I have recently been in contact with Simrad about purchasing a WP30 wheel pilot for my H34. They called me yesterday just to let me know that they are announcing VERY significant price reductions. They said that the dealers don't know about it yet (yeaterday), but that next week sometime the new prices should start to appear at the larger distributors. In particular, I am guessing the WP30 may drop into the $700's with a free HR20 remote at the discount stores. (Today's price for the two is about $1100). I have absolutely nothing to do with Simrad - nor am I advocating their products. This is just a "heads up" in case you are in the market. Derek
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Jeff Hodor
Simrad vs. Autohelm
Let me know when you hear about the Simrad price reduction hitting anywhere. I am pounding my head on trying to decide between the two on my 91 Hunter Vision 32. 11,500 disp. I ran into the regional manager of Raytheon at a bar in Annapolis, that reps the dealers on Autohelm. He says go for the 4000 hands down for my boat. He admits that the 3000 can be more reliable if you are pushing the limits because the belt can slip, warning you, rather than break the unit on the 4000. Not sure what he means but this is the extreme of making them do too much. He said I need not worry. He was very helpful and had a lot of passion about the products. I mentioned simrad his response was "I don't even know what that (WP10) is doing and that they just are not popular around here" He wasn't familar with the WP30 and wasn't sure which leads me to believe that it could be a quality unit. I noticed in the archives that someone with a 34 loved the simrad. I used a 4000 on a Catalina 34 on a three day cruise and it worked great. That is what I know. If the simrad comes down in price that could be excellent. Is it true that the simrad is more compact or "all in one" than the 4000 and easier to install? Is the display on the autohelm a big deal? what does it display? Does anybody have any more feedback on the two companies that can sway me? Thanks for the help, Jeff
Let me know when you hear about the Simrad price reduction hitting anywhere. I am pounding my head on trying to decide between the two on my 91 Hunter Vision 32. 11,500 disp. I ran into the regional manager of Raytheon at a bar in Annapolis, that reps the dealers on Autohelm. He says go for the 4000 hands down for my boat. He admits that the 3000 can be more reliable if you are pushing the limits because the belt can slip, warning you, rather than break the unit on the 4000. Not sure what he means but this is the extreme of making them do too much. He said I need not worry. He was very helpful and had a lot of passion about the products. I mentioned simrad his response was "I don't even know what that (WP10) is doing and that they just are not popular around here" He wasn't familar with the WP30 and wasn't sure which leads me to believe that it could be a quality unit. I noticed in the archives that someone with a 34 loved the simrad. I used a 4000 on a Catalina 34 on a three day cruise and it worked great. That is what I know. If the simrad comes down in price that could be excellent. Is it true that the simrad is more compact or "all in one" than the 4000 and easier to install? Is the display on the autohelm a big deal? what does it display? Does anybody have any more feedback on the two companies that can sway me? Thanks for the help, Jeff
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Warren Renninger
Navico Wheelpilot
Have a Navico Wheelpilot 30 on my 1980 H 27. Installation is great. However, it did stop working and I had to send it in for warranty work. It didn't like going against the rudder stops when it jibbed. I was told there was an electrical shutoff if the system went against the stops. Doesn't seem to be true. I would rather have an Autohelm with a rudder position switch system to shut it off. Autohelm 4000 seems to react with more helm than the Navico/Simrad. With the weather helm of a shoal draft H27, the Navico gets too far behind the boat and then the drives the boat too far before recovering. A lot of back and forth and going into irons when close to the wind. Autohelm is slightly better. Friend has Autohelm on same boat so we compare notes. Do like the remote on the Simrad
Have a Navico Wheelpilot 30 on my 1980 H 27. Installation is great. However, it did stop working and I had to send it in for warranty work. It didn't like going against the rudder stops when it jibbed. I was told there was an electrical shutoff if the system went against the stops. Doesn't seem to be true. I would rather have an Autohelm with a rudder position switch system to shut it off. Autohelm 4000 seems to react with more helm than the Navico/Simrad. With the weather helm of a shoal draft H27, the Navico gets too far behind the boat and then the drives the boat too far before recovering. A lot of back and forth and going into irons when close to the wind. Autohelm is slightly better. Friend has Autohelm on same boat so we compare notes. Do like the remote on the Simrad
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Derek Rowell
My comparison.....
In response to Jeff - I have gone back and forth between Simrad and Raytheon. There seem to be advantages to both: 1) The Simrad unit can be completely and easily removed from the wheel/pedestal, leaving nothing behind. 2) Installation of the Simrad looks to be a breeze since the unit is completely self contained. 3) I like the control head of the Raytheon ST4000+ with the compass heading display (no such display on the Simrad (or the HR20 remote - you have to buy the expensive HC30 to get a digital display). Installation requires much more wiring and experimentation with the placement of the compass unit, 4) The specs indicate that the Simrad has a greater maximum torque. I've never used either so I am in the dark as to the effectiveness of either (especially with the weather helm problems of the H34). I've seen many references to problems of setting up the Raytheon correctly (sea-state (dead-band), control gain, etc) in various newsgroups. It was the convenience of installation/removal that won me over to investigating the Simrad further. Derek
In response to Jeff - I have gone back and forth between Simrad and Raytheon. There seem to be advantages to both: 1) The Simrad unit can be completely and easily removed from the wheel/pedestal, leaving nothing behind. 2) Installation of the Simrad looks to be a breeze since the unit is completely self contained. 3) I like the control head of the Raytheon ST4000+ with the compass heading display (no such display on the Simrad (or the HR20 remote - you have to buy the expensive HC30 to get a digital display). Installation requires much more wiring and experimentation with the placement of the compass unit, 4) The specs indicate that the Simrad has a greater maximum torque. I've never used either so I am in the dark as to the effectiveness of either (especially with the weather helm problems of the H34). I've seen many references to problems of setting up the Raytheon correctly (sea-state (dead-band), control gain, etc) in various newsgroups. It was the convenience of installation/removal that won me over to investigating the Simrad further. Derek
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Claude L.-Auger
Autohelm for me.
I currently have the 4000+ on my H34 and it works great. I had the 4000 for 2 years on my 28.5 and sent it back to Autohelm twice. Turns out it was something I was doing wrong, and I was creating havoc with the adjustment and was unable to re-calibrate. Both times they did it for me. Both times they did it free although it was not a warranty problem. Both times I received the unit back before I got the card telling methey had received my unit. Somebody from their service department even called me to explain what I was doing and sent me some info that was not in the instruction book then. I have zero experience with Simrad, and therefore will not make any comments. But I am so pleased with the performance and service of my Autohelm instruments ( I also have installed the St-60 Tridata and the ST-60 Wind instrument) that I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone. Good luck with your choice.
I currently have the 4000+ on my H34 and it works great. I had the 4000 for 2 years on my 28.5 and sent it back to Autohelm twice. Turns out it was something I was doing wrong, and I was creating havoc with the adjustment and was unable to re-calibrate. Both times they did it for me. Both times they did it free although it was not a warranty problem. Both times I received the unit back before I got the card telling methey had received my unit. Somebody from their service department even called me to explain what I was doing and sent me some info that was not in the instruction book then. I have zero experience with Simrad, and therefore will not make any comments. But I am so pleased with the performance and service of my Autohelm instruments ( I also have installed the St-60 Tridata and the ST-60 Wind instrument) that I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone. Good luck with your choice.
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Tim Schaaf
for what it is worth
I have only had experience with Autohelm, and the 3000, at that! I guess that is because they (I got the old one in '85 and the "new" one in '90) have always worked very well on my Hunter 33. They have worked in tough SF Bay and northern California conditions, in southern California, in Mexico, and off shore. In the literally thousands of miles they have steered my boat, they have broken only one belt. Yes, there has been some maintenance, and I would always carry belts and a spare "nose cone" as the split pin can corrode. The little lever can deteriorate from sunlight, if you leave it out long enough. You can even buy, fairly inexpensively, the little electric motor. I carry two as I singlehand offshore, and don't want to be let down! The key to all this is ALIGNMENT, something that the manual covers in about one line, but that truly takes about two to four hours to get exactly right. An advantage of the 3000 is that you can remove or repair everything, and you can see what is going on. It is way tougher to do anything about a 4000, which is what the salesman was getting at. I would buy another (if I thought I needed it) in a heartbeat. Weather helm should be controlled by sail trim and reefing where appropriate. It can overwhelm any autopilot or steering vane, and WILL cause excessive wear and current drain.
I have only had experience with Autohelm, and the 3000, at that! I guess that is because they (I got the old one in '85 and the "new" one in '90) have always worked very well on my Hunter 33. They have worked in tough SF Bay and northern California conditions, in southern California, in Mexico, and off shore. In the literally thousands of miles they have steered my boat, they have broken only one belt. Yes, there has been some maintenance, and I would always carry belts and a spare "nose cone" as the split pin can corrode. The little lever can deteriorate from sunlight, if you leave it out long enough. You can even buy, fairly inexpensively, the little electric motor. I carry two as I singlehand offshore, and don't want to be let down! The key to all this is ALIGNMENT, something that the manual covers in about one line, but that truly takes about two to four hours to get exactly right. An advantage of the 3000 is that you can remove or repair everything, and you can see what is going on. It is way tougher to do anything about a 4000, which is what the salesman was getting at. I would buy another (if I thought I needed it) in a heartbeat. Weather helm should be controlled by sail trim and reefing where appropriate. It can overwhelm any autopilot or steering vane, and WILL cause excessive wear and current drain.
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Ed Schenck
WP30 comments.
My Simrad is on an H37C with a displacement of over 18000. The only disadvantage I can see for some is the lack of a display. I found that to be an advantage. All self-contained the only "chore" was routing the wires through the pedestal. I wonder about the comments regarding steering response? The Simrad is completely adjustable, just depends on how much battery you want to use. For me it holds course well in tough conditions on Lake Erie. See: http://www.simradusa.com/wheelpilot.php
My Simrad is on an H37C with a displacement of over 18000. The only disadvantage I can see for some is the lack of a display. I found that to be an advantage. All self-contained the only "chore" was routing the wires through the pedestal. I wonder about the comments regarding steering response? The Simrad is completely adjustable, just depends on how much battery you want to use. For me it holds course well in tough conditions on Lake Erie. See: http://www.simradusa.com/wheelpilot.php
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