MacGregorSailors.com

Hey Boat and RussMT - I've been thinking about the problem for some time as I really need an autopilot and like Kadet's SPX-5 solution. I would really like to disengage it though!! I note that the wheel units have a clutch arrangement to disengage and I did see one very expensive linear actuator (bit that pushes the tiller arm/steering bar) that had a solenoid locking pin built in (can't remember the brand but it cost about $3K!!).

To get over the alignment problem I raised, Ithought of replacing the tubular steering arm with square section S/S tube and then using a small section of the next size up to slide on the former and attach the drive arm to. You could easily attach brackets etc (to hold the solenoid) to this section, and then you are back to the pin/hole option as the pin will always be a 90' to the steering arm.

Kadet, I just don't like the idea of forcing the gears.

In standby mode you don't force the gears, they are just dead weight. In fact Raymarine in the manual has this as the solution to steer around obstacles. I suppose it would add some extra wear and tear to the actuator but I think sailing with too much sail is more harmful and seeing as my crew enjoy sailing with about a 30 degree heel I probably do more harm then . I only steer the boat in and out of the dock these days using the AP for just about everything else as it is hooked to my chartplotter etc..

stuendan wrote:To get over the alignment problem I raised, Ithought of replacing the tubular steering arm with square section S/S tube and then using a small section of the next size up to slide on the former and attach the drive arm to. You could easily attach brackets etc (to hold the solenoid) to this section, and then you are back to the pin/hole option as the pin will always be a 90' to the steering arm.

I love the pooling of minds. That's a great idea. Square bar.
The problem is, my fabrication skills are weak and/or my tool set. Maybe Santa can bring me some new gadgets. I wish I know how to weld.
There has to be something like this on the market in use for something else that wouldn't require so much fabrication.

Kadet,
So are you saying that it doesn't feel like gears are being forced when you move it? It just adds more friction? More friction isn't the worst thing as these boats sail like tubs anyway and a small loss of feel isn't the end of the world.

Or...Vic could surprise us and have a unit ready for market real soon.

There is something already made, it is a square tubing sliding patio door lock found at Lowe's. I use one to keep my sliding hatch closed while at anchor when I'm alone.

Kadet,
So are you saying that it doesn't feel like gears are being forced when you move it? It just adds more friction? More friction isn't the worst thing as these boats sail like tubs anyway and a small loss of feel isn't the end of the world.

There is some mechanical resistance i.e. the large worm gear has to drive the small motor and planet gears and overcome the motor resistance. But I would not call it forced in fact the user manual tells you to do this to steer around objects, and the maintenance manual tells you to operate the actuator by hand as part of the testing procedure. The gearing is designed to apply 84kg of force and there is no way with the unit in standby mode you can apply anything like that. I have no concern of stripping gears simply by operating the actuator un-powered for the few minutes each trip I manually steer. The tiller pilots st4000 drive is robustly made even though the planet gears are plastic.



And if you do accidentally force it and strip a plastic gear replace them with carbon fibre

These model racing car gears are apparently the same size, just cut off the end with a dremel

http://kimbroughracingproducts.com/stor ... t_id=29872

Found these on another forum after a guy operated his AP with a mechanical steering lock installed and did manage to strip a couple of gears.

The drive units that can be remotely disconnected are available, they just cost over $1000 for the drive unit alone. I think I found with SIMRAD or Si-TEX the perfect system, but would have spent over $2500 on the system.

Boat, the control head with knobs is available, if you want to buy it separately. The tiller drive unit only is packaged with the sailing control head.

An initial thought as an engineer, making an home built easily disconnected (and connected) linear system is difficult in that you would need to align the drive and rudder to engage. If this is a must have, spend the $$$$.

RGF wrote:There is something already made, it is a square tubing sliding patio door lock found at Lowe's. I use one to keep my sliding hatch closed while at anchor when I'm alone.

Sorry maybe my English is not good emough.
Can you please show exactly what you mean? thanks!

I copied Kadet's autopilot almost exactly. Used the tiller actuator attached to the Raymarine extension which I then clamped to the steering rod. The end of the tiller actuator just lifts off to detach but I have to crawl under the rear berth to do this. To be honest I never bother. Like Kadet I like the slightly increased steering resistance. Makes the boat a lot less squirrily. I steer out of my pen and the Marina which takes about 3 minutes and then switch to auto. On return I manually steer for another 3 minutes while I berth. I agree with Kadet that pushing and pulling the actuator arm in and out when the device is off is unlikely to do damage because the resistance force is only a fraction of the active force the device develops when it is on.

I have never tried a control head with rotary dial but am very comfortable with the +/- 1 & 10 degrees buttons. Really precise control and I think just as intuitive as a dial - but I have never tried the dial

Try this, kurz ... http://t.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-Pat ... /100176808

innervations wrote:I have never tried a control head with rotary dial but am very comfortable with the +/- 1 & 10 degrees buttons. Really precise control and I think just as intuitive as a dial - but I have never tried the dial

Thanks for that! I'm waiting for our next winter Boat Show to pick up a Raymarine system, and I'd been wavering between the two types for some time. I can see the dial as more of a powerboat option (which the Mac is) where you need quick changes in direction, due to the amount of ground being rapidly covered. But most of the hands-free time, while sailing, could probably benefit from those simpler incremental adjustments.

Thank's for helping me spend money!

I installed the Raymarine "donut" wheel AP last summer. Got it used from e-bay (but never installed) for $700. Installing it was easy enough with several "minor" adjustments:

- had to change the position of the throttle on the pedestal (not enough room to operate it). Unscrewed two of the three bolts,twisted it in the new position, drilled new holes, et voila!
- had to build a plate with a torque rod on the opposite side, since I didn't have enough room for the central rod they suggested, in the middle of the pedestal.
- had to build a support for the controller (the main screen/dial) above where the tach that is mounted, knee-high, on the pedestal.
- Had to rewire it to the Garmin's NMEA 0182 out.
Didn't bother with the tight space between the wheel and the "donut". My fingers fit just fine in between.

It took us a while to "teach" the pilot how to accept and recognize the boat--several days, actually. Long story short, it turned out that the color-coded wires to the main computer were mis-labelled: even though one was blue and the other one brown and that was plain to see, and even though the instructions were very clear (connect the blue one "here" and the brown one" there") it turned out that they should have been the other way around. we switched them around (going against the instructions) and things fell into place. Ray learned the boat's specifics pretty well... with a few exceptions (need to check the log for specifics) it held course just fine both under motor and under sail. It "talked" to the Garmin and obediently followed the route between checkpoints, beeping and requiring the press of a button to switch and turn to the next one.

It holds the course well, and it obediently adjusts the route in +/- 1 degree steps, or +/- 10 degree steps, as per the buttons you press

Ray is a little noisy, but that doesn't bother me at all. It clicks and whirrs when under way, but you can adjust its sensitivity and make it follow "a general direction" and be less "active"

Ray has a clutch and may be disengaged easily, with a flick of the thumb. Once it is disengaged, the wheel feels as though I had never installed the AP

Very pleased with the mod. I am a little worried how long the AP will last (I have no warranty), but that goes for every component, doesn't it?

Just to muddy the autopilot waters a little more - a Mac dealer in Western Australia (ECOyachts) can fit a "emergency tiller" to which you can attach a standard self contained tiller pilot (ST1000). They say they are developing a DIY kit for this device which should retail <$A500 ........ watch this space! Could be a clean, relatively cheap autopilot solution (approx $A1000) although sacrificing some cockpit space the way they have it set up.

I assume the tiller control tube drops down through the rear gunwale where the rudder down rope exits and attaches to the rudder post. The rudder control rope is feed up through this tube - see their website for pic.

I'll chase them up again early in the new year!

Not dead yet!

Unbelievably after all the design work and testing completed we've run into a small number of manufacturing issues that have caused major delays. We are still making parts for a limited run.

Good example is our overlays were supposed to take one month last June. Five months later we are still resolving issues with the vendor after delivery. Emailed them today to ask status.

Then there is the several days jobs that are required for survival.

Don't blame anyone who does not want to wait. It's been a long time for sure.

Victor

Hi Victor,
The remotes are looking really good
I guess, all of us waiting are happy for any word directly from the horses mouth.
I, for one, am sold on your design after seeing it close up on Dimitri's boat.
If you have a ballpark idea, even if you don't want to publicize it, you can PM me.

Obelix

Obelix wrote:Hi Victor,
The remotes are looking really good
I guess, all of us waiting are happy for any word directly from the horses mouth.
I, for one, am sold on your design after seeing it close up on Dimitri's boat.
If you have a ballpark idea, even if you don't want to publicize it, you can PM me.

Obelix

Just seeing Vic post here makes me feel better. Ahhhh.

It would be nice to have a ballpark idea. 3 months, 1 year, 3 years? Ball park?