I have a Raymarine wheel-steer autopilot with an ST4000+ head that has never worked worth a darn on my 2002 356. I am thinking about junking that and replacing it with a below deck Raymarine autopilot, which Raymarine suggests is appropriate for this size boat. Anybody have or installed a linear drive (Whitlock steering system) Raymarine below deck autopilot on a 356? What should I look out for???
below deck autopilot
- Thread starter rbarter
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Does it have the rudder position sensor installed?? The same unit on my 34 was pretty bad until I installed the sensor.. The motion at the wheel is less than half of what it used to be and it holds course exceptionally well.. RayMarine doesn’t tell you that it needs to be installed on boats with less than two wheel turns, lock-to-lock, but the rudder position sensor made a tremendous difference on my boat. If you have the RPS, then I would suspect the wire size or connections may be causing too much voltage drop when the unit is trying to turn the wheel.
When I bought my 03 356 and commissioned it, we installed a Raymarine 6000 electric below decks autopilot. We had to cut out a section of the rear port lazerette to make room for the arm. We built a box around it and it takes up a little room in the lazerette, but has not been a problem. The unit has worked flawlessly. We have sailed or motored right at 4,000 NM since purchase. Much of that has been on autopilot. At the time of the installation, Hunter told Lighthouse Landing that it couldn't be done but we did it and have had no problems.
In the photos below, you can see the box in the upper left corner of the lazerette. The fiberglass between the lazarette and the steering arm was removed below the deck for the movement of the arm.
In the photos below, you can see the box in the upper left corner of the lazerette. The fiberglass between the lazarette and the steering arm was removed below the deck for the movement of the arm.
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ST4000+ Issues
I have a 4000+ also on my 2002 - 356. It has worked flawlessly since new, until this year!
I send the unit (Control Panel), back to Ray Marine. They tested it and said it was fine. I re-installed it and it still does not work. I use it only to hold a course. I do not have it connected to a GPS, nor do I have a rudder indicator.
When I make a turn, the ST 4000+ flux gate compass follows the magnetic compass perfectly. When I engage automatic the unit turns the wheel to the left until it hits the stop, and keeps tryin to turn the wheel more until I disengage it.
After I do this, the course display on the unit is 30 to 50 degrees from the boats magnetic compass. Remember they were in sync before. Another note, whenever we attempt to measure deviation, it is always 7 degrees. I have done this in Hilton Head SC, and Amelia Island, Florida.
Ray Marine has been very good spending hours on the phone with me taking me through turning and setting tests to try to determine what is wrong.
Although they do not think it is defective, they sent me a new flux gate compass today and have me going through a new series of tests. Both they and I are frustrated and confused. By the way the installation is the factory installation.
Hopefully by this weekend we will have the answer.
If you are going to change your system, please do not throw your parts away, I would gladly buy them
John Burns (e-mail captain@burnsweb.com)
I have a 4000+ also on my 2002 - 356. It has worked flawlessly since new, until this year!
I send the unit (Control Panel), back to Ray Marine. They tested it and said it was fine. I re-installed it and it still does not work. I use it only to hold a course. I do not have it connected to a GPS, nor do I have a rudder indicator.
When I make a turn, the ST 4000+ flux gate compass follows the magnetic compass perfectly. When I engage automatic the unit turns the wheel to the left until it hits the stop, and keeps tryin to turn the wheel more until I disengage it.
After I do this, the course display on the unit is 30 to 50 degrees from the boats magnetic compass. Remember they were in sync before. Another note, whenever we attempt to measure deviation, it is always 7 degrees. I have done this in Hilton Head SC, and Amelia Island, Florida.
Ray Marine has been very good spending hours on the phone with me taking me through turning and setting tests to try to determine what is wrong.
Although they do not think it is defective, they sent me a new flux gate compass today and have me going through a new series of tests. Both they and I are frustrated and confused. By the way the installation is the factory installation.
Hopefully by this weekend we will have the answer.
If you are going to change your system, please do not throw your parts away, I would gladly buy them
John Burns (e-mail captain@burnsweb.com)
Works Good
I have the S1 with rudder sensor and never had a problem until I sailed from Montauk,NY to Florida,we were headed straight for the Bahama's and were in some nasty ocean waves which were very confusing hitting us from all different directions.
We were sailing 24/7 on auto and the second day out I could here the Auto making a clunking noise while at my turn to sleep in the rear berth,the auto stopped working and would bind up,that's when we change course and headed into Cape Hatters to try and get repaired,no luck.
We did take the wheel part because the auto was working but the wheel part was the problem,after taking it apart found out the folding wheel was also a problem,some of the tack welding inside the hub of the folding wheel broke loose making the wheel very wobbly and may have caused the wheel part of the Auto to become damaged.
We sailed down to Fort Pierce all ocean no auto,sent Raymarine replaced the wheel part and Lewmar sent me new wheel.
I sailed from Fort Pierce around the keys up to Punta Gorda and the Auto has worked flawlessly ever since.
I know if I have too much sail up in heavy winds 20kts the auto will kick out and not hold course,reef and she will hull speed with no problem with the auto doing it;s job very well.
I am pretty sure the dealer in CT.did the install and everything has it's own circuit breakers.
I have no complaints.
Nick
I have the S1 with rudder sensor and never had a problem until I sailed from Montauk,NY to Florida,we were headed straight for the Bahama's and were in some nasty ocean waves which were very confusing hitting us from all different directions.
We were sailing 24/7 on auto and the second day out I could here the Auto making a clunking noise while at my turn to sleep in the rear berth,the auto stopped working and would bind up,that's when we change course and headed into Cape Hatters to try and get repaired,no luck.
We did take the wheel part because the auto was working but the wheel part was the problem,after taking it apart found out the folding wheel was also a problem,some of the tack welding inside the hub of the folding wheel broke loose making the wheel very wobbly and may have caused the wheel part of the Auto to become damaged.
We sailed down to Fort Pierce all ocean no auto,sent Raymarine replaced the wheel part and Lewmar sent me new wheel.
I sailed from Fort Pierce around the keys up to Punta Gorda and the Auto has worked flawlessly ever since.
I know if I have too much sail up in heavy winds 20kts the auto will kick out and not hold course,reef and she will hull speed with no problem with the auto doing it;s job very well.
I am pretty sure the dealer in CT.did the install and everything has it's own circuit breakers.
I have no complaints.
Nick
Hi Kloudie,
I also have some pb with my autopilot (always do some S) but I don't have any rudder position sensor... so I plan to buy one, but can you tell me if this is hard to install? I also have a H34 and I don't understand how to proceed to instalation on the quandrant wheel...
Do you have any pictures of your sensor installed?
Thanks,
Walden.
I also have some pb with my autopilot (always do some S) but I don't have any rudder position sensor... so I plan to buy one, but can you tell me if this is hard to install? I also have a H34 and I don't understand how to proceed to instalation on the quandrant wheel...
Do you have any pictures of your sensor installed?
Thanks,
Walden.
RUDDER Sensor Mounting.
Bonjour, Walden. Follow this thread and page through all of it..
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=105830
The mounting is not easy and requires some careful measurement .. but it really works well .. After installation, the unit will have to be re-calibrated ..it works very well today.. The head would not recognize the sensor until the unit was reset using the attached procedure.. Send a private message if you want to discuss further. I will be happy to chat about the installation. Bon Chance!
Bonjour, Walden. Follow this thread and page through all of it..
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=105830
The mounting is not easy and requires some careful measurement .. but it really works well .. After installation, the unit will have to be re-calibrated ..it works very well today.. The head would not recognize the sensor until the unit was reset using the attached procedure.. Send a private message if you want to discuss further. I will be happy to chat about the installation. Bon Chance!
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The .txt file would not upload.. here it is..
However, automatic transducer detection and rudder bar display won't occur unless enabled in Dealer Setup. This is an undocumented requirement from Raymarine. The setup sequence is as follows...
However, automatic transducer detection and rudder bar display won't occur unless enabled in Dealer Setup. This is an undocumented requirement from Raymarine. The setup sequence is as follows...
- Install and connect transducer.
- Enter Dealer Setup mode by pressing & holding Standby for 14 seconds.
- Press +1/-1 simultaneously to get Cal Lock screen.
- Press Disp to get Pilot Type screen.
- Use +1/-1 to change type to a different pilot type, any type.
- Press Standby for two seconds to save setting and exit Dealer Setup.
- Repeat Dealer Setup mode, change back to correct pilot type (wheel or tiller,) exit Dealer Setup.
- Enter User Setup mode by pressing & holding Standby for 2 seconds.
- Press Disp five times to change to the Bar Selection screen.
- Press +1/-1 to select "Rudd Bar" or "Steer Bar".
- Press Standby for two seconds to save setting and exit User Setup.
- Power down and back up.
- Rudder reference transducer should now be detected and displayed on the screen
The wheel pilot is ok for protected waters and good for the 33', but not anything bigger. There is another option to the linear drive. I put in a ew below deck last fall which is a type 1 rotary drive (which goes inside the console) with a type 1 control unit. Because of the accident I had, I haven't taken it offshore but once and it's worked well. I've finished my repairs and plan on going out tomorrow again 
The advantage of the rotary drive is that you don't need to cut anything on the boat. In fact, the boat was made for the rotary drive.
You will love the below deck vrs the wheel pilot.
The advantage of the rotary drive is that you don't need to cut anything on the boat. In fact, the boat was made for the rotary drive.
You will love the below deck vrs the wheel pilot.
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