Tiller Pilot problems / Recommendations / Experiences.

[xeitosaphil]

My Auto Helm ST1000+ which came with the boat at purchase seems to be way under powered for the boat 30’ 5.3tons Cruising weight. Although with the right sail trim or just motoring has been fine for the last 4 years.

While sailing home in the week it was caught out by a gust on my return trip home from being ashore, and has turned the motor pinion off the motor shaft, so I need to think about another more suitable Auto Pilot maybe?

The spec for the ST1000+ max’s at 3tons – the ST 2000 Max’s at 4.5tons, both not suitable for extended use according to the specs for my boat.

Next size up would be the ST4000+ .If possible I would like some feedback as to its longevity, user friendliness, and suitability due to any problems which seem to arise on a regular basis.
I have read loads of posts on the Archive and seem to find quite a few issues which seem to arise, slow to respond, wandering off course, actuator grinding noise problems etc.
Before actually considering it further are there any other Pilots which might be more suitable?

Next one up from this is the New Raymarine Evolution Autopilot ACU-100 but it has a Princely price tag!!

As usual grateful for any views or experiences

Philip

 

[PaulMcC]

Next one up from this is the New Raymarine Evolution Autopilot ACU-100 but it has a Princely price tag!!

As usual grateful for any views or experiences

Philip

There is also the raymarine spx-5 tiller pilot (also with a high price tag). I wonder if these will get cheaper now that raymarine are promoting the evolution series instead.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I've got an ST2000 on my Moody 31; similar length and displacement. That copes fine; the only problem I've ever had was when an unusually violent tiller movement pulled the mounting screws out of the tiller fitting! But that was a tiller that was on the way out; the fix was longer screws in the first place, and a new tiller in the longer run!

I don't generally sail under tiller-pilot; I reckon I do a better job under sail, and of course, I don't want to flatten my batteries.

 

[Spyro]

I've got an ST2000 on my Moody 31; similar length and displacement. That copes fine; the only problem I've ever had was when an unusually violent tiller movement pulled the mounting screws out of the tiller fitting! But that was a tiller that was on the way out; the fix was longer screws in the first place, and a new tiller in the longer run!

I don't generally sail under tiller-pilot; I reckon I do a better job under sail, and of course, I don't want to flatten my batteries.

You'll never flatten your batteries with that huge windmill on the back.

 

[wiggy]

I've got an SPX5, it's fantastic, responds quickly has no controls on the ram to go soggy and seems frugal on power usage. Great bit of kit.

 

[charles_reed]

My Auto Helm ST1000+ which came with the boat at purchase seems to be way under powered for the boat 30’ 5.3tons Cruising weight. Although with the right sail trim or just motoring has been fine for the last 4 years.

While sailing home in the week it was caught out by a gust on my return trip home from being ashore, and has turned the motor pinion off the motor shaft, so I need to think about another more suitable Auto Pilot maybe?

The spec for the ST1000+ max’s at 3tons – the ST 2000 Max’s at 4.5tons, both not suitable for extended use according to the specs for my boat.

Next size up would be the ST4000+ .If possible I would like some feedback as to its longevity, user friendliness, and suitability due to any problems which seem to arise on a regular basis.
I have read loads of posts on the Archive and seem to find quite a few issues which seem to arise, slow to respond, wandering off course, actuator grinding noise problems etc.
Before actually considering it further are there any other Pilots which might be more suitable?

Next one up from this is the New Raymarine Evolution Autopilot ACU-100 but it has a Princely price tag!!

As usual grateful for any views or experiences

Philip

I have one of the original 4000ST, in use since 1991, and which has done about 35K nautical miles.
I have two actuators, these are regularly serviced every 2nd year. Apart from 3 sets of brushes and one leadscrew assembly, I had to have a new display on the controller.

 

[SAWDOC]

I have the auto helm 2000 model on my Gladiateur - 33 ft LOA, 5000 kg displacement. seems to have plenty power. I have noticed it seems to get a bit bewildered when running in a rolling sea but that is not a power issue more of a response lag. Generally satisfactory performance.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

I have the auto helm 2000 model on my Gladiateur - 33 ft LOA, 5000 kg displacement. seems to have plenty power. I have noticed it seems to get a bit bewildered when running in a rolling sea but that is not a power issue more of a response lag. Generally satisfactory performance.

I too have the Autohelm 2000 on my Centurion 32. Plenty of power there.

My only gripe is that the compass unit lives in one of the cockpit lockers (connection to the actuating cylinder is via a socket in the coaming) and that makes it somewhat awkward to adjust. Replacing it with a different model is out of the question...the boat came with a second AH2000 as spare, still unused in its box!

 

[jerrytug]

My Auto Helm ST1000+ which came with the boat at purchase seems to be way under powered for the boat 30’ 5.3tons Cruising weight. Although with the right sail trim or just motoring has been fine for the last 4 years.

While sailing home in the week it was caught out by a gust on my return trip home from being ashore, and has turned the motor pinion off the motor shaft, so I need to think about another more suitable Auto Pilot maybe?

The spec for the ST1000+ max’s at 3tons – the ST 2000 Max’s at 4.5tons, both not suitable for extended use according to the specs for my boat.

Next size up would be the ST4000+ .If possible I would like some feedback as to its longevity, user friendliness, and suitability due to any problems which seem to arise on a regular basis.
I have read loads of posts on the Archive and seem to find quite a few issues which seem to arise, slow to respond, wandering off course, actuator grinding noise problems etc.
Before actually considering it further are there any other Pilots which might be more suitable?

Next one up from this is the New Raymarine Evolution Autopilot ACU-100 but it has a Princely price tag!!

As usual grateful for any views or experiences

Philip

Buy a tube of Loctite 638 and glue the pinion back on, my ST2000 worked all last year with that repair, total cost a fiver!

 

[xeitosaphil]

Thanks Jerry, have ordered some and will give it a try, It will always do for a spare in good weather or motoring

 

[xeitosaphil]

Having read all of the replies so far, it seems that tiller pilots tend to fall into basically two types.

1, Self contained units like I have now, Auto Helm ST 1000+ /2000+ type

2, With separate Actuators, control box, Display and Giro / Fluxgate compasses like the Auto Helm ST4000 and Raymarine SPX5 type.I know there are other makes but seem to fall into the two basic categories.

The thing is, would you consider one to be a better type than the other and for what reason? Other than the obvious weatherproofing side.

I realise that type 2 has more separate components which may work better perhaps because they are dedicated items for each individual task, also physical size isn’t possibly a factor to limit their effectiveness, but do type 2 they actually perform better, and are they more difficult to set up and maintain?

I know that the heavier displacement and size range must also dictate component suitability and size, but in my case just wondered if there were significant performance advantages going with type 2 considering the increased costs involved, or would you consider both types to be equally as good as each other?

Thanks for the replies so far, only trying to get it right prior to replacing present one, so keep the comments coming please.

Philip

 

[Daydream believer]

Really disappointed with my ST 2000. On a 31 ft 4.5 tonne fin keel boat
I set it & it runs OK for 10 mins then begins to wander & start pver correcting so eventually i am swinging violently 20 degrees each way ( this is under engine)
If i alter rudder gain & trim it will often wander up to 70 degrees off course & does not seem interested in getting back on course. I have tried all combinations of trim & gain. My old Simrad TP 30 had none of these issues. Although my new TP. 32 lasted 2 months & was replaced ( by Raymarine as Simrad out of stock)
The unit is connected to 12 v power only - no other nmea controls

 

[LittleSister]

I have an Autohelm ST2000 - came with the boat. Has performed fine for the 6 or 7 years and several thousand miles we've had the boat, in all weathers. We use it a lot. It's oversized for our boat (23ft, 2.5 tons), but she's a long keeler with a big, heavy non-balanced 'barn door' type rudder.

On a previous boat (Hurley 22, long fin) I had a Autohelm ST1000, which was similarly trouble free and satisfactory.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Really disappointed with my ST 2000. On a 31 ft 4.5 tonne fin keel boat
I set it & it runs OK for 10 mins then begins to wander & start pver correcting so eventually i am swinging violently 20 degrees each way ( this is under engine)
If i alter rudder gain & trim it will often wander up to 70 degrees off course & does not seem interested in getting back on course. I have tried all combinations of trim & gain. My old Simrad TP 30 had none of these issues. Although my new TP. 32 lasted 2 months & was replaced ( by Raymarine as Simrad out of stock)
The unit is connected to 12 v power only - no other nmea controls

That sounds like a faulty unit. Mine steers perfectly well for hours on end on a similar sounding yacht.

 

[SAWDOC]

Having read all of the replies so far, it seems that tiller pilots tend to fall into basically two types.

1, Self contained units like I have now, Auto Helm ST 1000+ /2000+ type

2, With separate Actuators, control box, Display and Giro / Fluxgate compasses like the Auto Helm ST4000 and Raymarine SPX5 type.I know there are other makes but seem to fall into the two basic categories.

The thing is, would you consider one to be a better type than the other and for what reason? Other than the obvious weatherproofing side.

I realise that type 2 has more separate components which may work better perhaps because they are dedicated items for each individual task, also physical size isn’t possibly a factor to limit their effectiveness, but do type 2 they actually perform better, and are they more difficult to set up and maintain?

I know that the heavier displacement and size range must also dictate component suitability and size, but in my case just wondered if there were significant performance advantages going with type 2 considering the increased costs involved, or would you consider both types to be equally as good as each other?

Thanks for the replies so far, only trying to get it right prior to replacing present one, so keep the comments coming please.

Philip

The third category you are overlooking are those devices which consume no power and are the only realistic option for long distance self steering under sail - monitor, windvane, mr v etc. A.all of the tiller pilots are power hungry which works fine under engine or for a short period under sail but they are not great options under sail I thou a nicely balanced rig.

 

[DaveS]

My boat (30', 3.5t dry) came with a ST1000 which is clearly undersized - so I keep it as the ultimate spare. An ST2000+ does the business usually (I single hand) but occasionally goes faulty (water ingress, spiral fracture of the inboard thrust bearing, timing belt stripped, broken O ring jamming the compass) so I have another available to pop in if the working unit goes down. I reckon that with my aluminium plate reinforcement to the gearbox my working unit is stronger than the original design, so I use that in preference. Oh, yes, and they aren't waterproof - try to rig a shelter of some kind (say the sleeve of an old waterproof jacket) - it really does help.

 

[xeitosaphil]

The third category you are overlooking are those devices which consume no power and are the only realistic option for long distance self steering under sail - monitor, windvane, mr v etc. A.all of the tiller pilots are power hungry which works fine under engine or for a short period under sail but they are not great options under sail I thou a nicely balanced rig.

No I haven't overlooked that category actually, as when I had my original H22 I was in the process of making a Stainless Steel version of a Walt Murray 30/30 / Jan Alkema USD Vane, servo Pendulum S/S gear. But now I have a H30/90 it is too small unless major adaptation is involved and I don’t have the time at present to do it.
Production models such as Monitor, Aries, Hydrovane, Paul Dolton’s Seafeather ( who is actually local to me and makes a lovely Vane model ) are all in excess of £1500 - £3000 so not in my purchase zone. Mr vane ( sorry is not in the running for me!)
Perhaps one day maybe sometime in the future I will get around to altering my own project to accommodate the extra displacement weight and rudder size of the H30/90 ?

Power for the tiller pilot shouldn't be a problem as I have a good battery bank and Solar panel backup, especially if the rig is pretty well balanced?

 

[charles_reed]

Having read all of the replies so far, it seems that tiller pilots tend to fall into basically two types.

1, Self contained units like I have now, Auto Helm ST 1000+ /2000+ type

2, With separate Actuators, control box, Display and Giro / Fluxgate compasses like the Auto Helm ST4000 and Raymarine SPX5 type.I know there are other makes but seem to fall into the two basic categories.

The thing is, would you consider one to be a better type than the other and for what reason? Other than the obvious weatherproofing side.

I realise that type 2 has more separate components which may work better perhaps because they are dedicated items for each individual task, also physical size isn’t possibly a factor to limit their effectiveness, but do type 2 they actually perform better, and are they more difficult to set up and maintain?

I know that the heavier displacement and size range must also dictate component suitability and size, but in my case just wondered if there were significant performance advantages going with type 2 considering the increased costs involved, or would you consider both types to be equally as good as each other?

Thanks for the replies so far, only trying to get it right prior to replacing present one, so keep the comments coming please.

Philip

NONE of the single handed offshore racers I have ever met will even consider an all-in-one unit, even as a back-up.
They're OK for occasional, light recreational use but not things one can bet your life on.
A sentiment apparently shared by Raymarine service engineers.

 

[xeitosaphil]

NONE of the single handed offshore racers I have ever met will even consider an all-in-one unit, even as a back-up.
They're OK for occasional, light recreational use but not things one can bet your life on.
A sentiment apparently shared by Raymarine service engineers.

Thanks Charles for your input, I must say most of my sailing is actually single handed but I don’t come into the category of single handed offshore racers, but I take your point.

Reliability is a key factor and I look on the Auto it as my extra hand so it must be reliable. Most of my passages are Coastal though and maybe only maybe 12-14hrs and perhaps the odd couple of overnights, but I don’t use it all the time so perhaps that’s why I have been able to make do with a all- in- one type.

I do think though, that now maybe the time to get a proper set up as it seems the way to go, but will repair my other one to keep as a standby as it's been alright up till now.