No, it won't, in my experience. Any amount of seas >3.5' or so and winds >25kt. and it will give up.and mange most conditions.
If not quits it sure becomes ineffective. The linkage and the motor are just not designed for foul weather steering. I'v shared that multiple times over the years. Depending on your sailing waters, I favor the Windvane when in open water under most conditions. My windvane came with an emergency tiller.If it gets rough, it quits.
jviss, I have no doubt that if you tried a wheel pilot on a Tartan 3800 it was not up the the task. They are only rated for 15,000lbs displacement.No, it won't, in my experience. Any amount of seas >3.5' or so and winds >25kt. and it will give up.
There are really two directions you can go on autopilots: a fair-weather self-steering system (a wheel pilot) and a 'serious' (below decks) autopilot.
The former is about half the price of the latter. It will steer the boat all day long in fair winds and tides. If it gets rough, it quits.
The latter will not only steer almost regardless of conditions, and also provides a steering-system backup in the event of a steering system failure, since if connects directly to the rudder post.
(I've had both, so I speak from experience (AH4000 wheel pilot, Raymarine S2g below decks, Raymarine EV200 below decks, and now Simrad/B&G AP24/AC42 below decks.)
I had the wheel pilot on a Catalina 36, which I had for 17 years.viss, I have no doubt that if you tried a wheel pilot on a Tartan 3800 it was not up the the task. They are only rated for 15,000lbs displacement.
I would be surprised if no one has ever put a below decks pilot on a C-30, 'though I thin kit might be easier on a pre-1986 model.Any discussion other than about the merits of those two units would be best on a different post because it would not apply to the original poster unless he get a different boat.
you can put a below deck in a C30 Mk1 but not a Mk2.I would be surprised if no one has ever put a below decks pilot on a C-30, 'though I thin kit might be easier on a pre-1986 model.
Ah, that's too bad.you can put a below deck in a C30 Mk1 but not a Mk2.
Yep, I was looking for some other choice. Guess I will just stick with my AutoHelm AH4000 till it dies. (yes it still is working after 32 years.)Ah, that's too bad.
There might just be a way.Yep, I was looking for some other choice. Guess I will just stick with my AutoHelm AH4000 till it dies. (yes it still is working after 32 years.)
I have seen this article before and the key component is not Simrad, it is the Octopus Marine RS cable drive unit which can be connected to any control head. It looks interesting but their statement that the cable has an expected life of 200 hours is rather off-putting. It would also require drilling into and mounting to the cast aluminum radial and I have heard of other C30's having radial failure just under cable loads in a storm and the mounting post would add a lot of additional forces to it. Edson says that you should never mount an AP to the radial and there is no shaft exposed on a C30 to mount a tiller arm. Makes me nervous.There might just be a way.
Take a look at the Simrad SD10 drive unit. Here are a couple of articles featuring installations in cramped quarters:
Problem: how do you install an inboard autopilot on a boat with such cramped hindquarters that finding somewhere to put a drive unit is next to impossible?
An autopilot for tight spaces
Simrad resells the Octopus as the SD10.key component is not Simrad,
The wind integration is why I will probably go to the EV-100 when my 32-year old AH4000 dies. I actually have a windvane for the AH but the control head does not respond to the signal.I'm going with a CPT for the above reasons. I can't really see a reason to have it integrated into a plotter given I sail in the PNW. It would be "cool" but not needed. I need it to go straight and handle some strain when I need to leave the wheel to fix something when by myself. Wind direction integration would be nice though.....
Might have you beat. My Autohelm 2000 (not ST) works like a champ in calm, light winds or well balanced sails. I need something for the difficult times not for the easy times.The wind integration is why I will probably go to the EV-100 when my 32-year old AH4000 dies. I actually have a windvane for the AH but the control head does not respond to the signal.