The Simrad WP30 Autopilot on my Hunter 34 has recently decided to start wandering aimlessly. Sometimes it will be fine, then suddenly it will turn one way or the other by as much as 45°. Sometimes it will wander back and forth; sometimes it will simply decide it wants to keep on a new course of its own choosing. Sometimes it will gradually creep to one direction or the other (port most often) until it is quite far from the course I set it on. Prior to this it has always worked fine in the seven years I've had the boat.
Nothing has changed in the area magnetically, i.e. I haven't added a large chunk of metal in the vicinity. I'm trying to decide if it has simply died of old age, or if there is something I can do to recalibrate it. I singlehand often, so I need this thing working. If it can't be salvaged, then it's off to install a new system; probably a piston-style attached to the rudder post in the lazarette.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Nothing has changed in the area magnetically, i.e. I haven't added a large chunk of metal in the vicinity. I'm trying to decide if it has simply died of old age, or if there is something I can do to recalibrate it. I singlehand often, so I need this thing working. If it can't be salvaged, then it's off to install a new system; probably a piston-style attached to the rudder post in the lazarette.
Does anyone have any ideas?