Weinie:
For just tootling around SF Bay, I utilize my autopilot just as you are contemplating for your day-sails in the waters of Long Island sound. The AP is great for keeping a course for a minute or two while still under power after getting into my local channel for going forward to take in fenders, the bow lines and a few other items. Reverse ditto for getting set to berth upon returning. On this I am always going quite slow and I'm scanning for objects and other boats in the channel every few seconds. While on the bay, I'll set it on a compass course for very short times when I can't be behind the wheel or when I want my hands free (but still behind the wheel) while eating lunch for example. My ST4000 does great in the range when I'm not pinching the wind to the max (for my boat anyway). Also when the wind is behind the beam by much, the boat will yawl back and forth quite a bit rather than maintain a steady course.
I have linked my AP to my inside nav station GPS, but I generally only use the connectivity so I can see on cockpit AP display the difference between the GPS's SOG and the boat's analog paddle-wheel speedometer.
A question about the auto-tacking feature was made in another post over the last few days. When I first got my boat and was still new to bigger boat sailing, I did use the auto-tack. But it didn't take long before I did much better tacking without it. My ST primary winches are easily reachable from my behind the wheel helm position. I just turn my wheel into the wind and then hold it in position by body leaning on it while I tend to the jib sheets.
For just tootling around SF Bay, I utilize my autopilot just as you are contemplating for your day-sails in the waters of Long Island sound. The AP is great for keeping a course for a minute or two while still under power after getting into my local channel for going forward to take in fenders, the bow lines and a few other items. Reverse ditto for getting set to berth upon returning. On this I am always going quite slow and I'm scanning for objects and other boats in the channel every few seconds. While on the bay, I'll set it on a compass course for very short times when I can't be behind the wheel or when I want my hands free (but still behind the wheel) while eating lunch for example. My ST4000 does great in the range when I'm not pinching the wind to the max (for my boat anyway). Also when the wind is behind the beam by much, the boat will yawl back and forth quite a bit rather than maintain a steady course.
I have linked my AP to my inside nav station GPS, but I generally only use the connectivity so I can see on cockpit AP display the difference between the GPS's SOG and the boat's analog paddle-wheel speedometer.
A question about the auto-tacking feature was made in another post over the last few days. When I first got my boat and was still new to bigger boat sailing, I did use the auto-tack. But it didn't take long before I did much better tacking without it. My ST primary winches are easily reachable from my behind the wheel helm position. I just turn my wheel into the wind and then hold it in position by body leaning on it while I tend to the jib sheets.
