I'm looking at tiller pilots for a 24-footer that displaces 4,000 pounds or so. ST-1000 looks pretty good. Does anyone know what additional hardware is necessary for an installation? Also, can someone explain how these things keep a boat on course? Is there a mini-GPS in there or what? Just keeping the tiller steady is basically worthless - I can do that with a scrap of nylon line. Thanks for any insight. Drew
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internal compass
Tiller pilots contain an internal compass which they rely on to keep your boat on course. You can also interface most units with a gps or wind instrument and sail to wind or gps. If you are not interested in interfacing the least expensive unit is the simrad tp10.
Tiller pilots contain an internal compass which they rely on to keep your boat on course. You can also interface most units with a gps or wind instrument and sail to wind or gps. If you are not interested in interfacing the least expensive unit is the simrad tp10.
Should work fine
Had one on a 23' 3800lb boat a few years ago and it worked fine. The problem with installing is that each boat is a unique situation...at a minimum you will have to drill a hole in the tiller and epoxy in a bushing, as well as drilling a hole in the coming and epoxy in a bushing or attach a bracket in some manner. Run 12v wiring and you are installed. The ST1000 units have a "fluxgate" type compass built into the unit along with the drive motors. As with all autopilots, sail trim, reading the manual and tuning the unit for your particular boat make a lot of difference in performance. Once installed, it is very cool to just use the buttons to change course a few degrees or "autotack" by pushing a couple of buttons. In my opinion, an autopilot is the most useful acessory one can have for a sailboat.
Had one on a 23' 3800lb boat a few years ago and it worked fine. The problem with installing is that each boat is a unique situation...at a minimum you will have to drill a hole in the tiller and epoxy in a bushing, as well as drilling a hole in the coming and epoxy in a bushing or attach a bracket in some manner. Run 12v wiring and you are installed. The ST1000 units have a "fluxgate" type compass built into the unit along with the drive motors. As with all autopilots, sail trim, reading the manual and tuning the unit for your particular boat make a lot of difference in performance. Once installed, it is very cool to just use the buttons to change course a few degrees or "autotack" by pushing a couple of buttons. In my opinion, an autopilot is the most useful acessory one can have for a sailboat.
Additonal Hardware
First of all, keep in mind that the ST-1000 is rated for 5000 lb boat. You should be sure of your boat's displacement, as overpowering the unit will mean the unit won't work well. If it doesn't work well, you won't use it. If you don't use it, it's wasted money. I went to an ST-2000 rated at 10,000 lbs for my O'Day 25, because it was so close to the 5000 spec. In addition to the unit itself, you may have to buy mounting hardware to properly position the device. I had to buy a bracket to effectively "lower" the pin from my tiller so the unit sat close to level.
First of all, keep in mind that the ST-1000 is rated for 5000 lb boat. You should be sure of your boat's displacement, as overpowering the unit will mean the unit won't work well. If it doesn't work well, you won't use it. If you don't use it, it's wasted money. I went to an ST-2000 rated at 10,000 lbs for my O'Day 25, because it was so close to the 5000 spec. In addition to the unit itself, you may have to buy mounting hardware to properly position the device. I had to buy a bracket to effectively "lower" the pin from my tiller so the unit sat close to level.
Gillerpilot
Just installed a Simrad Tp 10 in my 23' Florida boat. Bought it at Defender for $260. Dealing with Defender can be frustrating at times, but the price was right. The simrad is designed to attach to the cockit seat, which is ridiculous, but they sell a 12" extension for $50 that will enable you to mount it to the coaming if 12" is enough, or you can buy an additional extension for another $20 to get you there. Since I am "frugal", I made an extension out of a piece of 1" PVC ($1.50) and it works fine The Simrad is an OK unit but sometimes it does not have enough travel to tack my boat, which has a full keel and does not come bout as quickly as my fin keel boat does. I think on most boats it would work fine.
Just installed a Simrad Tp 10 in my 23' Florida boat. Bought it at Defender for $260. Dealing with Defender can be frustrating at times, but the price was right. The simrad is designed to attach to the cockit seat, which is ridiculous, but they sell a 12" extension for $50 that will enable you to mount it to the coaming if 12" is enough, or you can buy an additional extension for another $20 to get you there. Since I am "frugal", I made an extension out of a piece of 1" PVC ($1.50) and it works fine The Simrad is an OK unit but sometimes it does not have enough travel to tack my boat, which has a full keel and does not come bout as quickly as my fin keel boat does. I think on most boats it would work fine.
Auto tiller
The auto tikller does not simply hold the tiller in one position. There is a compass inside that closes a circuit whenever it reads a heading that varies from the set course by a given amount in either direction. That starts a motor that moves the tiller in the proper direction to correct the course. Some have a "sea state" switch that allows you to vary the amount of the variation that activates the tiller, which allows you to save power by not making the tiller work so often. The tiller works with very small, frequent corrections, maintaining a much straighter course than humans can.
The auto tikller does not simply hold the tiller in one position. There is a compass inside that closes a circuit whenever it reads a heading that varies from the set course by a given amount in either direction. That starts a motor that moves the tiller in the proper direction to correct the course. Some have a "sea state" switch that allows you to vary the amount of the variation that activates the tiller, which allows you to save power by not making the tiller work so often. The tiller works with very small, frequent corrections, maintaining a much straighter course than humans can.
I Gotta Disagree Ed
I disagree with that last statement Ed. I have an auto tiller, and have been on several boats that have them. They are not where NEAR as accurate as an attentive helmsman. They don't anticpate extra wind coming to the boat, so they don't react as quickly. They have to go off course before they go back on, unlike a human that can "feel" the tiller and adjust before the corse even changes. Finally, their reaction time is slower, and a "steady" amount, where a human reacts faster, and can push the tiller hard over immediately if needed. The plus side, I don't have to make any phone calls to get my ST 2000 to "crew" for me, and it stays attentive as long as the battery is charged.
I disagree with that last statement Ed. I have an auto tiller, and have been on several boats that have them. They are not where NEAR as accurate as an attentive helmsman. They don't anticpate extra wind coming to the boat, so they don't react as quickly. They have to go off course before they go back on, unlike a human that can "feel" the tiller and adjust before the corse even changes. Finally, their reaction time is slower, and a "steady" amount, where a human reacts faster, and can push the tiller hard over immediately if needed. The plus side, I don't have to make any phone calls to get my ST 2000 to "crew" for me, and it stays attentive as long as the battery is charged.
You are both correct
Herb, like Ed I have commented many times that my tiller auto pilot can steer a course better than a human. This is certainly true when the wind is keeping a steady speed and direction. When its gusty and shifty I wouldn't normally use the auto pilot for the reasons you have mentioned. Kevin
Herb, like Ed I have commented many times that my tiller auto pilot can steer a course better than a human. This is certainly true when the wind is keeping a steady speed and direction. When its gusty and shifty I wouldn't normally use the auto pilot for the reasons you have mentioned. Kevin
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