ST2000+ Tiller Pilot

[spiller]

Covered many, many times, I am sure but I have an ST2000+ which served impeccably until recently.

It then became erratic. I stripped it and nothing appeared to be amiss ie no damage due to water ingress, or any evidence thereof. ie The seal had done its job perfectly.

Mechanically, it worked perfectly ie push / pull.

I carried out a recalibration without success but concluded that there was nothing wrong mechanically and that the failure was most probably attributable to a fault in the flux compass (thank you for your input, forumites!)

It was returned to Raymarine for repair. The quote cites damage from water ingression and basically a major repair to the cost of 90% of a new replacement unit! ie little choice!!!

There was no water ingress. Mechanically it was sound. Psychologically, there was cause for concern ie someting missing between the brain and the brawn.

I have little choice but to opt for a new unit, but I would welcome any input from Pobbers with previous, prior to rolling over on my back and accepting the inevitable!

I am aware that Raymarine is in trouble, but I do not want to be taken for a sucker in any attempts to refloat the company!!

 

[steve28]

what was it doing or not doing ?, did it say 2000 when you plugged it in ?

Steve

 

[spiller]

Steve,

Thanks for quick response. Maybe you responded to my previous thread???

Yes, read 2000 etc and went through full recalib process but the brain was out of sync

 

[SimonD]

There was no water ingress.

In my experience, and I believe that of many forumites, an ST2000 with no water ingress is a contradiciton in terms. They are not well sealed (to say the least). So much so that they have a vent to allow water vapour out. I'd say water damage is not unlikely. if that is the case, I wouldn't be surprised at a high repair cost. They replaced most of the guts of my unit after water got in. Happily it was under warranty.

Simon

 

[colvic987]

i decided to upgrade from st2000 after 3rd year of repairs, to spx, as electronics are in the boat and not under the elements so to speak.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

My ST2000 has just gone phut or rather 'weeeeeeeeeeeee', with no other sign of life. This is the replacement that has now survived after being cosseted for the last 2 seasons and hardly been let out to play. (See my archived postings for more)
It did have moisture inside but how is a 'mistry'
I have blown it dry for a short time with a hair drier to no avail and it now resides in an open repose on top of my hot water tank in the airing cupboard, to be tested this weekend to see if life is extinct.
I have yet to call those nice people at Raymarine as the last time they offered me a reconditioned 4000 for more than the price of a new one from a certain mail order company.. Grrrrrrrr ....*+^!!

 

[Tintin]

There is a well known plumbing pipe company that makes a push fit fitting. Sometimes these leak and the leaks cause lots of damage that the plumber ends up paying for.

I heard a tale about a plumbers merchant who kept approaching afore mentioned company whenever this happened to one of his customers because he was sure their work was done properly and that the push fit joint was faulty due to manufacturing defect, and thus the manufacturer would be liable for the repairs.

Each time he sent a leaking joint (with the pipe it was attached to) back he got the response that the joint product was OK but the pipe was damaged so the leak must have been due to fitters error in installing the pipe.

So one day he took a new untouched fitting out of its plastic bag, put it in the post with soime pipe (new, from the same manufacturer), and said the joint had failed.

Guess what - they said the joint had failed due to fitter error and the pipe was damaged.

I often think of this tale when I hear about "standard" responses from companies to faulty items.

 

[Tintin]

Raymarine Tiller Pilot Scam

and another thought - there has been lots on the forum about YBW mag not being that good anymore.

So how about YBW and PBO doing an expose of the Raymarine Tiller Pilot Scam - selling a product supposedly designed for the marine market, for fitting in the open cockpits of small boats, that will inevitably get wet even if just rained on, that fails the first time it gets a sniff of a water.

I am so surprised that yacht owners have put up with this for so long.

I wonder what Raymarine sales of these products would be if they did actually do what they should do - a lot less me thinks, after all it seems most owners of st1000 & 2000's seem to be on their secopnd or third unit, or have paid a fortune for repair, or have bought a second one juts in case.

Come on YBW and PBO - I dare you to expose the Raymarine tiller pilot scam!!!

EDIT - I'll even offer to research and write the article for you - can you let me have a DPS for it?

Rant over, bye for now.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I had left the ST2000+ in the airing cupboard with its cover off for over three weeks and when fitted back on the boat it worked.
Problem is you know what salt water deposits will do...... 'attract more moisture!'
I suppose I'll have to bring it home and always stick it in the airing cupboard when not required on the boat.

 

[cimo]

a good rinse with fresh water, and then a soft toothbrush and methalayted (spl?) spirits can salvage salt water damaged electronics.
(get the salt out and you've got a good chance).

Re: OP - you read the recent post here on mobile phone interferrence?
I suspect (naw - hoping) it's been the cause of my calibration problems now too!

rgds
c

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Thanks for that c.
I had the 'cleaning with a spirit' in mind but I'm concerned there may there be a capacitor or similar that holds a charge and could be shortcircuited or damage other 'bits' in the process?
ta
S.

 

[Gazza]

ST2000

We have an ST2000, and while it's been fine so far I've been concerned about the problem of water ingress. I got my local sail/cover person to make up a canvas cover, a simple sleeve which fits over the body of the unit. There is a velcro flap which means I can reach the buttons easily (although I usually use a remote from the bridgedeck) and the pushrod exits through a small hole in the end.

It seems to have worked well so far, the only modification that I'd now make is to put a tab on the end to hold it firmly in place - at present I've held it with shockcord.

Might be worth thinking about.

 

[Alcyone]

We've just bought a factory reconditioned ST2000+. Paid aboout £280 for it. As new, in box, with a year's guarantee.

The water issue (sorry to drift), does anyone haev a waterproof cover or bag they've made or bought to stop water ingress? Is it even possible to do that?

Cheers.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

ah! forgot to say, I have similar to Gazza, a canvas cover made up to keep the green stuff at bay.
Havn't fitted it this season as I've only been out in fine weather when the ST2000 has been attached so ....why have salty globules collected inside???
I also have a Monitor so that does all the 'hard work'.

 

[Ruffles]

My 2000 was erratic after repair by Raymarine. I stripped it down and found a fragment of 'O' ring underneath the internal compass which was fouling the gimbal. Once removed it was fine.
Worth checking.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

My 2000 was erratic after repair by Raymarine. QUOTE]

I have a confession and perhaps a warning........

Don't trust a tiller pilot if you are alongside a huge ship!
Two seasons ago I was making my way slowly motoring from my mooring at Fareham Lake, towards Portsmouth.
I was solo and found after about 20 minutes that I really needed to go and have a pee before I got to the harbour entrance and the Solent.
It wasn't appropriate to go over the side so I positioned myself near to a 'parked' grey funnel that was rotting between two large yellow buoys.
The tide was coming in so speed through the water was almost zero at idle speed.
I set the ST2000 on its course and was making very slow SOG parrallel to the ship and was about a length of my yacht away.
I nipped below to relieve myself. Midflow we suddenly took a 'right turn' and rammed the ship.
The old CQR which was useless anyway, was reshaped and so was part of the bow roller, but because it was a bit of a glancing blow there was no other damage.... just a very embarrassed skipper but luckily with no onlookers that I noticed.
I guess the huge amount of metal in the ship had upset the gyro compass in the tiller pilot??

 

[Stemar]

My 2000+ stopped working after being out in the rain last year, so I opened it up and set it in the sun for a couple of hours and was fine afterwards. The rain got in through the poorly sealed clear window above the display, so a few applications of Captain Tolley's best sealed the window and, with a large piece of tree to hand, so far so good.

Any malfunctioning marine electronics are worth a wash with clean (preferably deionised) water and a few hours in the sun or the airing cupboard before spending any money on repairs.

 

[CPD]

My story.

I wrote a very long and detailed letter to Raymarine, pointing out that my ST2000 had failed due to water ingress on 2 separate occassions. One repaired under warranty, the second was the cause if the letter (out of warranty by a year or so). I suggested detailed design improvements and also stated quite/very firmly that their marketing chaps should take a look at the thing, as the number of forum queries etc seemed out of proportion. I also suggested that the reliability of the product was clearly well short of the many other products in the Raymarine range, and that to a Raymarine festooned (ahem) yacht owner, that there clearly was an issue.

No written response.

But a parcel arrived containing a brand new unit.

The truth ?? Its a fairly rubbish design bearing in mind it will get wet under normal use as with many products, it is built to a price, and it shows. I used to sail single handed a lot and would gladly (really) have paid for something better designed. Its a bit odd and not right to have to wrap something in cling film for peace of mind when you have just forked out a few hundred pounds for it.

 

[SAMYL]

I sent the computer bit of my ST 4000 to Raymarine to check and they said it had been damaged by water ingress and that I would need a new one at enormous expense.
They sent it back and I opened it to see the damage and what do you think - it was as good as the day it was made!!! I know what water can do to a printed circuit board but this one was just perfect.
The fault was later traced to bad connections elsewhere and the computer bit is still working fine some years down the line.