Have any of the new Hunter 420 owners that have an Autohelm 7000 installed any observations regarding the reliability of the steering system and the ease of steering?
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Bob Petersen
Hard Steering
Jim We have a 2000 P420 and the steering is the biggest problem we have had. From day one is was hard to steer and was not adjusted right. About a year ago the dealer did some work on the rudder shaft and it was even harded to steer. Under power at any speed over 2 knots it was hard to turn to starboard. By the time you got to 5 knots you could not turn starboard until you slowed down. The dealer said that it was OK because it was only happened under power. In May we did a race to Cuba and at time had winds in the 25 to 30 knots range. At that speed it was hard to steer under sail. Also the chain would jump the sprocket. I took all the slack out but it would still jump but not as much. We asked the dealer to get Hunter into the picture. Which they did. Hunter looked at it and replaced the rudder and adjusted the cables. We have not had the chance to get back to St Petersburg to steer ourselfs. We are planing to install a Autohelm on ours and if you have any information that may help I would like it. Email is bob@zippideedu.com
Jim We have a 2000 P420 and the steering is the biggest problem we have had. From day one is was hard to steer and was not adjusted right. About a year ago the dealer did some work on the rudder shaft and it was even harded to steer. Under power at any speed over 2 knots it was hard to turn to starboard. By the time you got to 5 knots you could not turn starboard until you slowed down. The dealer said that it was OK because it was only happened under power. In May we did a race to Cuba and at time had winds in the 25 to 30 knots range. At that speed it was hard to steer under sail. Also the chain would jump the sprocket. I took all the slack out but it would still jump but not as much. We asked the dealer to get Hunter into the picture. Which they did. Hunter looked at it and replaced the rudder and adjusted the cables. We have not had the chance to get back to St Petersburg to steer ourselfs. We are planing to install a Autohelm on ours and if you have any information that may help I would like it. Email is bob@zippideedu.com
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Guest
check cables
I was aboard a new boat this weekend when the steering jammed. The broker, Ray Rutledge had to disassembly the cables and reset them. They jumped the sheaves while performing hard to starboard pivots, seems that one cable levered the other one off its pulley.
I was aboard a new boat this weekend when the steering jammed. The broker, Ray Rutledge had to disassembly the cables and reset them. They jumped the sheaves while performing hard to starboard pivots, seems that one cable levered the other one off its pulley.
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Jacque and Susan Johnson
Autohelm 7000
New to the H420, we brought our 2001 model equipped with the 7000 Autohelm down from San Francisco to southern California last month. Rough water and following seas the Autohelm worked great! The deliverly captain we had with us noted that she had never had an autohelm hold up so well in such conditions. The steering is a bit stiff - as advertized by several owners we spoke to prior to our purchase. Realiblity has not been an issue. Best regards
New to the H420, we brought our 2001 model equipped with the 7000 Autohelm down from San Francisco to southern California last month. Rough water and following seas the Autohelm worked great! The deliverly captain we had with us noted that she had never had an autohelm hold up so well in such conditions. The steering is a bit stiff - as advertized by several owners we spoke to prior to our purchase. Realiblity has not been an issue. Best regards
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Buck Harrison
420 Steering
I took delivery of a new (2001) 420 in March, w/ factory installed Autohelm 7000. Overall the boat is GREAT. The Autohelm 7000 has been wonderful (example: holding the boat perfectly, running downwind with asymetrical spin. in 20-25 kts of winds on the Ches. Bay). Steering IS stiff, but not to the extent of the problem that you are experiencing. Did have one VERY SIGNIFICENT problem.... cable separated at quadrant eye-bolt last weekend of June as I was bringing boat into slip in difficult conditions and steering hard back and forth trying to keep boat's bow from being blown off. Total loss of steering ! ! ! Managed to get boat into slip with help of others in marina via quick use of lines to other boats, and a friends dingy used as a tug. The next day, used emergency tiller (you better check yours, it won't work as delivered) to take boat back to dealer. Norton's made repairs and have had no problem since. Probable cause: cable clamps that hold ends of steeering cable together (at eye-bolt on either side of quadrant) were never properly tightened or worked loose anyway. They are now secured w/ "loctight". Norton and Hunter admit that design is flawed, and (I understand) have changed steering design on newer boats. I would strongly recommend that all 420 (
I took delivery of a new (2001) 420 in March, w/ factory installed Autohelm 7000. Overall the boat is GREAT. The Autohelm 7000 has been wonderful (example: holding the boat perfectly, running downwind with asymetrical spin. in 20-25 kts of winds on the Ches. Bay). Steering IS stiff, but not to the extent of the problem that you are experiencing. Did have one VERY SIGNIFICENT problem.... cable separated at quadrant eye-bolt last weekend of June as I was bringing boat into slip in difficult conditions and steering hard back and forth trying to keep boat's bow from being blown off. Total loss of steering ! ! ! Managed to get boat into slip with help of others in marina via quick use of lines to other boats, and a friends dingy used as a tug. The next day, used emergency tiller (you better check yours, it won't work as delivered) to take boat back to dealer. Norton's made repairs and have had no problem since. Probable cause: cable clamps that hold ends of steeering cable together (at eye-bolt on either side of quadrant) were never properly tightened or worked loose anyway. They are now secured w/ "loctight". Norton and Hunter admit that design is flawed, and (I understand) have changed steering design on newer boats. I would strongly recommend that all 420 (
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John Richard
Jacque and Susan
Was your delivery captain Diane Skeats? She helped me with our 410 back in April. We came to the Balboa Bay Club from San Diego during the night. The Autohelm 7000 was a life saver with the light wind directly on the bow. Lots of fog too. John Richard s/v Jack's Place
Was your delivery captain Diane Skeats? She helped me with our 410 back in April. We came to the Balboa Bay Club from San Diego during the night. The Autohelm 7000 was a life saver with the light wind directly on the bow. Lots of fog too. John Richard s/v Jack's Place
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John Richard
Buck, can you be more specific
What were the problems with the emergency tiller? Would this be related to not enough room to swing the tiller from side to side? On our 410, it seems like this is the case because the emergency tiller attaches in the passageway to the drop down transome area. And, are the steering clamps located beneath the cockpit sole directly astern of the helm? John Richard s/v Jack's Place
What were the problems with the emergency tiller? Would this be related to not enough room to swing the tiller from side to side? On our 410, it seems like this is the case because the emergency tiller attaches in the passageway to the drop down transome area. And, are the steering clamps located beneath the cockpit sole directly astern of the helm? John Richard s/v Jack's Place
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Buck Harrison
John
John, I’ve never looked at the steering arrangements for a 410, so I'm not sure how your steering is set up; but I suspect it is very simular to a 420... Locate the quadrant. The ends of the steering cables should tie off (using wire clamps) to eye bolts at either side of the quadrant. Check the nuts holding these clamps. As for the emergency tiller... as delivered (at least on my 420) the emergency tiller has 2 parts: an upright section (that fits onto a pin at the top of the rudder post) and a "tiller" section that sits on top of the upright section and is secured to the upright by a pin that goes thru holes in both sections. Mine was deliver with the holes drilled such that the tiller aligned athawtships. Even if the stern seats had not been in the way it would still have been unusable. I had to drill 2 new holes (in the upright) section... 90 degrees offset to the origonal holes so that the "tiller" could then be positioned fore
John, I’ve never looked at the steering arrangements for a 410, so I'm not sure how your steering is set up; but I suspect it is very simular to a 420... Locate the quadrant. The ends of the steering cables should tie off (using wire clamps) to eye bolts at either side of the quadrant. Check the nuts holding these clamps. As for the emergency tiller... as delivered (at least on my 420) the emergency tiller has 2 parts: an upright section (that fits onto a pin at the top of the rudder post) and a "tiller" section that sits on top of the upright section and is secured to the upright by a pin that goes thru holes in both sections. Mine was deliver with the holes drilled such that the tiller aligned athawtships. Even if the stern seats had not been in the way it would still have been unusable. I had to drill 2 new holes (in the upright) section... 90 degrees offset to the origonal holes so that the "tiller" could then be positioned fore
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