Autopilot for Hunter 380

[Tucsonsailor]

I just purchased a Hunter 380 and wish to put an autopilot in it.
Have gotten ridiculous prices from some electronics folks in the Bay area. They are telling me how much labor is involved and what a hard job it is.
I know I'm not up to the job, however, can't I use a rotary chain drive rather than a linear drive on the 380.
I see a lot of 380s with a ST6000, or ST7000 but they are not available anymore.
Does anyone have any suggestions.

Thanks

 

[jssailem]

Tucson, I replied to your question on the other post you queried.
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/i...ion-on-hunter-37-5.184682/page-3#post-1401892

 

[Bill Roosa]

do you have existing instruments that you want to integrate? Ray has functions that allow you to sail to a relative wind angle on AP, also VMG etc. All these require that the instruments can talk to the AP control box so....... Your choices may be limited.
What is your helm steering setup? suspect wheel so rotary is doable, you also mentioned in another post that installers where recommending a linear drive, those are not that hard to install either if you have the space and can get the angles correct.
Seriously boating is expensive unless you DEVELOP the skills and DIY. None of this stuff is rocket science but it does require attention to the details and some tools.

 

[Tucsonsailor]

Thanks Bill, it sounds like you know all this well and I appreciate your ideas. I have ST 60's that I am going to try and integrate if possible and I will be replacing my old RL Chartplotter that is installed with a new Axiom. I just bought the bought and although it's not my first sailboat or my first Hunter, I am trying to learn as much as I can before drilling holes all over the place. I have seen my workmanship before and lets just say, nobody will pay a lot of money for it. However, a $5,000 labor cost for putting in an autopilot means that someone will spend a week plus of solid work at 100.00 an hour? That's OK if you don't know what your doing like me, but, my expectation is that most of these guys have worked on a Hunter before and have some tribal knowledge about the type of install. So far that hasn't been my experience.

I appreciate your insights and look forward to more.

 

[splax]

I have an Raymarine AC 300 that is for bigger boats using linear drive for the autopilot. I need an AC 100 for the rotary arrangement for my boat. If you would like it and could arrange a trade I would appreciate it.

 

[Jim D]

Tucsonsailor,
I am trying to install an autopilot on my H410. Do you have any info or pics of your install? My boat in the original install used a raymarine rotary drive. Using the gear and chain to connect the helm to the drive. Trying to acquire any info on the original setup is quite the challenge.
Anything you can share would be appreciated.
Thank you
jim

 

[viper]

Just got back to my boat after leaving it for Irma in Brunswick GA, and then going to house in Vape Coral with a direct hit. Got minor damage, BarBQ in pool, some dock and Bulkhead work, some pool screens gone. Much luckier than most who lost their home, some areas still flooded a month later.. No FEMA Trailers had arrived a month later.

I bought my 2000 Hunter in 2016, a boat was dropped on it, in repairs for 12 months. Been on water now for 7 months.

It still has original Chain driven rotary auto pilot (ST6000). Easy access. Easy install. Its designed for a 24000 lb displacement , boat at 16,000, unloaded. Gives you the idea that you perhaps should go 50% more than listed displacement of the boat. EV1 is thus a no go.

You would need the new rotary motor in the EVO series.

The autopilot brain was not functioning at survey. It was replaced with Raymarine P70 display. I added (paid for) all new digital solid state radar( $2000 and included small MFD), rudder sensor, New MFD at helm and larger MFD at workstation ($1800). MFDs have their own fish finder/depth transducer (3d). All Raymarine, new in 2016. The auto pilot talks to the MFDs and they talk to each other, one is a designated master( nav station, all charting shown at helm MFD also.. allowing helm corrections and etc. from the MFD displays. Great. Also you can set a tack angle spread and it will change heading when the wind shifts within that range the heading to maintain the same degree of point and with the push of a button or touch of the screen it will tack to the same angle.
Install cost as much as equipment. By the way, you can also control all of the above with a smart phone and PAD, Apple/Samsung). It is fairly impressive. Still have original wind, depth and knot gauge at help. They unlike the P70 Auto pilot don't talk to the MFD. The knot wheel on hull quickly gets fouled with stuff (but if you want water temps, its great..lol), so I go with the GPS speed displayed on MFDs until my next dive under the hull..

Regards,
Viper