HAS ANYONE INSTALLED A RUDDER REFERENCE TRANSDUCER FOR AUTOHELM ST4000+ ON A CATALINA 30MKIII? IF SO, HOW AND WHERE DID YOU INSTALL THIS UNIT? ALSO, HOW DID IT IMPROVE YOUR AUTOPILOT OPERATION?
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Autopilot Operation
There have been many discussions about the "tuning" necessary for the ST4000+. Please use the search engine, and find the hundreds of items about this unit. Haven't heard about a rudder reference transducer. What is it?
There have been many discussions about the "tuning" necessary for the ST4000+. Please use the search engine, and find the hundreds of items about this unit. Haven't heard about a rudder reference transducer. What is it?
Rudder reference transducer
STU----A RUDDER REFERENCE TRANSDUCER IS A $300.00 UNIT THAT IS CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE RUDDER POST. IT REPORTS BY ELECTRIC CABLE TO THE CONTROL HEAD THE EXACT POSITION OF THE RUDDER. I WAS TOLD THIS BY A AUTOHELM TECH THAT IT WAS NEEDED TO MAKE ANY AUTOHELM ST4000+ STEER STRAIGHT IF THE WHEEL ROTATES LESS THAN 2 TURNS LOCK TO LOCK. I TOLD HIM MY $500.OO AUTOHELM 3000 STEERED STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW ON MY 1985 CAT30 THANKS STEVE
STU----A RUDDER REFERENCE TRANSDUCER IS A $300.00 UNIT THAT IS CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE RUDDER POST. IT REPORTS BY ELECTRIC CABLE TO THE CONTROL HEAD THE EXACT POSITION OF THE RUDDER. I WAS TOLD THIS BY A AUTOHELM TECH THAT IT WAS NEEDED TO MAKE ANY AUTOHELM ST4000+ STEER STRAIGHT IF THE WHEEL ROTATES LESS THAN 2 TURNS LOCK TO LOCK. I TOLD HIM MY $500.OO AUTOHELM 3000 STEERED STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW ON MY 1985 CAT30 THANKS STEVE
RR Transducer
Steve I agree that the 3000 has a lot less problems than the 4000, which is why I replaced my old 3000 with a newer 3000 when the old unit died after 16 years (not a bad life span). The store tried to sell me a 4000 but I said no, because of all the problems mentioned in this and other forums, plus I didn't want to do a major rewire up the binnacle. The new 3000 is just perfect. I have no need or desire to interface my GPS with the autopilot, although I could with the newer 3000 with Raymarine's "Sea Talk Bus." The transducer "requirement" from the autohelm techie sounds a little suspicious to me. I assume that you've checked the 4000 archives on this site, which, as I recall, do answer your questions as to how to get it to steer straight based on the input settings. The search results are in the related link. All 233 of them!!! Happy reading! Stu
Steve I agree that the 3000 has a lot less problems than the 4000, which is why I replaced my old 3000 with a newer 3000 when the old unit died after 16 years (not a bad life span). The store tried to sell me a 4000 but I said no, because of all the problems mentioned in this and other forums, plus I didn't want to do a major rewire up the binnacle. The new 3000 is just perfect. I have no need or desire to interface my GPS with the autopilot, although I could with the newer 3000 with Raymarine's "Sea Talk Bus." The transducer "requirement" from the autohelm techie sounds a little suspicious to me. I assume that you've checked the 4000 archives on this site, which, as I recall, do answer your questions as to how to get it to steer straight based on the input settings. The search results are in the related link. All 233 of them!!! Happy reading! Stu
Masking Other Problems
The RR transducer just adds an extra feedback loop to the control system, and gives you an instrument indication of rudder position. The autopilot applies corrections directly to the wheel in response to sensing the course changes (or wind angle, if so equipped). The RR Transducer might make a difference if there is a lot of play in your wheel steering system. If the steering system is sloppy, those corrections will not be applied properly to the rudder. I doubt if it would make much of a difference if you are using a tiller unless you had a very bad rudder bearing. Boats with a worm gear steering mechanism often do exhibit a lot of seering "slop." For them, this transducer might be OK. If your steering system (rack & pinon gears, cables, rudder bearing, etc.) is sloppy, you'd be money ahead to putting that $500 toward fixing it rather than buying another gadget. As to having a rudder position indicator, a piece of string or some other marker on the wheel works just fine. --Ron
The RR transducer just adds an extra feedback loop to the control system, and gives you an instrument indication of rudder position. The autopilot applies corrections directly to the wheel in response to sensing the course changes (or wind angle, if so equipped). The RR Transducer might make a difference if there is a lot of play in your wheel steering system. If the steering system is sloppy, those corrections will not be applied properly to the rudder. I doubt if it would make much of a difference if you are using a tiller unless you had a very bad rudder bearing. Boats with a worm gear steering mechanism often do exhibit a lot of seering "slop." For them, this transducer might be OK. If your steering system (rack & pinon gears, cables, rudder bearing, etc.) is sloppy, you'd be money ahead to putting that $500 toward fixing it rather than buying another gadget. As to having a rudder position indicator, a piece of string or some other marker on the wheel works just fine. --Ron
Funny you should ask!
Funny you should ask! I just had my rudder reference unit installed this week! I owned my boat for a year. It never worked well! I tried every adjustment imaginable including tightening the steering cables. Nothing worked. Finally I installed the unit (which the manual, oddly, says is optional). Guess what! I took the boat out today and for the first time, the auto pilot worked like it is supposed to. It actually steers in a straight line! My advice is do it! It costs about $240 for the unit and is worth every penney. It was installed on a shelf built next to the rudder post under the aft lazerette access panel. I hired a dealer in Raymarine products to install it. Good luck!
Funny you should ask! I just had my rudder reference unit installed this week! I owned my boat for a year. It never worked well! I tried every adjustment imaginable including tightening the steering cables. Nothing worked. Finally I installed the unit (which the manual, oddly, says is optional). Guess what! I took the boat out today and for the first time, the auto pilot worked like it is supposed to. It actually steers in a straight line! My advice is do it! It costs about $240 for the unit and is worth every penney. It was installed on a shelf built next to the rudder post under the aft lazerette access panel. I hired a dealer in Raymarine products to install it. Good luck!
RUDDER TRANSDUCER
THANKS ERIC, I GUESS ITS GOOD TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE ME MORE INFORMATION. WHAT YEAR IS YOUR CAT30 MKIII? HOW DOES THE TRANSDUCER CONNECT TO THE RUDDER POST?--I THINK MY RUDDER POST IS IN A FIBERGLASS TUBE WHICH DOESN'T PROVIDE ACCESS. BY THE WAY THE LAST THING I DID WAS TO TIGHTEN THE STEERING CABLES AND THAT DID HELP SOME. THANKS STEVE
THANKS ERIC, I GUESS ITS GOOD TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE ME MORE INFORMATION. WHAT YEAR IS YOUR CAT30 MKIII? HOW DOES THE TRANSDUCER CONNECT TO THE RUDDER POST?--I THINK MY RUDDER POST IS IN A FIBERGLASS TUBE WHICH DOESN'T PROVIDE ACCESS. BY THE WAY THE LAST THING I DID WAS TO TIGHTEN THE STEERING CABLES AND THAT DID HELP SOME. THANKS STEVE
How it was done
Steve, My boat is actually an original cat 30 built in 1983. I am uncertain about the differences between our boats. But, I think the access to the rudder post may be different. I hired a raymarine dealer to do the install. It was not cheap, but, I was tired of playing with the unit and wanted it working properly. He stated that in his opinion, the rudder reference unit is only a luxury on the tiller control boats. But, on a wheel the unit is essential if you want the autopilot to work well. Yesterday I took the boat out by myself in 15 kt winds. It heeled nicely while I sat up on the rail enjoying the breeze and listening to my stereo. The boat kept a straight line. If you push +1 and +10 together, the boat automatically tacks to starboard (and to port if you simultaneously push -1 and -10)while I handled the sails. It seemed like one of the best days of sailing I had ever experienced. I really felt like I had purchased a new boat! I read so many e-mails about the proper settings for this autopilot, but not one urges you to purchase the rudder reference unit. I don't understand it. It makes a huge difference in the operation of the autopilot. Eric
Steve, My boat is actually an original cat 30 built in 1983. I am uncertain about the differences between our boats. But, I think the access to the rudder post may be different. I hired a raymarine dealer to do the install. It was not cheap, but, I was tired of playing with the unit and wanted it working properly. He stated that in his opinion, the rudder reference unit is only a luxury on the tiller control boats. But, on a wheel the unit is essential if you want the autopilot to work well. Yesterday I took the boat out by myself in 15 kt winds. It heeled nicely while I sat up on the rail enjoying the breeze and listening to my stereo. The boat kept a straight line. If you push +1 and +10 together, the boat automatically tacks to starboard (and to port if you simultaneously push -1 and -10)while I handled the sails. It seemed like one of the best days of sailing I had ever experienced. I really felt like I had purchased a new boat! I read so many e-mails about the proper settings for this autopilot, but not one urges you to purchase the rudder reference unit. I don't understand it. It makes a huge difference in the operation of the autopilot. Eric
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