[C320-list] Autohelm

[Jeff Church]

Mine was a 1998 model and it had nylon gears. Repairs were too expensive to 
bother with. A new drive unit and a rudder transducer would have cost $675. 
The better value was a new ST4000+ Mk2 kit for $785 including the rudder 
transducer. The RayMarine below deck pilot costs over $2500. Someone 
mentioned the B&G autopilot. It costs around $4000. The ST4000 seems to be 
the only reasonable alternative for coastal use. If you were real paranoid 
you could buy a spare and still be ahead on cost.

Hopefully the rudder trans will make it track much better.

JeffC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "T. Scott Thompson" <sthompson at toad.net>
To: "C320-List" <C320-List at catalina320.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2006 10:10 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Autohelm


>I have a vague recollection that when I took the drive unit for my ST4000+ 
>in for repairs a while ago the technician told me that the older units had 
>better gears (metal vs. plastic), or maybe it was the other way around.  I 
>don't remember for sure.  But it's worth finding out whether the old units 
>are better if your old drive unit is still functional.
>
> I'm not completely happy with the ST4000+ that came with my boat from the 
> previous owner.  It does not steer a straight line under power with no 
> wind or waves, which seems like it should be a baseline requirement. 
> (Before someone advises me to recalibrate or change the settings, I've 
> already tried that many times.)  The drive unit is not especially beefy 
> and Raymarine does not provide adequate instructions for maintenance or 
> servicing in my view.  And when my drive unit broke it temporarily 
> disabled the entire steering system by locking up the wheel.  Repairs are 
> VERY expensive considering that most of the parts are plastic, especially 
> when compared to the replacement cost of the unit.  If I have any more 
> trouble with mine I'm going to look seriously at a below deck unit.  The 
> technology has advanced considerably since these things were designed, and 
> the more advanced Raymarine units should offer all of the remote control 
> options and other bells and whistles of the ST4000+ plus some.  The main 
> advantage of this unit seems to be initial cost and relatively easy 
> installation.  If they now tell people that you need a rudder reference 
> unit to get good performance then that advantage is diminished.
>