Tiller Pilots Simrad V Raymarine

[MrFish]

I am about to buy a Tiller Pilot for my 11.3m keelboat. I am looking at a Simrad TP30 OR a Raymarine ST4000 Plus.
I would like to hear good or bad stories about either model/brand from boaties who are/have used either.
The features offered by each are very similar, the cost (in New Zealand) are within $150 of each other. The Raymarine has the seperate fluxgate compass, which is probably an advantage - but is it actually in practise? It would be fitted in the saloon - so what happens when someone puts a magnetic item down nearby? (Like a portable stereo, dive gear etc)
All opinions welcome, Thanks

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[Aeolus_IV]

The lead on the fluxgate compass for the ST4000+ is a reasonable length - the compas can be installed somewhere magnetically "safe". I've no experience of the Simrad equipment, but the ST4000+ has worked well in the times I've used it. I'd say that having a system which is "self contained" would be of benefit over one which sourced all of its data from an external source - though I've no grounds for expecting there to be problems with this approach.

Jeff.

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[Good]

i have a TP30 and it has served me perfectly for 4 years and Manny sea mils
i can fully recommend it

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[Good]

I have a Simrad TP30 and it has served me perfectly for 4 years and Manny sea mils
i can fully recommend it

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[bedouin]

I have serious concerns about the service support from Simrad.

I have a Simrad wind instrument installed new only 4 years ago for which Simrad no longer stock spares.

Raymarine were happy to look at an autohelm that was malfunctioning that had ceased production 20 years earlier.


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[paulrossall]

There is a big difference in price in the UK. Simrad TP30, up to 12 metres, 6300kg, thrust 85kg £390.
Raymarine ST4000 approx.12 metres, 6000kg, thrust 84kg £580.
I have a TP30 which works well on my 10 metre bilge keeler which is not a directionally stable as a fin keel.
I like to keep things as simple as possible and would always buy an integral unit if possible, so even if the prices were identical I would buy the Simrad.
I did have a ST2000 which suffered water ingress which I was very unhappy about. If the units are not water proof to a good standard then they cannot be expected to operate well in the long term. I would always buy a unit which is over-specified for my boat. IMHO.Paul

<hr width=100% size=1>" there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".

 

[Paulka]

I had an Autohelm 1000 (now Raymarine) which gave me a very good service for ten years or so, although undersized according to the specs. I replaced it, after it got waterdamage, by a Raymarine ST2000+ (still undersized, but not that much ;-)).
Unfortunately, I am very unsatisfied with the new ST2000+, and the spanish branch refuses any help, just answering the unit is undersized and I should have know as the data sheet is "very explicit".

I obviously need a replacement, but I am very reluctant to consider Raymarine after such a bad experience with "my" branch.

My boat is a long keeler, pretty directionnaly stable, and, yes, weighting 6 tons, rather than the specified 5.5 tons! .... And the 1000er was perfectly adequate for ten years or so!

Given the difference in price between the Raymarine ST4000+ (which would be at the very limit as well) and the Simrad 30, I am seriously considering this one.

Your opinions highly welcomed.

Paul

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[paulrossall]

What is wrong with the ST2000. My boat is about 5000kg bilge keel and is not directionally very stable but ST2000 managed OK, just got water in it. If your unit is OK and not that old I would have thought you would be able to sell it on, which would at least get rid of the problem. Raymarine wanted almost the price of a new unit to repair my ST2000, said problem was water ingress, almost implying it was my fault, rather than shoddy build quality. Paul

<hr width=100% size=1>" there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".

 

[Chris_Rayner]

Re: I\'ve used both

I have just disposed of my TP30 (Navico, same as a Simrad I think) which was well capable of steering my Sonata (7m, about 1ton displ.) until she got tilted over a bit, when it complained. I interfaced it with the GPS and it would steer to waypoint, and had a facility to steer to wind if memory serves, but I never used that as I had no wind instruments.

It was jolly nice, and I would have kept it only I sold the boat, and got a Hunter Pilot 27, thassabout 26 feet long and a couple of imperial tons displacement. This boat has all singing all dancing Ray(theon/marine) kit installed by her first owner. The fluxgate compass should have a little label stuck next to it to warn you about stowing electic motors and magnets next to it, but the previous owner obviously didn't worry too much about that.

ow I think the ST4000+ is a different class from the Simrad. The display can be used for a repeater for other Raymarine instruments, it will interface with near enough everything, Seatalk and NMEA, and most of the guts of the thing can be kept below decks where it's more likely to stay dry. You can program it much more flexibly than the TP30, and the tiller actuating ram is separate from the rest of the gubbins, so if it gets worn out you can replace it and the rest should still work fine.

The only respect in which I might have some doubt is the power consumption. On my Sonata I had a wind generator and a battery charger for mains use. As she lived on a mooring I was keen to minimise all electrical consumption. The TP30 is a bit less greedy, allegedly, than the equivalent Autohelm/Ray/theon/marine device, which is not the ST4000, but the 2000, I think. As my nice new boat has a thumping gurt big diesel with two batteries and fancy power management I don't care about that, but if it didn't, I might.

Hope this helps

Chris Rayner

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[scarlett]

I had a Raymarine 1000 for about 20 years. It worked very well. It leaked and broke but was always repairable. It was still working when I passed it on.

I now have a 4000 + in its 5th season. The head leaked on the third season and a Greek company repaired it under warranty. It lasted 6 weeks. Raymarine repaired it and it failed after four months with more water in the head.

Raymarine replaced it under warranty after 4.5 years with a new head, yet to be tried.

The push rod arm pulled apart at the plastic joint in a crash gybe but has gone back together without harm.

The compass near the heads has never given a problem.

Verdict. Equipment is average but repairable. The service from Raymarine UK is very fair. I would buy Raymarine stuff again if it suited. To be able to get spares or repairs is important to me. Companies that disappear or stop supporting expensive systems are common but not for me.

PS I had a Navico Autopilot in the early eighties and it was a joke; sending me off on a reciprical course when it got confused. Useless. It lasted a month! Happy days.

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