Tiller pilot

[fireball]

[ QUOTE ]
Is this the sort of thing you would buy secondhand, or best to buy new?

[/ QUOTE ] Depends on how much you're intending to use it - if (like me) it is the odd occasion then a second hand one will probably suffice - however, if you are singlehanding a lot then a new one <u>should</u> be more reliable - you need to think about what you're gonna do if it does break - ie don't leave yourself up a creak without a helm!

 

[Malcb]

I have Raymarine with the remote control ( as the balance of the boat changes when I move forward to retrieve my fenders). I find it very useful. I can also feed the NMEA output from my Navman chart plotter into it to give me full autopilot facilities. I still maintainn my old Autohelm connections as a standby.

 

[misterg]

Not a brilliant pic, but this is out ST2000+ (I think physically the same size as the 1000+). The innards of the 2000+ are reputedly more durable (mechanically) than the 1000+, and the lock-lock time is faster. A bit of overkill for our 22'er, but works well, and no problem with outboard / small solar panel charging, given our limited usage.

Getting it to fit neatly may take a bit of fiddling / imagination. Watch out for the cost of the extension pieces and brackets that you may need. The basic (Raymarine) kit has a pivot bush for the 'fixed' end of the T.P, and a pin to set into the tiller for the moving end. This is fine if your cockpit coaming is level with the tiller, and exactly 2' from it. Our cockpit is wider than this, and the levels didn't match, so we needed a "push rod extension" (the dark bit at the end of the (silver) push-rod); a bracket to mount the end of the push rod under the tiller, rather than on top (just visible above my hand); and a bracket to mount the fixed end off the side of the cockpit coaming, rather than on the seat (out of the picture to the left). I made this bracket myself, and kept it as small as possible (consistent with being able to swivel the TP out of the way), so it doesn't get in the way when the TP isn't fitted.

My hand is only on the tiller for "photographic purposes" /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. You can't hand steer unless the TP is un-hooked and moved to one side.

Ours is called "Arnie", btw. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Andy

 

[thalassa]

Having had a ST1000+ for two years, I found it a disappointing piece of kit. Always kept it in a safe place, and ran it in dry weather. It would still pack up frequently(jamming), and blew a fuse every two hours or so. However, friends were very pleased with their ST2000 model, which has a basically different driving gear, I was told.

 

[GIBSON]

I'll try and explain my setup... My boat is a cornish shrimper; same length and sailed as you say, weekends and sometimes of an evening. My tiller pilot is a bungee cord stretched over the tiller with each end fixed to the deck port and starboard.

I hope that makes sense it does to me but then I wrote it.

 

[jonathankent]

Perfect sense.... I have a device for locking the tiller in position, but want something a little more 'sophisticated' should I say /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Simrad1]

Hi,

If you require any further information on the Simrad TP10, please feel free to send me a private message with your email or delivery address and I can send you a brochure.

 

[Guest]

Re: Tiller pilot .... mounting and dimensions ....

Seriously ..... I would download the manuals of both or any other that you fancy .... The first pages are all to do with dimensions and mounting data ....

Well worth the few minutes to download the files (usually in PDF format .....) - just go to Manufacturers web-sites.....

I have both old autopilots ... Autohelm's - which became the Raymarine's ..... I have the AH800 and the AH1000 ...... to be honest I don't notice much difference between them .... ones for up to 8mtr - other for 10mtr ...

As another said - main thing is to let the boat sail a little less pinched, little free-er to let the AP have an easy time - then current draw is very small.

As to which side of tiller you mount - the AP can be set to work either side by simple set-up - all detailed in Manuals ...

Me ? I wouldn't be without my AP and whats more - I value a remote hand controller more than having GPS input ... the luxury of being able to sit up on coachroof while steering via the HC is "bliss" ......

There is another factor .... GPS input to the AP will possibly increase the draw on the battery - as the GPS will alter instruction to the AP as x-track and other effects alter the CTS to destination ... AP on its own will steer to the course that you set ... irrespective of GPS and destination. It has been subject of a few threads in the past about allowing the GPS to correct the course all through a trip ...... sometimes it's better to just stay on course and alter in one go .... than a lot of small changes .....

 

[fireball]

I was gonna add loads of comments on these photos - but I think you can probably see for yourself - the TP is fixed about 18" up the tiller but at full reach it only gives about 1/2 the distance possible for the tiller - I suppose the unit could go back a bit, but then it wouldn't have the power advantage ... (plus I'd get a few more holes in the deck). It is ok - but can be a bit slow on autotack, so I just need to work out a technique to tack better.

The linked images are about 2Mb each...

 

[jonathankent]

Thank you

 

[jonathankent]

Well there seems to be positive and negative reports on both the Simrad and the Raymarine models.

For £240 - £250 I can get the Raymarine ST1000+ or the Simrad TP22, both of which seem to have more or less the same functions. I could get the cheaper Simrad TP10, but would like the GPS track facility.... so