What installing an AP, try and place the plug socket in a secure place, out of the way of foot traffic. The thing makes a hard connection and has NO give. Sum this will last maybe a year of solid use before someone snaps it off with their foot in a rough seaway.I just installed one but of course haven't been able to try it out.
Sorry but after using the boat a lot I don't agree with that,What installing an AP, try and place the plug socket in a secure place, out of the way of foot traffic. The thing makes a hard connection and has NO give. Sum this will last maybe a year of solid use before someone snaps it off with their foot in a rough seaway.
Sum, I have a remote for the ST1000 that I can control the AP from the front of the boat. It's fun to be able to stand up front and steer the boat while making way in the harbor. At MDR the motoring channel is buoyed off rather narrow. The Kayakers and SUP's think that the pedestrian traffic rules apply. When I don't use it I have to occasionally run back and make corrections, It is a wired remote and unwinding and rewinding the cord can be a pain so I don't use it that much. I am thinking of rewiring a plug near the mast to make it easier.I just installed one but of course haven't been able to try it out.
Once the brackets are made/installed then using it is maybe a 20 second deal. It just sits on one bracket (far starboard side of laz hatch in my case) and a pin on the tiller and then plug the cable into a socket and it is there. Simple and fast. I think I'm going to enjoy it.
In my case besides sailing and motoring I hope that it helps me getting to anchor. I'm setting the trolling motor up so I can toggle it on/off from the bow. With the tiller pilot I should be able to reduce speed and set course to where I plan on putting the anchor down and toggle the trolling motor on/off to get there on course and then off and drop the anchor,
Sumner
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our Endeavour 37[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our MacGregor 26-S Pages[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Mac-Venture Links[/FONT][/FONT]
As they say, "Your boat.....Sorry but after using the boat a lot I don't agree with that,
Sumner
I'm not aruguing I'm just saying I know where my feet go in my boat and don't feel it is going to be a problem there. You have a point in general about placement that is a good one, but I don't feel it applies to my situation as far as where I placed the plug.As they say, "Your boat.....
But I've seem several of them snapped. And in your own words, you "just installed it and have not used it." So how would you know?? I'm simply pointing out that putting a hard, brittle plastic connector what it can be hit with your feet is not a great idea. If you want to argue with that common sense advice for that sake of arguing, so be it. But to everyone else I say, don't put it there where you can snap it.
The thread keeps creeping over to tiller pilots and I would like to get one so why not move towards tiller pilots as this is very relevant to this subject.
What I guess you would do with a tiller pilot (and rigging the sails) is to get the boat moving directly into the wind with the outboard and with enough forward motion to keep the under water foils working. Then lock the tiller pilot? Boat would just stay heading directly into the wind while you "leisurely" set up the sails? You could do this in just about any wind? The only thing I worry about for the tiller pilot is Ive heard they can have limit issues.. I have seen mods posted on these forums over the years to add limit switches. Is this really necessary?
I agree with this. fully 100%....Sum,
I'm sorry that you took my comments as 'tearing your post apart;. That was not my intent. At all.
This is an open internet forum, where people freely express their ideas, mostly so others can learn from them. I suppose that is why you took the time to post your picture. When we do post on the internet, it is part of a large global conversation. We expect (and want) comment on our thoughts and ideas. Sometimes they agree with ours. Sometimes they do not. And sometimes they prove us wrong.
I agree... Jackdaw does have a valid point to anyone who is thinking about installing one... but then Sumner shows in a later photo how he has the plug protected by a utility/cup holder that mounts over it... it just wasnt shown that way in the first photos...I think Jackdaw has a valid point. My suggestion for Sum's connection is to shorten the cord and relocate the waterproof plug as close to unit as possible. To me, the lengthy cord poses as great a potential problem as the plug location.
Not trying to be critical, just making an observation from my own experience. I've made a number of miscalculations that could have been avoided with a friendly comment or two. For instance, although my wire connection is ideal, mounting the unit on the coaming means a lot of extensions added to the control arm. Although this old TP (Autohelm 1000) has worked flawlessly for many years, it would be even more efficient with a short bracket to move the pivot mounting inboard 6-8 inches. Right.... I'll get around to that project sooner or later.
On my C 27 I put the autopilot plug in the back of the cubby so that it was out of the weather. I had a plug on my Mac 25 for the outboard that was always becoming corroded with the rain. I didn't want to go through that with this plug. It's pretty easy to get to and well protected I also have the plug for the remote control right next to it in the cubby.I think Jackdaw has a valid point. My suggestion for Sum's connection is to shorten the cord and relocate the waterproof plug as close to unit as possible. To me, the lengthy cord poses as great a potential problem as the plug location.
Not trying to be critical, just making an observation from my own experience. I've made a number of miscalculations that could have been avoided with a friendly comment or two. For instance, although my wire connection is ideal, mounting the unit on the coaming means a lot of extensions added to the control arm. Although this old TP (Autohelm 1000) has worked flawlessly for many years, it would be even more efficient with a short bracket to move the pivot mounting inboard 6-8 inches. Right.... I'll get around to that project sooner or later.