When do you use auto Helm?

[Daveinet]

What really happens is you hit the tack buttons, go attend the jib, come back to the cockpit and go bump, bump on the +10 and then go back to enjoying being a passenger again. It ain't that difficult.

 

[druid]

I rarely use autohelm when sailing because my boat balances well and I can just lock the wheel. (I've heard that at least older Cat 30's are not well-balanced so that may be hard to do.) I do use the auto-helm a lot when motoring - it's just too boring to be at the wheel all the time.

Oh, and it can be useful when anchoring, keeping the boat on a straight line while you go fwd and deal with the anchor (although remember since it's tied to the rudder you have to be MOVING for it to be effective)

druid