OK a couple of people have stated that they use the Simrad WP30 pilot with the 37 cutter. Others that they use the RayMarine wheelpilot - ST4000+ is the current one. There seems to be some disappointment with the RayMarine unit from owners over at the sailnet - in the product reviews - over the quality of the gears. Over at Sailnet there was one post - type of boat UNKOWN - that the Simrad WP30 would not fit because it hit a control on the pedestal (throttle or shifter) and so the wheel would not go back on. I have 2 controls - throttle is separate from the shift lever - so I want to be sure this will fit before I order it. I am pretty sure the RayMarine would fit, but it doesn't appear that the wheel comes off easily with that unit. I also want to be sure either is strong enough - at least for most days. I can balance the boat so it will *almost* drive itself. (I have more problem on calmer days when the winds are more variable than on days when it is blowing like stink.) This doesn't work well downwind. Doing the island-hopping trip down to the Carib, I have the luxury of waiting out most weather. These options are about a third the cost of the below-decks unit.
wheel autopilot and the 37 cutter
- Thread starter Debra B
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Valhalla's solution
I searched the archives before installing an auto pilot and selected a St 5000 below deck installation. While The ST 4000 and wheelpilot will handle it in less than robust conditions they at the limit of the capacity. I have taken My 37C to Bermuda twice and have used the autopilot from calm to 45 knots and have not been disapointed.
I searched the archives before installing an auto pilot and selected a St 5000 below deck installation. While The ST 4000 and wheelpilot will handle it in less than robust conditions they at the limit of the capacity. I have taken My 37C to Bermuda twice and have used the autopilot from calm to 45 knots and have not been disapointed.
WP30 Install.
My H37C is identical. The attached picture gives you some idea. I have a better picture but my scanner software is failing. You can see(barely) the shift lever. The clutch(light blue) for the WP30 is close but not so much that it interferes. Everything is self-contained. There is no fluxgate(compass) to find a place for and to route wiring for. There is also no display if that is something that you want. My GPS and wind instrument are on the helm so it is easy to route those inputs to the WP30. When I was researching this the A4000 was rated at 14000# and the WP30 at 18000#. Not sure if that is still the case. All that said I would still do a below decks unit if $$$$ were not an issue.
My H37C is identical. The attached picture gives you some idea. I have a better picture but my scanner software is failing. You can see(barely) the shift lever. The clutch(light blue) for the WP30 is close but not so much that it interferes. Everything is self-contained. There is no fluxgate(compass) to find a place for and to route wiring for. There is also no display if that is something that you want. My GPS and wind instrument are on the helm so it is easy to route those inputs to the WP30. When I was researching this the A4000 was rated at 14000# and the WP30 at 18000#. Not sure if that is still the case. All that said I would still do a below decks unit if $$$$ were not an issue.
will the autopilots you are suggesting
hold a good course when motoring at 6.5 or is that asking too much on a 37c. mine will pull the wheel out of your hands.
hold a good course when motoring at 6.5 or is that asking too much on a 37c. mine will pull the wheel out of your hands.
WP installation
I have the WP30 installed on my 1979 H37C. (sister ship to Ed Schenck) To eliminate the shifter interference, I moved the shifter handle the shift from the starboard side instead of port. Easy to do and requires no special modification. I crossed lake Michigan last year in building seas to 30+ knots and 12 footers on a closed haul. The only problem with the WP30 is that it could not see breaking wave and make a course correction to prevent boarding wave from flooding the cockpit. The WP30 has plenty of power and has worked well with my Navman GPS and wind instruments. FYI, I attached the link to my installation in the photoforum.
I have the WP30 installed on my 1979 H37C. (sister ship to Ed Schenck) To eliminate the shifter interference, I moved the shifter handle the shift from the starboard side instead of port. Easy to do and requires no special modification. I crossed lake Michigan last year in building seas to 30+ knots and 12 footers on a closed haul. The only problem with the WP30 is that it could not see breaking wave and make a course correction to prevent boarding wave from flooding the cockpit. The WP30 has plenty of power and has worked well with my Navman GPS and wind instruments. FYI, I attached the link to my installation in the photoforum.
Ed A's problem.
Ignore Ed Allen's problem, he has way too much horsepower! What is it Ed, about 75? I forget. But the WP30 will steer her, guaranteed. It's just that when it has to work that hard you are using amps, maybe six to eight. I have the bias set low on mine so that it doesn't "hunt". It may go off course a few degrees before it decides to correct. But when sailing and balanced it might only correct once every ten or fifteen minutes. That depends a lot on wave height and direction of course. Richard, I had forgotten about your pictures. Should have directed Debra to the Photo Forum. But if I change the shift lever I will be certain to need gelcoat work.
Ignore Ed Allen's problem, he has way too much horsepower! What is it Ed, about 75? I forget. But the WP30 will steer her, guaranteed. It's just that when it has to work that hard you are using amps, maybe six to eight. I have the bias set low on mine so that it doesn't "hunt". It may go off course a few degrees before it decides to correct. But when sailing and balanced it might only correct once every ten or fifteen minutes. That depends a lot on wave height and direction of course. Richard, I had forgotten about your pictures. Should have directed Debra to the Photo Forum. But if I change the shift lever I will be certain to need gelcoat work.
come on now. be nice. its only 44h.p.
Ed s is trying to pick on me! hope all is going well at home. Thanks for the info i like the idea of this sp the autohelm i have just wont hold it while motoring. I have put this on the wish list so we wil see how many boat units i can muster!
Ed s is trying to pick on me! hope all is going well at home. Thanks for the info i like the idea of this sp the autohelm i have just wont hold it while motoring. I have put this on the wish list so we wil see how many boat units i can muster!
Just talked to Simrad
I got a call from a buddy about a WP30 highly discounted at Go2Marine.com. I wanted the WP30 but it turned out they were out. The guy then tells me he used to work for Simrad and that the WP10 is the exact same piece of equipment, except that it doesn't interface with wind and GPS. Naturally, he has a conflict of interest here, so I went to investigate. After making it through the smokescreen with a Simrad rep, the guy eventually said that there is no torque differential. The same housing, gear box, motor, energy draw, everything with few very few exceptions. Simrad even rates the two differently, as WP10 being 70 nm and the WP30 being 80 nm. According to a rep at Simrad, and the guy at Go2Marine (who used to work at Simrad) that's bogus. Bottom line is, I got a WP10 for $339, including shipping. The WP30's are $459, but like I said, they're all out. What's the story, am I going to have to move the gears or not--Ed said no and Richard said yes.
I got a call from a buddy about a WP30 highly discounted at Go2Marine.com. I wanted the WP30 but it turned out they were out. The guy then tells me he used to work for Simrad and that the WP10 is the exact same piece of equipment, except that it doesn't interface with wind and GPS. Naturally, he has a conflict of interest here, so I went to investigate. After making it through the smokescreen with a Simrad rep, the guy eventually said that there is no torque differential. The same housing, gear box, motor, energy draw, everything with few very few exceptions. Simrad even rates the two differently, as WP10 being 70 nm and the WP30 being 80 nm. According to a rep at Simrad, and the guy at Go2Marine (who used to work at Simrad) that's bogus. Bottom line is, I got a WP10 for $339, including shipping. The WP30's are $459, but like I said, they're all out. What's the story, am I going to have to move the gears or not--Ed said no and Richard said yes.
Quite a deal Josh!
Lowest I ever saw was $799. with the remote. Did you get the remote? I don't have one but it would make sense for single-handling in tight spaces, like picking up a mooring. Richard didn't say that he had to move the lever. Only that it gave him more clearance by moving it. I have never pinched anything or engaged either one by mistake. But the clutch and gear lever are close to each other. Notice Richard's picture and mine. We both installed it using one of those large heavy rubber(6") connectors from Lowes or Home Depot. Take a section out so that you get a tight wrap around the 4" pedestal. I found that the stainless clamps(bands) that came with the rubber connector were better than those provided by Simrad. I drilled the hole for the wiring on the forward side, just above that rubber connector. Use a rubber grommet to dress it up. On my boat it is behind the fold down table. Some guys run the wiring through the helm pedestal guard. But that necessitates another hole in the sole. I already had 12V at the pedestal for the GPS. I simply spliced in under the sole.
Lowest I ever saw was $799. with the remote. Did you get the remote? I don't have one but it would make sense for single-handling in tight spaces, like picking up a mooring. Richard didn't say that he had to move the lever. Only that it gave him more clearance by moving it. I have never pinched anything or engaged either one by mistake. But the clutch and gear lever are close to each other. Notice Richard's picture and mine. We both installed it using one of those large heavy rubber(6") connectors from Lowes or Home Depot. Take a section out so that you get a tight wrap around the 4" pedestal. I found that the stainless clamps(bands) that came with the rubber connector were better than those provided by Simrad. I drilled the hole for the wiring on the forward side, just above that rubber connector. Use a rubber grommet to dress it up. On my boat it is behind the fold down table. Some guys run the wiring through the helm pedestal guard. But that necessitates another hole in the sole. I already had 12V at the pedestal for the GPS. I simply spliced in under the sole.
How about $744.
http://www.brokenlegdave.com/Manufacture/Simrad/autopilots.htm Dave's Marine has them for $744 or $633 for the WP10.
http://www.brokenlegdave.com/Manufacture/Simrad/autopilots.htm Dave's Marine has them for $744 or $633 for the WP10.
Just bought one for my 37C
I just bought one of these from my 37C. My pedestal is the Merriman original, so the throttle is on the right and shift lever on the left. If yours is like that, then it should be no problem. Steve Dion has the same pedestal on his 31 and it fits and works great. I found a new one in the box on E-Bay that didn't work on a Morgan 38 because the shift lever was in the wrong place. My good luck, thanks to Steve D.
I just bought one of these from my 37C. My pedestal is the Merriman original, so the throttle is on the right and shift lever on the left. If yours is like that, then it should be no problem. Steve Dion has the same pedestal on his 31 and it fits and works great. I found a new one in the box on E-Bay that didn't work on a Morgan 38 because the shift lever was in the wrong place. My good luck, thanks to Steve D.
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