cool refurbish of a tiller pilot

Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Clever. But I thought APs that used linear actuators were called ‘below deck’ for a reason. That unit looks short lived exposed to the elements and salt water.
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Yep.. cool!

The linear actuator looks similar to the type used with home C band satellite systems common until the early 1990's (ie, the 8 to 10 foot backyard satellite dishes that could point to different satellites). When used with the sat dish, the actuator would have been outdoor and exposed year around which is probably not as harsh as exposed on a boat in a salt water environment but it needed to be extremely durable. I worked in that industry back then and we had our "problems" to deal with but it never involved linear actuators. The original AP is likely less tolerant to the elements than the linear actuator..
 

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
All tiller pilots of this design type use linear actuators; they are integral to the unit. Unlike below-decks linear actuators, tiller pilots, and the actuator shown in the linked article, don't have a clutch feature that provides an electrically controlled, low friction, disconnect feature. So, the tiller pilot, and the actuator shown, must be lifted off of the pin on the tiller.

I think if that actuator has a seal for the ram (I think it does), and the ram is kept greased, and the rest painted, it should be O.K.

(I have one of those linear drives, plus an electric clutch; I had toyed with the idea of making an electric, below-decks linear drive that's more rugged, and certainly less expensive, and Raymarine's. Then I came upon a Simrad electrical-over-hydraulic linear drive, cheap).
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
In the article, at first, I assumed his original Simrad TP 32's were mounted correctly on the tiller arm... but he seems to imply that they weren't powerful enough to mount next to the tiller post... as pictured with the actuator. It's a given that they wouldn't work well at all, with absolutely no leverage from the tiller arm. So it is confusing to me.... but that's just me..
 

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
In the article, at first, I assumed his original Simrad TP 32's were mounted correctly on the tiller arm... but he seems to imply that they weren't powerful enough to mount next to the tiller post... as pictured with the actuator. It's a given that they wouldn't work well at all, with absolutely no leverage from the tiller arm. So it is confusing to me.... but that's just me..
In the article he discusses the distance from the rudder post that the original was mounted, and why, and where, he wanted to mount the new drive (closer).