Tiller self steering device- what is best?

Thank you for the complimentary remark! She is also an excellent sea boat. She was purchased in Lake MacQuarie, NSW and handled Bass Strait very well. We came across on a "strong wind warning" which was pretty easy going.
Yes, the photograph was taken at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Constitution Dock, Hobart. We have another coming up Feb. 6-8, 2009. I'll keep you posted! The final number is something in excess of 500 boats. Greetings for the New Year, Peter
 
Hello Pete. I remember Constitution Dock Hobart this time last year as the Sydney to Hobart racers arrived what a festival I wish I was there now.
You really should try the bungee system to hold the tiller for short term self steering. You need a bungee from the end of the tiller to one side and a bungee in series with a small tackle with locking cleat in the other bungee. Have both under some tension at centres. Now when sailing you tighten or ease the tackle to bias the tiller one way or the other to get the best course holding. By using bungees you simply overpower the bungees to set or reset the boat on course without changing the bias setting.
You can even use the bungees to ease any weather helm load.
You can use one bungee with several turns around the tiller and simply rotate the bungee on the tiller to bias one way or the other but this is more tedious than a tackle which can give fine tuning. good luck and say hello to the Maxis. olewill
 
I like the idea of the 'bungee' and you have clarified in my mind how it operates. I will give it a try as a a first step,especially for day-sailing.
On the matter of autohelms, a very old model came with the yacht. It is an Autohelm with a single dial, but I can't get it set right: it also has a 'wind direction sensor' as mentioned by Carvel, but I have not seen how to operate it and have not even given it a try. I can't give the model number until I return home next week, but if anyone has some antiquated instructions,I would be interested. Peter Robyn was launched in 1950 and it could be as old as that, but who knows?! Regards, Peter
 
Old Autohelm manuals are still available for download from Raymarine :

http://www.raymarine.co.uk/customer-supp...opilot-manuals/

For the wind control - you'll likely find mention in the manual for your AH.

As to getting it to set - biggest mistake I find people making is to expect it to steer straight away. It usually will require a minute or so to settle as it feels the sea-state etc. It could be of course that as with my AH - it's possible to disable the dead-band or sea-state and then it hunts continuously.

Best is to find a quiet area, set boat on a balanced nice reach and then engage ... let it hunt a bit and resist temptation to click the dial a notch or two ! That minute does seem an awful long time ...
I don't think they remember sea-state settings till next use - but I know that once I had used mine a number of times, I found I could literally drop it on the tiller pin ... engage and leave it near immediately to get on with it.

I hope you're AH works and good luck with it - they really are worth it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Simrad TP10

Got me to the Azores and back despite being asked to work too hard.

I've watched it working under water.


[/ QUOTE ] Another vote here for the TP10. Ours actually gave up the ghost in the Azores between Sao Miguel and Horta, but MAYS fixed it with liquid metal, it lasted back to Spain, Ireland and Scotland and is still going nearly two years later. It has no problems with water ingress as far as I can see, a problem that IS widely reported with Raymarine units. Nothing fancy, but very cheap second hand and rugged.

- W
 
I am also looking to fit a tiller pilot on my boat, but I am not sure if there is one big enough on the market..? The boat weighs about 17 tonnes fully loaded with fuel and water. I can set her to steer herself by using a bungy cord, while I go forward to handle sails, but it is not reliable enough for longer distance.
 
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