Yet another shorthanded offshore boat....

[flaming]

But possibly with a little difference...

Jeanneau & Multiplast join forces to offer a new experience with the Sun Fast 30 One Design

This is actually the result of the combined RORC, UNCL and storm trisail initiative to develop a new 30 foot offshore OD. VPLP actually won the design competition, but they've brought in Jeanneau to do the building. Seems like quite a smart move really.... And if they really stick to the initial aim of a sail away price of under £100k...

If only the same thing could be done for those who actually have friends and want to sail fully crewed....

 

[Birdseye]

shorthanded and offshore suggests the use of an autopilot. What sort of pilot is used with tiller steered boats like this?

 

[Lightwave395]

shorthanded and offshore suggests the use of an autopilot. What sort of pilot is used with tiller steered boats like this?

I have a tiller steered 12M boat (relatively lightweight) it has a now old but working well still Raymarine S1G pilot with underdeck Type 1 ram and 6002 controller. Apart from a slight increase in 'friction' when not engaged, which I guess I've got used to over 17 years, it's all good

 

[doug748]

Patrick Laine talks about his NKE setup:

I think he says somewhere that this type of sophisticated system starts at around 10k.

.

 

[Birdseye]

I have a tiller steered 12M boat (relatively lightweight) it has a now old but working well still Raymarine S1G pilot with underdeck Type 1 ram and 6002 controller. Apart from a slight increase in 'friction' when not engaged, which I guess I've got used to over 17 years, it's all good

Interesting. I have room to install a below deck unit, and its the current connection of tiller and above deck ram that I dont like. I miss being able to simply press a button and engage the pilot as I had on my last boat.

 

[Lightwave395]

Interesting. I have room to install a below deck unit, and its the current connection of tiller and above deck ram that I dont like. I miss being able to simply press a button and engage the pilot as I had on my last boat.

My thoughts exactly, I've never found the additional 'friction' on the tiller to be a problem when hand steering and I feel the only autopilot to have wherever possible is a 'proper' underdeck one

 

[Birdseye]

Agree 100%. Last boat had a Simrad Robertson under deck hydraulic ram and together with a big rudder, it never let me down in 11 years of crusing and racing.