[C320-list] Autohelm

Wed Jan 11 13:15:16 PST 2006

I had a similar problem. The techie at Raymarine had
me re-boot the control head and then
re-calibrate...problems solved. I do not recall how to
reboot, but think the emailed instructions may be on
the boat. You can probably get them quicker from RM.

--- Sweetwater Yacht Charters
<sail at sweetwater-charters.net> wrote:

> 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
> > > >
> 
=== message truncated ===

Chris Burti
"Commitment"
Catalina 320, #867, 
Farmville, NC

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 