Auto Pilot Installation

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Patrick McDonald

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Oct 30, 2019
16
I would appreciate any information regarding how members have mounted Auto Helm type units on their boat. My old unit from my previous boat would have to be mounted aft of the recommended distance from the rudder shaft to avoid the cockpit locker hatch, and that puts it about 6inches above the tiller. I'm curious how others have did it.
Thank you,
Patrick

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
 
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bobnlesafloat

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Oct 31, 2019
163
Hi Patrick,
I'm surprised that you're having problems fitting autohelms onto a Vega. Spring Fever orginally had an 'Autohelm 800' Tiller Pilot fitted, until I replaced it with its newer equivalent the 'Raymarine ST1000' last year and I have also installed a Simrad TP10 onto another Vega.
On all of these the socket has been installed directly into the starboard fibreglass cockpit just astern of the cockpit locker lid; what sort of Pilot have you got? Re: it being 6" above the tiller, just lift the tiller up a bit higher than you perhaps would for hand steering.

Bob Carlisle
Spring Fever 1776
 
D

D_Chown

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Dec 10, 2006
19
I have a Simrad TP22 mounted aft of the locker and made a removable
tiller pin extension out of thick walled stainless tube (tapping the
bore one end and fixing in a standard tiller pin the other), which
screws onto a 10mm bolt through the tiller. The TP is nearer the
rudder shaft than it is supposed to be but in fact this seems to be
preferable for several reasons - it enables the TP to swing the tiller
further e.g. to cope with weather helm and the higher gain this gives
seems to make it more responsive (as though the TP was designed for
rudders that steer more strongly than the Vega's). Of course you can
get to the locker with the TP in place and it is easier to move around
the cockpit too. Works well!
 
N

n3935j

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Oct 31, 2019
58
Thanks for the reply, your method sounds like a clean installation. I have a bracket that I used on my old Columbia 26 to attach the the pilot below the tiller that I could put on the top of the tiller- but it still would require about a 2" spacer to get the tiller pin up where I wanted it. Be kind of a clunky toe catching eye sore. I like your easy to remove extension- I knew there would be a better way.
Thank you,
Patrick
 
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n3935j

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Oct 31, 2019
58
Hello Bob,
Don't be surprised - I over think and muddle through all kinds of boat decisions. I have a old Auto Helm 800 that I've used on a couple of boats. It's a little under powered and has few features but it gets the job done.
I prefer to have the tiller all the way down, with the auto pilot resting on the tiller pin so gravity holds it all together and it's easy to throw it off.
At the risk of little scorn, I figured I'd tap into the power of universe and see how other Vega owners had approached the task.
I appreciated your reply- what is your method for keeping the tiller up to the level of the auto pilot?
Thank you,
Patrick
 
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pjacobs55

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Oct 30, 2019
1,459
Patrick:
I have a Raymarine ST2000 (same physical size as the ST1000) mounted
just aft of the cockpit locker lid. The plunger connects to a pin on
top of the tiller, and the tiller is kept up in place by keeping the
tiller pivot bolts snug. I can still open the locker lid when 'Ray' is
in use. The electrical outlet is located just under the lip of the aft
part of the cockpit seat area, to starboard of the lazarette lid. It's
well sheltered from rain and spray, and keeps the cable out of the way.

In spite of warnings in the installation manual about using their exact
offset from the rudder post, everything works well. The autopilot is
one of our favorite accessories, along with the dodger and the vane.

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'
 
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n3935j

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Oct 31, 2019
58
Hello Peter,
Thank you for your input. That's the second suggestion to just use friction to keep the tiller up to the pilot. Sounds like the "elegant solution." I love my auto pilot too! Just hope hope it never leaves me behind.
Thanks again,
Patrick
Subject: [AlbinVega] Re: Auto Pilot Installation
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, November 7, 2008, 9:21 AM

Patrick:
I have a Raymarine ST2000 (same physical size as the ST1000) mounted
just aft of the cockpit locker lid. The plunger connects to a pin on
top of the tiller, and the tiller is kept up in place by keeping the
tiller pivot bolts snug. I can still open the locker lid when 'Ray' is
in use. The electrical outlet is located just under the lip of the aft
part of the cockpit seat area, to starboard of the lazarette lid. It's
well sheltered from rain and spray, and keeps the cable out of the way.

In spite of warnings in the installation manual about using their exact
offset from the rudder post, everything works well. The autopilot is
one of our favorite accessories, along with the dodger and the vane.

Peter
#1331 'Sin Tacha'
 
B

bobnlesafloat

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Oct 31, 2019
163
Provided that the pinch-bolt which clamps the tiller onto the rudder stock is done up very tight, the tiller will stay at whatever height you set it at - even in rough /weatherseas.

Bob
Spring Fever 1776
 
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bobnlesafloat

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Oct 31, 2019
163
...when 'Ray' is in use...

I notice Peter's Autohelm/Tiller Pilot is called 'Ray' presumeably after Raymarine? But what and why is anyone else's called; windvane steering either as they seem to generate good names too.

To kick things off I'll admit that we've got two 'Arthur' (a semi-retired Autohelm 800) and his apprentice 'Arnold' (a much newer and quieter Raymarine ST1000) and the reasoning... When we were first learning to sail, we had the good fortune to spend a couple of weekends with an Instructor named Arthur Arnold, who specifically wouldn't teach the formal RYA Courses but instead taught 'Cruise Sailing'. This is a much less energetic brand of sailing and one I would commend to everyone; it relies heavily on the use of the authelm.

Bob Carlisle
Spring Fever 1776
 
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mageekenneth

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Oct 25, 2008
168
Albin Marin Vega Bogue Chitto, Miss
Monitor wind vane named "Worsley" In tribute to Shakleton's navigator.. Tiller pilot named "MOJO", because life is good when I got my mojo workin'
 
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rchrdcoe

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Dec 11, 2007
179
- - port st. lucie,fl.
I glued a shim about 1/4" thick to the end of the tiller. This raised
the tiller to the level of the autohelm. Then I made a teak block to
clamp on the top of the tiller with the pin on the top, and angled so
that the pin was vertical.
Richard
 
B

bbach1949

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Apr 30, 2000
197
I have an old Autohelm named Otto, same as?my great uncle. Old and reliable like him, but still alive, unlike him.? Bill Bach V1071
 
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stevebirch2002

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Nov 8, 2001
1,818
I'm always being told what to do so I thought them ideal names!!! At least when I singlehand I'm still the skipper!!!

Admiral Birch
 
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albinvega3283

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Oct 30, 2019
234
Having sailed with Steve I can confirm that he has the same endearing approach to his crew!!!!!

Yes Steve I would still like to be able to buy Albin Vega parts from you!

David Wisdish
From: Steve Birch
Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2008 9:12 AM
To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Re: SoWhat's Tours Called?Afraid I'm not quite so polite

Autohelm is called BOATBITCH

Car TomTom GPS is called CARBITCH

uhmmmmm

SB
 
C

coldnorthtoy

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Oct 30, 2019
57
I already had the hole for the 'boat end' set up - if they had
installed it another inch aft, I'd be able to open the cockpit locker.

That said, I added an eye on the traveller support, and a jam cleat
with its own eye on the tiller, and I use this to hold the tiller up
at the right level. The tiller mount is a 3" mount, bent a little
(was like that when I got it). Works just fine.

My neighbor's Vega has had a block of wood added to the tiller
(smoothed in, looks good) and the tiller bracket sits on top of that.
his 'boat end' pinhole is actually in his cockpit locker lid - not
sure how good an idea that is - both in terms of annoyance and in
terms of strength.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Jonathan
#2221
 
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pelagicasd

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Jan 28, 2001
694
We installed a couple of large D rings just aft of the companionway and in the cocpit well. We could clip our tethers to these before we left the cabin. Putting the hooks from a bungee onto the D rings and wrapping the bungee around the tiller we could hold our course for up to a half hour at a time. Little nudges on the tiller would correct any deviation. Hence our first autopilot name, "Ab" for the auto-bungee. Walt

To: AlbinVega@yahoogroups.comFrom: steve@...: Sat, 8 Nov 2008 19:40:51 +0000Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Re: SoWhat's Tours Called?
I resemble that remark!!!!! SB
 
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