[C320-list] Autohelm
Sweetwater Yacht Charters
sail at sweetwater-charters.net
Wed Jan 11 16:13:08 PST 2006
Dave,
Yep, we've tried calibration too. It isn't just me - this thing has driven
everyone nuts! Several service department guys, owners of other Catalinas
(and other boats) in the marina, experienced people who have chartered the
boat - we've all tried everything we could think of! That is why I am
finally giving up on the thing. It could be that we are all just missing
something, but I'm just tired of wasting my time at this point. Also, I rent
the boat out for charter, so it is important to me to have an Autohelm that
works. Every year I budget for one big item - I've already decided to budget
for a new Autohelm. I'm just trying to figure out how much to budget. -Joan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Sparks" <dlsparks at gmail.com>
To: "C320-List" <C320-List at catalina320.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 1:00 PM
Subject: Re: Re: [C320-list] Autohelm
Joan:
This may not be helpful, but just in case ....
I was screwing around with the settings on my Autohelm - without looking at
the manual, of course - and changed some setting so that the Autohelm became
completely erratic and there was often a large discrepancy between my course
heading reading the magnetic compass and the heading given by the Autohelm
fluxgate compass. Going back to the original settings did not solve the
problem.
At this point, I pulled out the manual and went through the calibration
procedure for the Autohelm compass. This involved making several slow 360
degree turns until the device indicates that the calibration process is
complete. My first attempt was unsuccessful because I had to abort after
about 3 360s to get out of the way of a barge. But the second attempt solved
the problem.
Have you gone through the recommended calibration procedure?
Good luck,
David Sparks
On 1/11/06, Stanley Rogacevicz <SROGACEV at holycross.edu> wrote:
>
> John,
> Are you sure it wasn't the Nuke Plant ? I was warned about that
> when I brought my Nauticat up from Annapolis. It may have been tongue in
> cheek I don't know, but I didn't have any GPS problems or have to make
> any Autohelm changes.
> Stan
> (formerly) Christy Leigh
> c320 #656
> Wickford/Narragansett Bay RI
>
> >>> jsail320 at cox.net 01/11/06 3:24 PM >>>
> My wife and I just came back from a quick sail and I did remember to
> check my autohelm settings ... miracles do happen. They are exactly the
> same as stated in the note below.
>
> We use the autohelm every time we sail. We even gave it a name "auto
> von helm ". We use it when raising and lowering the main and when
> having lunch. It has been true since 2000. The only time I had
> problems with it was when we were traveling south from NY to NC. In the
> Delaware Bay the boat started to dance back and forth driving me nuts.
> Then I remembered the latitude setting .... changed that to the local
> setting and she was back on course.
>
> Good Luck
> John
> Lady K -- 702
> >
> > From: Steven Magennis <magenns at yahoo.com>
> > Date: 2006/01/11 Wed AM 11:41:45 EST
> > To: C320-List <C320-List at catalina320.com>
> > Subject: Re: [C320-list] Autohelm
> >
> > This has been discussed a lot on this site. From Jan, 2005:
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Allan Field
> > To: c320
> > Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 5:44 PM
> > Subject: RE: [c320] User Setup for Raymarine ST4000 Plus Wheel
> > Autopilot
> >
> >
> > An important setting is drive type = 2.
> >
> > Calibration Lock OFF
> > Pilot Type 4000whl
> > Rudder Gain 2
> > Response 2
> > Turn Rate Limit 20
> > Align Rudder 0
> > Rudder Limit 20
> > Off Course Alarm 20
> > AutoTack 100
> > AutoTrim 3
> > Drive Type 2
> > Variation 0
> > AutoAdapt nth
> > Latitude The correct latitude for
> > the location of the boat.
> > Rudder Damp 4
> > Cruise Speed A
> >
> >
> >
> > These settings sort-of work. You will still get a wake snake, but
> they
> > are much better than the original factory settings. At least one
> C-320
> > owner has installed the rudder position indicator on his boat (look
> in
> > the C-320 photo archives), and that may help.
> >
> > I have been using these settings for the past four years with my
> > ST-4000+ on my C-320, and get a minimal wake snake when steering
> off
> > the fluxgate compass under power. However, when I use either the
> wind
> > instrument or the GPS to control the direction (yeah, yeah, I know,
> the
> > wind instrument just provides some adjustment to the fluxgate
> control,
> > but what can I say), the boat runs straight as an arrow with no wake
> > snake at all.
> >
> > Steve
> > Alchemist C-320 #909
> >
> >
> >
> > --- Sweetwater Yacht Charters <sail at sweetwater-charters.net> wrote:
> >
> > > Believe me, we have tried everything! I would be happy with any
> kind
> > > of
> > > course at all - even if it is a big "S". This unit simply will not
> > > hold a
> > > course at all. The previous owner actually sent the head in for
> > > repair and
> > > they upgraded the software and sent a list of all the correct
> > > settings, but
> > > it still won't work. After struggling with it for 2 seasons, I
> think
> > > I would
> > > just rather get a new unit.
> > > -Joan
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Mark Koch" <markkoch738 at hotmail.com>
> > > To: <C320-List at catalina320.com>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 7:31 AM
> > > Subject: RE: [C320-list] Autohelm
> > >
> > >
> > > > Dear Joan,
> > > >
> > > > We had the same problem on "Still Crazy". I could not make the
> > > system
> > > hold
> > > > a course in any kind of a sea. Each variation to port or
> starboard
> > > was
> > > > greater than the last. We were sailing huge S's down the lake.
> I
> > > contacted
> > > > customer service at Raymarine and he gave me a group of settings
> > > that
> > > > returned the unit to factory settings. After performing the
> > > recommended
> > > > adjustments, the system worked flawlessly. Raymarine service
> > > contacted me
> > > > several days later to check on the adjustments. I am now very
> > > pleased
> > > with
> > > > both the Autohem and the Service Dept.
> > > >
> > > > Mark Koch
> > > > #738 Still Crazy
> > > > Huron, Ohio
> > > >
> > > > Mark Koch
> > > > KelKo Products Company
> > > > Sandusky, Ohio
> > > > (419) 626-2571
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >From: "Sweetwater Yacht Charters"
> <sail at sweetwater-charters.net>
> > > > >Reply-To: C320-List <C320-List at catalina320.com>
> > > > >To: "C320-List" <C320-List at catalina320.com>
> > > > >Subject: [C320-list] Autohelm
> > > > >Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 10:03:14 -0800
> > > > >
> > > > >We have never been able to get the Autohelm on Persistence to
> work
> > > > >correctly. Apparently the previous owner had problems too. I
> have
> > > decided
> > > > >to
> > > > >replace the unit this year. The old unit is the ST4000 (not the
> > > ST400+)
> > > > >My question: I think I can get an upgrade from Raymarine to go
> > > from the
> > > > >ST4000 to the ST4000+. This would be much cheaper since it
> would
> > > work
> > > with
> > > > >the equipment already installed. Has anyone done this? Also,
> does
> > > anyone
> > > > >have suggestions for a better system? My feeling after doing
> > > research is
> > > > >that the ST4000+ is adequate, but not great. Of course, the
> > > service
> > > > >department would like me to buy a nice, expensive system! I
> sail
> > > on the
> > > > >Great Lakes (primarily Lake Michigan) so I don't need anything
> > > really
> > > heavy
> > > > >duty, but we do some long distances when delivering so it can't
> be
> > > > >light-weight either.
> > > > >
> > > > >-Joan
> > > > > C320 #90 Persistence
> > > > >
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