Auto Pilot

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jorgefife

jorgefife

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Jun 25, 2009
542
Hunter 33 Seabrooke, Houston
I pulled out from 2 boats:
a Raymarine auto pilot wheel (bearings inside run well, all greased with marine greese- grey one in the photo)
A Simrad WP-30 auto pilot ( black one in the pictures) with the outer wheel bent; the control panel is also separated from the rest of the unit, but I can fix that; my question:
Where do I get parts for these things?
With one should I go?
Is there a mechanism that goes with the grey Raymarine wheel?
Any ideas?
It is clear by now that I am not Rockefeller, I'm the other feller...
 

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Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
A WP-30 is what I have been using for ten years. It is bulletproof. The fluxgate(compass) is built-in so you don't have to look for a separate mounting place. It also does not have a separate display to be mounted. It was rated for heavier boats than the Ray. On the downside is the company, Simrad, no longer makes them. Parts would be hard to find, possibly E-Bay.
 
jorgefife

jorgefife

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Jun 25, 2009
542
Hunter 33 Seabrooke, Houston
+Here are the pictures which I didn't know (again) how to do!
Ed:
What is the fluxgate (compass) ?
I don't know if you can see it, but the outer ring in the middle picture is bent; maybe I can get another one?
As for the display, do you mean the thing with buttons, to the right of the first picture?
My friend with a similar boat has the WP-32 Simrad
 
kappykaplan

kappykaplan

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May 1, 2011
5,066
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
The fluxgate compass provides the means by which the autopilot steers a magnetic course.
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Not sure what is bent Jorge. Maybe you can point it out on this picture. Another advantage of the WP30 is that you can easily remove the wheel. Which I often do when partying in the cockpit. The second picture shows the mounting, just two stainless clamps. Nothing else to install. Note that mine is actually a Navico, built before Simrad bought them.
 

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jorgefife

jorgefife

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Jun 25, 2009
542
Hunter 33 Seabrooke, Houston
The grey ring is from a Raymarine
The bent piece is the middle upper picture, right where the 2 little whhels are ( on my friend's one, a WP-32 which I checked today, it is where the logo " Simrad" goes.
That piece is bent.
I noticed today another of my neighbours has a grey Raymarine just like mine ( he has a 32 footer)
But I like the Simrad, only if I could find an outer ring
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Ah, the pictures have appeared. You are missing most of the Raymarine unit. Those have a separate fluxgate and a separate display. The Simrad head(thing with buttons) is broken off. It includes the fluxgate. And there is a belt that goes over those little wheels. You would need that even if you could find an outer ring.

Wish I had a big cruise planned. I would buy a below decks unit from Garmin or Simrad and give you a good deal on mine. I have a spare belt but still on original after ten years.
 
B

Blaise

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Jan 22, 2008
359
Hunter 37-cutter Bradenton
Unless Navico changed when Simrad bought them, The Simrad actually has a "Hall Effect" electronic compass not a fluxgate. Just another type of compass. I had the Navico/Simrad on Midnight Sun for years. It worked well but broke a lot of belts. I now have the Raymarine and it is by far the better of the two. It is more compact, has a faster response time, and will steer my boat in everything I have asked it to without any issues. Thirtyfive knots of wind on the beam with ten foot following seas, no problem. Thirty knots flying a chute with twelve foot quartering seas, no problem. (which I think is the most difficult point of sail for an autopilot)
It looks like the drive motor is there. You still need the control head, the fluxgate compass, and the rudder position indicator. It would probably be cheaper to buy a new one or look on Ebay, although I am always suspicious of used autopilots. Why would they be replacing it unless they were parting out a boat. Just my two cents worth.
 
S

sail_4_me

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Mar 30, 2009
63
Hunter Cherubini 37-cutter Bayfield, Lake Huron
Raymarine Wheel Pilot X5

Blaise I'm very interested that your using the Raymarine Wheel pilot ( can you confirm this is the model you have? )
http://www.raymarine.com/ProductDetail.aspx?SITE=1&SECTION=2&PAGE=88&PRODUCT=4176

They recommend it only for boats less than 16,500 lbs, and the 37 cutters displacement is around 17,800lbs, plus 10-20 percent for all the gear.

So I assumed this model was too small for the boat based on Raymarines own website data. Obviously you say its worthy and I don't doubt that, so I don't understand the difference? Was it recommended by Raymarine?

I have the old Raytheon/Raymarine Autohelm 3000, and am looking for a replacement that doesnt involve rebuilding the whole lazarette.
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
I too am curious about Blaise's experience with the Ray. When I installed my Navico in 2000 it was rated much higher than the Ray. Since then it has performed flawlessly in all conditions. And still on the original belt. I am thinking that we have both been lucky. Even so I would spring for a below decks unit if I were to do it today.
 
B

Blaise

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Jan 22, 2008
359
Hunter 37-cutter Bradenton
Yes, that is the model I have. One caveat. I have never sailed on the shoal draft version of our boats, so I can only comment on the deep draft charactoristics. The steering loads on my boat are very light. I am sure that is why the Raymarine works so well. Also, the boat is incredibly well balanced. If we are hard on the wind with twenty kts apparent over the deck, I can let go ov the wheel and go below and fix a sandwich or visit the head without the boat changing course more than a couple of degrees. It is also probably related to the fack that it is now sloop rigged. I only sailed my boat once before removing the babystay and staysail, and honestly don't remember how it sailed differently. Just that it was very awkward and took ten minutes to tack.
 
jorgefife

jorgefife

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Jun 25, 2009
542
Hunter 33 Seabrooke, Houston
Hello everyone again
Still going back to the posting on auto pilot:
I can get other parts that are missing for the Raymarine auto pilot, from the same salvage yard.
Thing is, I don't know what I am missing looks like!
I have the ring that gets attached to the wheel ( look at the bottom picture above, grey ring)
What else is missing?
Any photos of the missing pieces?
Apparently the other parts for the same auto pilot are stored inside a trailor, but a picture will help me identify it!
It is like a search for hidden treasure, small things for small minds, I guess...
Thanks for helping
 
S

sandpiper10471

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May 31, 2007
776
Hunter 37 cutter Blind River
I wanted to put the Raymarine wheel pilot on my 37C and Raymarine refused to sell one to me. Said the boat was too heavy. There would be no warranty. However, I found a used one and it has worked flawlessly so far. I haven't attempted Blaise's heroic antics yet and at the moment am a fresh water sailor (definitely not fair weather) so my experience is a bit limited. I do believe the pilot handles the loads so well because the vessel is so balanced and I am still using the cutter rig.
 
jorgefife

jorgefife

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Jun 25, 2009
542
Hunter 33 Seabrooke, Houston
Dear Ed ( Schenck)
If you go to the e-bay site you sent me to, you will see that in both pictures where the auto pilot ring appears, there is a kind of a pin that gets screwed on to the binacle
I have that piece, by the way, and I am also bidding on the parts I do NOT have
What is the purpose of that part
It is sort of " T" shaped
Curiosity killed the cat...
 
seadaddler

seadaddler

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Dec 19, 2006
5,832
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
T-Handle

The T handle screws into the pedastail and the round points into a slot on the inside of the big round silver ring.
If I was home in Florida I could help more with the manual and install but I am in NY
Nick
 
jorgefife

jorgefife

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Jun 25, 2009
542
Hunter 33 Seabrooke, Houston
Seadaddler,
Is it some kind of a sensor?
Because it looks like a metal ( pewter) piece with a ling stick sticking out
Sorry for the technical jargon used in my description!
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,104
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
That peg goes into a slot in the back of the ring to keep the back part of the ring from turning so that the wheel turns.. Jorge, if you will send an e-mail to me, I can send a copy of the manual for the Raymarine that shows all the parts.. kloudie1@cox.net
 
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