No help from Vetus

[Sandyman]

We are currently in St Denis on Ile d'Oleron heading down to Hendaye and our autohelm
packed up. Turned out the rudder feedback unit was duff.
E-mailed Vetus UK to inquire if their RFU1718 was compatible with our AP2S automatic pilot.
Within minutes I had a reply saying it was and that they had 4 in stock.
I had to return to the UK for a friends funeral & picked a new on up whilst there.
Fitted it on my return but still no joy.
That was last week and I have e-mailed Vetus 5 times since then asking them for advise.
They have not had the courtesy to acknowledge any of them.

Would seem they are only interested in SALES. Sod em.

 

[dratsea]

This may be apply only to Raytheon but hope it may help you.

Same error message for jammed actuator, broken Rudder ref unit and as it turned out faqil contact of brushes on actuator motor. Took some finding as every time I stripped the acuator it worked again for shorter and shorter periods. The leads to the brushes were kinked and as the brushes wore down the kink gave intermitten contact problem. Got wire straight and still works fine after another 1000 miles.

 

[binch]

Vetus

I had long experience with Vetus. Their policy, in my experience, can be summed up by "You bought it. you got it. Now go away."
In general, continental companies, and especially Dutch ones, *** have little idea of after-sales service as we understand it.
An exception is Victron. We got no satisfaction from Holland, but their English agent was first class.

 

[jrudge]

Head over to minimes. 11 miles and lots of electronics people. Head to big ship chandlers. Walk past it on your left until you get to the end of the road. Turn left or right and there are electronics dealers. Alternatively head to the vieux port and ask at the capitanerie of christian. He will find someone. He is on 00 33 603540057. Also matthieu on 0033688565931 is a general mr fix it. My fairline madharri used to live there.

 

[jrudge]

Ps. Hendaye is nice. Shops and also loads of marine dealers etc so head down there. It used to take us 6 hrs but I don't know if you are sail or power.coast is dead straight so simple nav without auto helm. Give entrance to girrond a wide berth out to sea. Sandbanks and rough water.