New to us Hunter 40.5

[smokey73]

@SV Maverick
I need to replace my shower sink combo faucet too. How did you get it off and what did you replace it with? It is really tight back behind the sink and before I dive into that project a few tips would be helpful. Pictures even better Thanks in advance

 

[SV Maverick]

I used the Ambassador Marine Trinidad Head Shower Combo with Classic Sprayer. You will also need the Trinidad Spray holder for the shower function. Fortunately it is an easy replacement. I used an endoscope to look up there first to see what was going on. Thought I was going to remove the entire counter top etc. Much more simple than that, but it is confined.

Turn off water pump and open faucets. Disconnect the hot-cold supply lines and the shower hose extension. Pull the shower head out slightly and unscrew from the extension. Pull out the shower hose out from below. Unscrew the nut on the top of the faucet. It is a tube that extends through the counter to a threaded "U' shape retainer and gasket. Wrestle the tubes together so they can be pulled through the countertop hole. Replace with the new faucet in the opposite order.

Hopefully all the fittings are in good shape and can be screwed back to the new faucet fittings. The risk is once you start this if it does not go well you will have to keep your water pump off until you get it replaced. It could take five minutes if everything goes well, or five hours if there is corrosion on the through tube or fitting problems.

Because the faucet (any chrome) can be prone to corrosion, wax the chrome gently and never scrub it with coarse pads or harsh cleaners. That will protect the finish help keep it shiny longer.

 

[artboas]

I used the Ambassador Marine Trinidad Head Shower Combo with Classic Sprayer. You will also need the Trinidad Spray holder for the shower function. Fortunately it is an easy replacement. I used an endoscope to look up there first to see what was going on. Thought I was going to remove the entire counter top etc. Much more simple than that, but it is confined.

Turn off water pump and open faucets. Disconnect the hot-cold supply lines and the shower hose extension. Pull the shower head out slightly and unscrew from the extension. Pull out the shower hose out from below. Unscrew the nut on the top of the faucet. It is a tube that extends through the counter to a threaded "U' shape retainer and gasket. Wrestle the tubes together so they can be pulled through the countertop hole. Replace with the new faucet in the opposite order.

Hopefully all the fittings are in good shape and can be screwed back to the new faucet fittings. The risk is once you start this if it does not go well you will have to keep your water pump off until you get it replaced. It could take five minutes if everything goes well, or five hours if there is corrosion on the through tube or fitting problems.

Because the faucet (any chrome) can be prone to corrosion, wax the chrome gently and never scrub it with coarse pads or harsh cleaners. That will protect the finish help keep it shiny longer.

 

[artboas]

First of all, congrats on figuring out the windlass. In my opinion, you did the right thing by mounting it horizontally, as per the original factory design.
The hand controller was a great idea.
I noticed in some photos you attached that another h40.5 owner put a bow AC power inlet up there.
Now, I did the same thing, but in all due respect to the other owner, do not mount it vertically as in the photos. This is potentially very dangerous. It is already a wet area, being the anchor locker, and water will get into the socket and pool down into the contact area.
The place to mount this socket is on the forward wall.
Which brings me to another point…
If you are going to have a bow power inlet, then you must install a disconnect breaker within 6 feet.
Next issue…
How to switch boat AC between the stern inlet, and bow inlet. I thought about this for awhile, and came up with a clever solution.
Yes, you can get Blue Seas panels which select AC inputs. But, there isn’t a lot of room in the cockpit locker to do this, and it complicates matters.
Easy, (and inexpensive ) solution

when you run the wiring from the bow inlet aft, put a junction box near the existing AC inlet in the stern locker.
Then, wire in a 3 foot (or so) cable with a 30A male plug.
Then it’s reall simple…
If you want to use bow power, plug the pigtail into your existing stern inlet.
Or, you can just plug a shore power into the stern inlet directly, and not use the pigtail.
Saves a lot of wiring, and it’s foolproof.

 

[SV Maverick]

Some pictures of the Type 1 rotary drive installation, EV-200 and all new instruments. Integrated with Axiom 9+. A lot of wires to run. It works very well. Looking for slightly better placement of EV-1(not shown). Learned much about my boat in this project.

 

[smokey73]

Some pictures of the Type 1 rotary drive installation, EV-200 and all new instruments. Integrated with Axiom 9+. A lot of wires to run. It works very well. Looking for slightly better placement of EV-1(not shown). Learned much about my boat in this project.

Looking good!

 

[artboas]

Looking good!

I’m very glad that you went with the rotary drive solution. As you can see, Hunter did a wonderful job making provisions for it,
I gather you used shim stock to get the chain tight. Really important to have virtually zero play.
Didn’t see a good photo of your rudder reference install.
Be sure that it complies with the specs, insofar that the rr arm must move synchronously with the rudder. Any error will get magnified in your course corrections

 

[SV Maverick]

Thank to the help and advice from you gentlemen. Could not have done it without you. It was a great project. The shim stock was used to tension the chain, but moving the drive laterally slightly is what fine tunes the tension. This lateral movement has been overlooked in most installations and is really the secret to getting good tension.

I only have video of the rudder reference moving proportionally to the helm. It took some thinking to get it right. During the calibration process and setting the limit stops of the rudder it performed well. It is nice to look at the instruments and actually see the rudder position. The biggest problem has been finding just the right spot for the EV-1. It will end up in the V berth along the center line.

We are very happy with the sailing qualities of the boat, especially with the auto pilot. It reduces crew workload and makes it possible to single hand the boat. It gives the Admiral a break when needed. It is really nicer than anything we ever expected. Now just to finish the windlass and we can explore more. More projects to come.

 

[baycloud]

Hey Maverick, how did you access the steering wheel chain? I've been wanting to check/tighten mine. Thanks

 

[smokey73]

Hey Maverick, how did you access the steering wheel chain? I've been wanting to check/tighten mine. Thanks

This is Smokey73. You simply lift up firmly on the gray lexan cup holder just in front of the binnacle. It pivots up some but will pull out the "ice chest" below it and expose the area forward of the binnacle and aft compass where the rotary drive and associated chain drive is located.

 

[SV Maverick]

Thanks Smokey. Baycloud, If you notice hysteresis (due to a loose chain) which could lead to hunting of the autopilot, it would be a good idea to check rudder bushings for slop. I know Smokey is an expert at that also. To tension the chain you could just take out a shim or move it laterally. If you have no shims, you could take out a link of chain and then add shims to get the tension you want. It would also be a good time to check the tightness of the grub screw on the small sprocket. The large sprocket grub screws are accessible when you remove the front panel.

 

[baycloud]

Thanks Smokey. Baycloud, If you notice hysteresis (due to a loose chain) which could lead to hunting of the autopilot, it would be a good idea to check rudder bushings for slop. I know Smokey is an expert at that also. To tension the chain you could just take out a shim or move it laterally. If you have no shims, you could take out a link of chain and then add shims to get the tension you want. It would also be a good time to check the tightness of the grub screw on the small sprocket. The large sprocket grub screws are accessible when you remove the front panel.

Ahhh...removing the dashboard, that should help a lot. I don't know what/where the shims are but I expect to find it after I get access. I did already see a bit of access through the table/cupholder portion but not much for the chain. When you say 'check the rudder bushing', is there something to do besides wiggling the rudder on the hard?

 

[smokey73]

@baycloud I'm a little confused. You should see the entire chain when you lift up the "cupholder" as shown in the @SV Maverick post #71. Are you trying to access the chain from the wheel that actually drives the rudder through the cables and the steering radial (quadrant)? You have to remove the instrument panel to see that chain but that is not the "autopilot" chain. There aren't any "shims" for that chain. The slack is adjusted by nuts on the end of the cables that run to the radial and attach there. If you have a chain driven rotary drive inside the binnacle (as post #71) and a standard Hunter 40.5 you have two chains. One for the radial drive (again post #71) and a chain that goes around the wheel shaft that is attached to cables than then turns the radial drive and hence the rudder. There are no shims for the latter chain. Which chain are you referring to?

Do you have a Hunter 40.5 Owners Manual? If so see page 67. If you don't have a manual, pm me with your email address and I'll send you a copy.

 

[baycloud]

@baycloud I'm a little confused. You should see the entire chain when you lift up the "cupholder" as shown in the @SV Maverick post #71. Are you trying to access the chain from the wheel that actually drives the rudder through the cables and the steering radial (quadrant)? You have to remove the instrument panel to see that chain but that is not the "autopilot" chain. There aren't any "shims" for that chain. The slack is adjusted by nuts on the end of the cables that run to the radial and attach there. If you have a chain driven rotary drive inside the binnacle (as post #71) and a standard Hunter 40.5 you have two chains. One for the radial drive (again post #71) and a chain that goes around the wheel shaft that is attached to cables than then turns the radial drive and hence the rudder. There are no shims for the latter chain. Which chain are you referring to?

Do you have a Hunter 40.5 Owners Manual? If so see page 67. If you don't have a manual, pm me with your email address and I'll send you a copy.

I don't have an autopilot attached to the wheel - mine is a linear type connected to the rudder. I'm just looking to adjust/tighten the chain that is attached to the steering wheel. My steering wheel has a bit of play in it and makes a light clunking sound. The chain seems a bit loose which i was able to check from the binnacle. Didn't think about removing the instrument panel.

The ev-200 looks nifty! If I can integrate it with pypilot I might consider it as a backup 2nd autopilot option (I have big sailing plans )
Pypilot has amazed me with how well it holds a steady course. Even downwind in waves off cape Mendocino!

 

[smokey73]

I don't have an autopilot attached to the wheel - mine is a linear type connected to the rudder. I'm just looking to adjust/tighten the chain that is attached to the steering wheel. My steering wheel has a bit of play in it and makes a light clunking sound. The chain seems a bit loose which i was able to check from the binnacle. Didn't think about removing the instrument panel.

Sorry, I thought you were talking about adjusting the autopilot chain. That one typically (autopilot) is typically adjusted by adding or removing shims. The other, the wheel chain IS NOT ADJUSTED BY SHIMS. It will not do you any good to remove the instrument panel. There is nothing to adjust there. The adjustment is made by tightening the two nuts that fasten the steering cables to the radial drive (big aluminum circle). Access to the radial drive is achieved by removing the "cockpit floor" immediately below where you stand when you are at the helm (wheel). There a a few screws that hold it down. You then slide it back and up exposing the pulley that the cables go through immediately below the wheel and the radial drive. You will see two small nuts that stick out from the attachment points on the radial drive. I'll see if I can dig up a picture for you. When you tighten on the nuts, it takes the slack out of the cables, thereby taking the slack out of the steering.

 

[smokey73]

Here is a picture of the radial drive from @JamesG161 repairing his boat. This boat is a different model but the radial drive is the same. Jim's drive is "upside down" compared to mine (and probably yours too.) It still works the same, you just can't see the cables themselves on our 40.5 as they come into the drive "below" the drive instead of above it. They attach the same way. There is a long eyebolt attached to the cable ends with a nut on the end. You tighten the nut to tighten the cable. Make sure you tighten them evenly or the center point of the rudder will move. In fact, you can actually adjust the rudder center a little by tightening one more than the other. Hope that helps a little.

Note that in Jim's photo his rudder is hard over to port and the rudder stop post is almost against the stop. When the rudder is midships (going straight) the rudder stop should be directly in the center if everything has been aligned correctly when the rudder was installed.

 

[artboas]

I don't have an autopilot attached to the wheel - mine is a linear type connected to the rudder. I'm just looking to adjust/tighten the chain that is attached to the steering wheel. My steering wheel has a bit of play in it and makes a light clunking sound. The chain seems a bit loose which i was able to check from the binnacle. Didn't think about removing the instrument panel.

The ev-200 looks nifty! If I can integrate it with pypilot I might consider it as a backup 2nd autopilot option (I have big sailing plans )
Pypilot has amazed me with how well it holds a steady course. Even downwind in waves off cape Mendocino!

I was a bit confused by your choice of pilot, as I’ve never heard of Pypilot.
So, I went online, and digested all the info.
Here are my objective comments
Firstly, the designer of the pypilot did a lot of work on this, and took on an ambitious goal of developing an open source pilot based on arduino, and other commercial modules.
But, I really have to ask an obvious question
Why???
An yacht autopilot is a hard thing to do well.
I’ve owned many brands, all from established companies.
And it’s only with my latest pilot , the ray marine EV-1, have I got something that finally steers a boat like it’s on railway tracks, interfaces well with a plotter, and knows how to talk to a wind vane.
The problem with autopilots is the same issue with all robotics. The equipment is basically working “blind”, and cannot predict the next wave or wind shift. Even the worst sailor can realize more of their surroundings than the best pilot.
Years of work went into “fuzzy logic” algorithms to help pilots not just steer, (that’s the easy part), but to not over, or under, correct,
So, the Pypilot has all the basic blocks of a pilot, but these aren’t the hard part. It’s the years of r&d into getting a boat to stay on course in all conditions that make the difference. My Cetrek pilot of 20 years ago had all the same hardware, yet it was a poor performer.

Marine electronics are relatively inexpensive for the value you get from them. Going back to the days of spinning neon disc depth finders, we are getting incredible value for our money now.
More importantly, an autopilot is, other than a depth sounder, the one piece of electronics you can’t afford to be a “work in process”
You just need it to steer well, not broach you in wind shifts, or crash you into a rock.
So, while I respect all of the work that the designer of the Pypilot expended, I can’t find the rationale for it.
I do really respect innovation, but it’s hard to compete with established manufactures whom make thousands of pilot systems annually for a better mousetrap.

 

[baycloud]

Thank you both!

 

[SV Maverick]

The "slop" in the steering is cumulative. Rudder bushings, steering blocks and cable tension. I have to agree with Artboas. The new Raymarine EV-1, ACU-200, and drive combined with Axiom + is very good compared anything even from a few years ago. I think the ACU-400 can drive a hydraulic system so you could convert what you have to a modern system if you like.

The benefit of MFDs and integration of systems are very useful. You can set it up to show just about anything you want. Of course my wife is old school and says never trust the computerized stuff it could be inoperable in a second.

 

[smokey73]

Thanks @SV Maverick for the better pictures of what's actually on our 40.5s. You are right that the slop is cumulative from all the components. Short of replacing components, the only way to take up slop is to make sure the cables are correctly tensioned. That should take care of most of the slop if the cables are too loose. It will do nothing for excessive rudder bearing wear though.

@baycloud If you look closely at Maverick's picture you'll see two threaded bolts sticking out on the left side of the picture of the radial drive at about a 45 degree angle. There are two nuts on each one (or should be anyway). Loosen one of the locknuts, tighten each adjusting nut equally but not too tight (so as not to put too much stress on the system) and then tighten down the locknuts. Bingo, bango you are done. Check the Edson website, if I recall correctly there are instructions on the web site for this adjustment.

If you do decide to take out the instrument panel to inspect the wheel drive bearing and brake, you can take the opportunity to lubricate the bearings. Use something like Superlube in the two small holes you'll see on the frame that holds the steering shaft. BE CAREFUL to not get any lubricant on the wheel brake or the shaft where it clamps down!