Wheel Autopilots

[jadcoz]

im wanting to know if anyone knows of a good wheel autopilot but for a boat around 10,000 kg i have seen the raymarine one but it seems its max is 7500kg, any advice greatly appreciated , its mainly for cruising large french rivers for ease of use

 

[Tranona]

No. The Raymarine is effectively the only one on the market. However the use of displacement as a limiting factor is linked to sailing boats and is an indicator of the forces generated by a boat of that size under sail . In reality the 7500kgs is "generous" and it often struggles with smaller boats than that. The limitation is the power of the motor and the lightweight construction of the drive gear.

You don't say what sort of boat you have, nor why you can't fit a "proper" drive to the steering system.

 

[Koeketiene]

With that kind of displacement it will be difficult to find a wheel pilot.
Let alone a decent one.

I had a Simrad on one of my previous boats (a 7T AWB) and it was one of the most useless bits of crap ever fitted on a boat.

 

[jadcoz]

No. The Raymarine is effectively the only one on the market. However the use of displacement as a limiting factor is linked to sailing boats and is an indicator of the forces generated by a boat of that size under sail . In reality the 7500kgs is "generous" and it often struggles with smaller boats than that. The limitation is the power of the motor and the lightweight construction of the drive gear.

You don't say what sort of boat you have, nor why you can't fit a "proper" drive to the steering system.

apologies it will be a linssen 35ac and happy to looks at proper drive systems but am new to boat ownership so starting out on the never ending knowledge needed

 

[PaulRainbow]

apologies it will be a linssen 35ac and happy to looks at proper drive systems but am new to boat ownership so starting out on the never ending knowledge needed

This will need a "proper" below decks autopilot. I'd look at the Garmin Reactor 40 range.

 

[Mister E]

Could you please explain what is meant by proper autopilot?

 

[jwilson]

A Raymarine wheelpilot MIGHT work OK: on a river it is not going to have to cope with the boat heeling and needing rapid helm movements to compensate. Or again rapid response to waves slewing the boat off course. But it is an irritatingly noisy clicky-clacky sort of contraption. A ram drive to the rudder quadrant is a much better option all round, but about twice the cost.

 

[Tranona]

Could you please explain what is meant by proper autopilot?

One where the drive is incorporated into the steering system rather than added to the wheel. The latter is a compromise with the limitations outlined earlier.

 

[Mister E]

Thank you could you give examples please?

 

[Tranona]

apologies it will be a linssen 35ac and happy to looks at proper drive systems but am new to boat ownership so starting out on the never ending knowledge needed

Is this a new boat? In which case have the builder fit it. I expect the steering is hydraulic which makes installation fairly easy compared with the mechanical systems on many sailing boats.

 

[jadcoz]

Is this a new boat? In which case have the builder fit it. I expect the steering is hydraulic which makes installation fairly easy compared with the mechanical systems on many sailing boats.

no sadly its 2005

 

[Tranona]

Thank you could you give examples please?

Examples of what? The three major manufacturers all offer autopilots for fitment below decks with a variety of drive options to suit different steering systems.

 

[Minerva]

We have a wheel pilot on a Moody 34 (so around 7-8ish tonnes). It works really quite well, certainly not worth the considerable expense of upgrading to a below deck pilot. But, and this is a big but - the boat is beautifully balanced so generally needs very little helm input and readily tracks regardless of point of sail. The boat mostly sails under auto pilot and never given any concerns or interesting moments.

A more flighty boat might struggle on a wheel pilot

 

[Tranona]

no sadly its 2005

Then worth talking to the yard as pretty sure they will know what sort of system works best. As in post#7 the Raymarine may work at low speed with minimal steering changes but would struggle against any sort of wind or seastate because it lacks power.

Not sure how useful an autopilot will be on inland waterways where steering effort to keep the boat in a straight line is minimal.

 

[Minerva]

apologies it will be a linssen 35ac and happy to looks at proper drive systems but am new to boat ownership so starting out on the never ending knowledge needed

So a motor boat? I'd imagine that would have an even easier job than on a sailing boat so almost certainly OK. Might want to check on the Motor boat side of the forum then

 

[shanemax]

This will need a "proper" below decks autopilot. I'd look at the Garmin Reactor 40 range.

Rainbow...........You just got called out. We require a 1000 word composition titled.
IN RAINBOWS OPINION A "PROPER AUTOPILOT IS"
In my opinion the best auto pilot, I know of, when its gets a bit, windy, confused and rough is your arms and hands

 

[Graham376]

We have a wheel pilot on a Moody 34 (so around 7-8ish tonnes). It works really quite well, certainly not worth the considerable expense of upgrading to a below deck pilot. But, and this is a big but - the boat is beautifully balanced so generally needs very little helm input and readily tracks regardless of point of sail. The boat mostly sails under auto pilot and never given any concerns or interesting moments.

A more flighty boat might struggle on a wheel pilot

We found Raymarine wheel pilot on our 346 (same hull) was far too slow reacting and changing to linear drive transformed it.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Rainbow...........You just got called out. We require a 1000 word composition titled.
IN RAINBOWS OPINION A "PROPER AUTOPILOT IS"
In my opinion the best auto pilot, I know of, when its gets a bit, windy, confused and rough is your arms and hands

What are you smoking ?

 

[Minerva]

***Deleted*** digressing away from the OP's question

 

[B27]

im wanting to know if anyone knows of a good wheel autopilot but for a boat around 10,000 kg i have seen the raymarine one but it seems its max is 7500kg, any advice greatly appreciated , its mainly for cruising large french rivers for ease of use

In my limited experience of rivers (Thames mostly) you don't want to be leaving the helm.