Replacing Navico TP1600

[Ubergeekian]

My nice new-to-me boat comes with a working but antique Navico TP1600 tillerpilot. I would like to replace it with something a bit more up-to-date - and in particular with something which can talk to GPS.

Is there a modern day descendant of the TP1600 which would use the same mountings? It would be nice to be able to keep the old one as a backup. 26' boat, long keel, 3 ton displacement.

 

[VicS]

Yes. The brand is now Simrad and the basic tiller pilot is the TP10

see http://www.simrad-yachting.com/Products/Autopilots/Tillerpilots/

the alternative is the Raymarine range http://www.raymarine.co.uk/products/autopilots/tiller-pilots/

 

[Ubergeekian]

Yes. The brand is now Simrad and the basic tiller pilot is the TP10

see http://www.simrad-yachting.com/Products/Autopilots/Tillerpilots/

the alternative is the Raymarine range http://www.raymarine.co.uk/products/autopilots/tiller-pilots/

Many thanks. It looks as if I would need the TP22 to get NMEA input. All the Raymarines seem to come with that, but since the boat displaces 6,800lb I'd be just over the suggest limit of 6,600lb for the ST1000+. Perhaps that would be Ok since a long keeler should - I imagine - require relatively fewer and smaller inputs than something twitchier.

Are fittings standardised, or would I need to refit the coaming and tiller?

 

[VicS]

As far as I know the new Raymarine ones still fit the old Autohelm mounts although there may be a difference in the overall length of the units.

I'd guess the same applies to the Navico/ Simrad units.

It is usually pretty easy to find the manuals/ installation instructions for old and new Raymarine stuff that would allow part numbers for mountings to be compared but I seldom have quite the same success finding manuals for old Navico stuff.
If you have details of the parts for your 1600 you should be able to find the manuals for the new Simrad units on line starting from the link I gave and compare them.

Maybe someone will be able to confirm that the new units fit the old mountings.

The reference to the displacement of boats is only a guide. If your boat is relatively light on the helm then a smaller units will be adequate but if it is heavy then you would be better off going up the range.
Also worth comparing the speed of the units but probably not so important with a longer keeler as with other types. If you can let go the tiller without the boat instantly going off course then you dont need to worry about the speed.

 

[Ubergeekian]

The reference to the displacement of boats is only a guide. If your boat is relatively light on the helm then a smaller units will be adequate but if it is heavy then you would be better off going up the range.
Also worth comparing the speed of the units but probably not so important with a longer keeler as with other types. If you can let go the tiller without the boat instantly going off course then you dont need to worry about the speed.

Thanks very much for all that - very helpful. I'll do some measurements on the existing unit and fittings then carry out some investigations at the London Boat Show. It's not urgent because (a) the TP1600 works, I think and (b) there's a windvane as well and (c) it's the middle of winter and I'm not planning any trips until the weather is a LOT better!