X-5 Rymarine Autopilot: Too Small?
- Thread starter NEREIS
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Yes. I've had one on my boat for two seasons. Fully laden, the weight of the boat is at the hairy edge of the X-5's capability. When the boat gets over-powered under sail, I frequently didn't have enough time to balance the sails before the wheel pilot motor stalled. Upgrading to a type 1 linear drive over the winter.
Dang! I was thinking of getting one. I am a little confused by the "good for boats up to 36 ft" spec.
It is way too simple. Consider an aircraft carrier a big boat, how big is it's wheel? I would bet the X5 would work on that boat due to the mechanical advantage after the wheel.
The better spec would I suspect be wheel diameter. Big boat big wheel gives helmsman increased mechanical advantage, but the X5 is at a fixed diameter so has relatively lower advantage as the steering wheel to X5 wheel gets worse.
So i wonder if an X6 to whit an X5 with a longer drive belt and bigger diameter drive wheel would work?
It is way too simple. Consider an aircraft carrier a big boat, how big is it's wheel? I would bet the X5 would work on that boat due to the mechanical advantage after the wheel.
The better spec would I suspect be wheel diameter. Big boat big wheel gives helmsman increased mechanical advantage, but the X5 is at a fixed diameter so has relatively lower advantage as the steering wheel to X5 wheel gets worse.
So i wonder if an X6 to whit an X5 with a longer drive belt and bigger diameter drive wheel would work?
SPX 5 is recommended by Raymarine for boats up to 7500 kg., (6800 my oceanis 381, that on cruise can increase by 20%) Stronger (SPX 10) is better, of course, but I see a lot of bigger boats with wheel pilot (ST4000 or similar). wich is others experience?
p.s scuse me for my english
I had an ST4000 wheelpilot on my Beneteau 361 that was marginal (the boat is around 6000kg empty so in a "cruising mode" add probably another 1000kg). The pilot was good for motoring in flat seas, sailing upwind up to small waves and very poor in following seas. I never trusted the damn thing and probably because of that it always used to loose control (kick that clutch) the moment I was leaving the cockpit.
I replaced it eventually with a linear type 1 Raymarine (below deck autopilot). It's probably the best investment I have made in my boat. Expensive but really powerful and fast and much much much better than the wheelpilot in any sea conditions (OK, I have never tried it in a gale not planning to either). I sail usually with the family (wife and two kids) so basically I am single handling the boat so having an extra crew at the helm was very important for me. It really worths the extra cash if you are in a similar situation.
I replaced it eventually with a linear type 1 Raymarine (below deck autopilot). It's probably the best investment I have made in my boat. Expensive but really powerful and fast and much much much better than the wheelpilot in any sea conditions (OK, I have never tried it in a gale not planning to either). I sail usually with the family (wife and two kids) so basically I am single handling the boat so having an extra crew at the helm was very important for me. It really worths the extra cash if you are in a similar situation.
You've hit the nail on the head - the X5 doesn't have enough mechanical advantage since the drive is so close to the center of the wheel. Plus the motor with the X5 doesn't have a lot of torque. I previously had the ST-4000 and its "brain" was far less sensitive to motor stall than the X5, but I had a similar problem with not having enough time to balance the sails.
Kappy, so I wonder if anybody has fabricated a bigger wheel clamp gear thingy? If you have one that was twice as wide that would double the mechanical advantage, but also 1/2 the rate at which the rudder could turn. I bet they use some kind of standard toothed belt.
Will the SW of the control unit stop turning after an unreasonably long time? So if you double the diameter of the wheel will some control algo mess up?
I was in a Nonsuch 36 which is relatively heavy with one of those pilots motoring in a gale, (we were mostly out of the waves) but it worked fine. My own boat, really seems twitchy with following seas so I am not so sure. I have a old ram but lately it has taken to whining and last time out quit, but it always consumed huge power.
Will the SW of the control unit stop turning after an unreasonably long time? So if you double the diameter of the wheel will some control algo mess up?
I was in a Nonsuch 36 which is relatively heavy with one of those pilots motoring in a gale, (we were mostly out of the waves) but it worked fine. My own boat, really seems twitchy with following seas so I am not so sure. I have a old ram but lately it has taken to whining and last time out quit, but it always consumed huge power.
John, I never had a problem with the X-5 while motoring in any condition - the issue arises for me when the boat is under sail and there's a lot of weather helm.
I haven't seen a wheel pilot with a larger diameter, but that certainly would increase the mechanical advantage. I don't know how the Raymarine code is written, so don't know if a larger diameter control wheel would cause a problem with the control algorithm.
WRT power consumption of the linear drive, guess I'll find out when the boat is back in the water next spring.
I haven't seen a wheel pilot with a larger diameter, but that certainly would increase the mechanical advantage. I don't know how the Raymarine code is written, so don't know if a larger diameter control wheel would cause a problem with the control algorithm.
WRT power consumption of the linear drive, guess I'll find out when the boat is back in the water next spring.
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