[C320-list] Autohelm
T. Scott Thompson
sthompson at toad.net
Sat Jan 14 08:34:00 PST 2006
It might be "cool" to motor around with no one at the helm, but I
suspect that the USCG might take a dim view of this if you were doing
this in a way that actually scared people. And I doubt if it's legal in
a harbor setting given that you don't have any control of your engine
with units like this.
Returning to the original question: It's not clear to me that the
remote control is an argument for the ST4000+. I'm fairly sure you can
get the same or better functionality with other Raymarine autopilots,
and probably with units from other manufacturers too.
Robert E. Sloat wrote:
>I have Hull 894 (2002) and the OEM installation from the Catalina factory is
>Raymarine ST60 wind, speed and depth instruments along with latest 4000
>wheel autopilot. Once you swing the fluxgate compass and set the wind
>instrument calibrated per owner's manual everything works just fine. The
>autopilot settings I use are those lifted from the 320 site which I believe
>are basically very close to factory recommendations.
>
>One advantage of the Raymarine autopilot that I just discovered on their
>website is that their SmartController wireless autopilot controller appears
>to be plug and play with the 4000 autopilot and gives you both the benefit
>of wireless autopilot control and a repeater of digital data. I may install
>this in the spring and eliminate the hassle of installing a wired repeater
>on the mast. The hand held SmartController could be mounted or just placed
>somewhere under the dodger so you can observe speed changes based on sail
>adjustment without having to go back to the helm or ask for a reading from
>the skipper. The SmartController display screen is not very large, but it
>would be right next to the crew and looks like a nice improvement.
>
>The wireless unit would be very convenient to make heading adjustments when
>soloing and at the bow setting the asymmetrical spinnaker. It might be cool
>to scare folks at the harbor when under power by emptying the cockpit,
>hanging out at the bow and steering with the remote. I believe the wireless
>range is around 30 feet so there is a low chance some joker on shore with a
>similar unit could join in on the fun.
>
>I will stop but the Raymarine booth at Strictly Sail here in Chicago to
>discuss installation with a rep.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Sweetwater Yacht Charters" <sail at sweetwater-charters.net>
>To: "C320-List" <C320-List at catalina320.com>
>Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 6:11 PM
>Subject: Re: [C320-list] Autohelm
>
>
>
>
>>Just to bring this back up, because I don't think I asked the question
>>correctly. Am I right in assuming that most are happy with the ST4000+ on
>>their C320? OR, does anyone have a different unit which they think is
>>better? I will probably be stopping by Strictly Sail in Chicago next month
>>so I might be able to get a deal on something.
>>
>>-Joan
>> C320 #90 Persistence
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "T. Scott Thompson" <sthompson at toad.net>
>>To: "C320-List" <C320-List at catalina320.com>; "Steven Magennis"
>><magenns at yahoo.com>
>>Cc: "C320-List" <C320-List at catalina320.com>
>>Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 1:58 PM
>>Subject: Re: [C320-list] Autohelm
>>
>>
>>The settings quoted below are for the ST4000+, which is NOT the unit in
>>question. In fact, if I read the messages correctly, Joan is asking
>>whether she should upgrade to the ST4000+.
>>
>>Steve: What makes you say that the wind instrument just provides
>>adjustments to the fluxgate input? My impression has been that the
>>fluxgate is no longer used to steer the boat at all when sailing to the
>>wind instrument. The wind mode gives by far the best performance, at
>>least for sailing upwind, I've found.
>>
>>Joan: I've found that my boat with ST4000+ snakes about the same when
>>using the GPS waypoint mode as when using a compass heading mode. May
>>be the function of one GPS vs. another, but I can't think of why the
>>GPS would help much since according to the docs, the Autohelm does not
>>use the GPS heading information at all. (It appears to use the cross
>>track error data and the bearing to waypoint data to determine which
>>course to steer in GPS mode. But my experience is that it will
>>tolerate quite a bit of cross track error before it makes a correction.)
>>
>>I've read here that Raymarine has recommended the rudder sensor to some
>>owners, but have never heard anyone report that they noticed much of an
>>improvement from installing one. I'd love to be proven wrong, however.
>>
>>On the other hand, installing one of the newer Raymarine units that
>>includes a gyro unit to improve the heading response performance of hte
>>compass should make a lot of difference. I don't think you can add
>>this to the ST4000 or ST4000+, however.
>>
>>------------------
>>T. Scott Thompson
>>sthompson at toad.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Quoting Steven Magennis <magenns at yahoo.com>:
>>
>>
>>
>>>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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