pieces missing, presumably the cup piece that goes onto the tiller and the piece that screws into the side of the cockpit?

I know this is an old piece of kit but I would like to get some use out of it, does anyone know where I might be able to source the parts I need?
 
Xskipper said:
I have a Navico TP1800 which I inherited with the boat, it has the two end pieces missing, presumably the cup piece that goes onto the tiller and the piece that screws into the side of the cockpit?

I know this is an old piece of kit but I would like to get some use out of it, does anyone know where I might be able to source the parts I need?
Click to expand...

Both should be available from chandlers - Marine Speed does them. I am told that raymarine parts are compatible and much more available than Simrad - they are said to be compatible. I need to buy the tiller pin this weekend. Proof in the pudding.
 
You should be ok. I changed form Raymarine to Navico and both boat and tiller fitting were fine.
I do have to "snap" the tiller down harder to locate it though - a good thing.
 
doug748 said:
You should be ok. I changed form Raymarine to Navico and both boat and tiller fitting were fine.
I do have to "snap" the tiller down harder to locate it though - a good thing.
Click to expand...

Not so good if you have to try hard to remove it in an emergency though! ie a broach or urgent collision avoidance, seconds can make a big difference.
It should just sit on freely.
Sorry if I sound pedantic.
C_W
 
Lisa,

you dont by any chance have any speakers or other source of magnetic field anywhere near the unit do you ?. I did, and it caused exactly the problems you describe. Problem solved by sourcing shielded speakers :).
 
I have had a Navico Tillerpilot for 10 or 12 years and any problems I have had with it have been caused by the 12v plug/socket. Last week it started playing up, with similar symptoms to yours, but overhauling the plug/socket sorted it out and now it's behaving perfectly.
 
My plan to get the TP200CX autopilot back working..

Found the old tiller fittings and refitted to tiller - remeasured everything to be sure and all looked good.

But plugging it in showed no power - very annoying after testing in the garage in a cardboard boat! Either contacts are poor or I ripped that bit of the wiring out some years ago. No time to take the circuit panel off and diagnose.

Sometimes I just want to buy a new boat where everything works :-)

Tony
 
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