[C320-list] Autohelm

Steven Magennis magenns at yahoo.com
Thu Jan 12 05:18:10 PST 2006


One possble answer to Joan's (Sweetwater Charters) problem could be the
location of the fluxgate compass.  She has replaced the control head
with absolutely no luck, and the only remaining parts to the autopilot
are the compass and the drive (Whoops, there are the wires between
these items ... Are they connected properly?).  There was a big thread
on this group a while ago about placement of the compass, but I didn't
save it.  Does anyone remember where the best place to locate the
fluxgate compass is?

Steve
Alchemist #909

--- 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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