EV100 no rudder reference and I stopped the wandering

[JohnVTX]

As you guys know, without the rudder reference, especially down wind the boat will wander up to 30 degrees trying to keep up. I have been playing with the settings and have gotten it to finally track straight.

Set it on Performance mode, instead of Cruising. Change from Sailboat fast to Sailboat slow turn. Wandering stopped and it still tacks plenty fast enough.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Good idea, John. ON most units it's simply called Response Time, but each new unit gives it a new name. I do the same thing with our ancient ST3000 - use 5 in harbor and going upwind, 2 going downwind and out on the ocean to avoid constant headache inducing buzz buzz buzz of the motor.

 

[JohnVTX]

Good idea, John. ON most units it's simply called Response Time, but each new unit gives it a new name. I do the same thing with our ancient ST3000 - use 5 in harbor and going upwind, 2 going downwind and out on the ocean to avoid constant headache inducing buzz buzz buzz of the motor.

Two different settings Stu. Response time is one. Turning speed is second. The choices are Fast, Slow, or Catamaran.

 

[JohnShannon]

I had the same issue in cruise mode it wandered like crazy , kinda like it was drunk, which I suppose is accurate.

 

[Ken13559]

When water gets lumpy my goes crazy adjusting to each and every waves. Think I've to set it to slo-mo mode.

 

[Pb2388]

My EV100 wheel pilot on my Hunter 30 does the same sort of thing, if you look back at the wake its like a snake. While setting it in performance mode has helped it still wanders back and forth. I will try slow turn and see how that works. My question is, as the wheel pilot in performance mode is constantly moving the wheel, how much current is it drawing. Seems to me that without solar or some form of charging capability other that the engine it wouldn't take long to flatten the batteries, but perhaps I am wrong here......

 

[NoAgenda]

Mine wandered a lot too. setting the compass to lock also helps also

 

[Head Sail]

I don't have a wandering issue except when going downwind under sail and following seas push the boat off course faster than the pilot can react. I have an EV100 and no rudder reference unit. Try adjusting your hard over time.

 

[Sanfelice]

I also have a Catalina 30, deep draft. I have tried several different settings for the EV1000 and have not been all that satisfied. It would help to provide all of the other settings you have for a Cat 30. The hard over time, tacking degrees, rudder damping, debugging level, etc.. Unfortunately my boat is on the hard now so I can't experiment. Given he constant wind shifts I experience, I doubt that without a wind vane connected it will be difficult overcome the wandering. As others have said in the past, the directions for this unit are pure crap. Thanks for the post.

 

[mz4wheeler]

Just cough up the dough ($200) and install the rudder reference unit. Sure, it may "seem" to be OK by tweaking this and that, but you are only guessing. When the weather gets rough, and you really NEED it to work flawlessly, THAT is when it will fail (boat swings wildly, stuff falls, people get hurt). Install it and you'll have peace of mind.