[C320-list] Raymarine Autopilot failure

[Adam Weiner]

Remember when you guess that you make a gu at of es and s.

Adam

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Scott Thompson
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 12:49 PM
To: C320-List
Cc: ola7442000 at DELETEgmail.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Raymarine Autopilot failure


So you suggest that it is using an algorithm that learns from experience

and adapts?  It's smarter than some people I know in that case!

Bruce Heyman wrote:
> My guess is that the algorithm that is deciding how far to throw the 
> helm over can be more precise if it knows the rudder angle.  For 
> example it can build a table of averages, given the current sea state 
> and wind, that tells it what level of rudder angle produces what level

> of course change.  With out rudder angle it has to make a change, wait

> for it to take effect and then see if it was enough or too much. Just 
> a guess, I have know idea what, if anything, the software in the head 
> is doing. Bruce
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com 
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Scott Thompson
> Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 12:33 PM
> To: ola7442000 at DELETEgmail.com; C320-List
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Raymarine Autopilot failure
> 
> Why would knowing where the rudder is make the autopilot more 
> responsive
> or help get the Sss out?  I've heard this before, but have yet to hear

> any explanation for why it would help.  Does anyone have an
explanation?
> 
> 
> Stan wrote:
>> Hi Ben,
>>
>> Was not sure if your tongue was in your cheek when you refered to the

>> usefulness of a rudder transducer.  If not,  the rudder transducer 
>> does an excellent job of telling the autopilot where the rudder is.  
>> Making the unit more responsive.  It gets the Sss out.
>>
>> Stan
>> "Our Little Amusement" #744
>>
>>
>> On 7/21/06, Ben Waltuck <benw at sun.com> wrote:
>>> Aside from the rudder transducer, I can't see any reason to upgrate 
>>> to the more expensive S1.. so I just wanted to get my old ST4000+ 
>>> repaired, but since it was only an extra $140 to get a new MKII 
>>> wheel drive over repairing my older wheel drive, I upgraded to the 
>>> new MKII. Raymarine sold me the new MKII for $439 with my old MKI as

>>> a trade-in instead of charging me $299 to repair my old MKI.. The 
>>> real problem was that my control unit died.  I sent in both the 
>>> control unit and the drive unit, and they said that my drive unit 
>>> was in pretty rough shape and probably the root cause of the control

>>> unit failure because it had to work so hard to turn the wheel. So in

>>> the end it was $199 to repair the control head plus $439 for a new 
>>> wheel drive = $638 for a new system (half the price of a new S1) I 
>>> just don't see the point in the rudder transducer because I can look

>>> at the steering wheel more easily than looking at the autopilot to 
>>> see how I'm steering.
>>>
>>> Thanks for all the input.. if it stops raining up here in Boston 
>>> sometime soon I might actually get out for a sail!
>>>
>>> Ben Waltuck
>>> Getaway #352
>>>
>>> Len wrote:
>>>
>>>> Or are you looking a a used MKII?
>>>>
>>>> Len
>>>> Aqua5 #1070
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 7/21/06, Jeff Church <jjemail at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Ben,
>>>>>
>>>>> I installed the new wheel drive this Spring. Lowering the pod is 
>>>>> no problem. Remove the front panel, unscrew the 2 screws that 
>>>>> attach the pod to
>>> the
>>>>> binnacle, remove the caulk that seals the aft binnacle post to the

>>>>> pod so that the pod will slide down the post, drill 2 holes 
>>>>> through the back
>>> of
>>>>> the
>>>>> pod, bolt and seal the pod back to the binnacle.
>>>>>
>>>>> You might want to install the wheel drive so that the clutch and 
>>>>> motor are in the 5:00 o'clock position like the original unit was.

>>>>> The 2 positioning
>>>>> holes that are provided will only allow the unit to be mounted so
>>>>> that the
>>>>> motor is in the 11:00 o'clock position. If you mount it there you
will
>>>>> have
>>>>> to deal with moving or extending the wires that connect to the 
>>> unit, as
>>>>> well
>>>>> as the aesthetic differences. Repositioning requires drilling a 
>>>>> new locator hole in the forward ring of the wheel drive. You will 
>>>>> also need to drill a
>>>>> hole in the pod to move the engine-stop handle outboard about an
inch
>>> so
>>>>> that it does not hit the motor. Fill the old hole with a white 
>>>>> plastic snap-in button that you can get at Ace.
>>>>>
>>>>> Good luck.
>>>>>
>>>>> JeffC
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Ben Waltuck" <benw at sun.com>
>>>>> To: "C320-List" <C320-List at catalina320.com>
>>>>> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 1:14 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Raymarine Autopilot failure
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Has anyone replaced their raymarine ST4000 with the newer MKII 
>>>>>> wheel drive?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I send my unit in to raymarine for repair, and they said that 
>>>>>> both
>>> the
>>>>>> control unit and drive unit were broken.. and that it would be 
>>>>>> $299
>>> to
>>>>>> replace my old drive unit or $439 to get the newer MKII drive 
>>>>>> unit
>>> (on
>>>>> top
>>>>>> of $199 to repair the control head). I decided to go ahead for 
>>>>>> the
>>>>> newer
>>>>>> MKII unit, but I seem to recall a post sometime back where 
>>>>>> someone mentioned that they were not able to fit the MKII unit 
>>>>>> without
>>> moving
>>>>> the
>>>>>> engine control pod down.. So my question is.. has anyone
>>> successfully
>>>>>> replaced the ST4000 with the newer MKII wheel drive? AND, did you

>>>>>> have to lower your engine control panel?  Is that as difficult as

>>>>>> it looks?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My fear is that lowering the control panel might be a bit of a
>>> project
>>>>> if
>>>>>> I have to drill a new screw hole because I'd first need to get
>>> all of
>>>>> the
>>>>>> wires out of the pedestal.. and that could be a bit of a pain.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>
> 
> 
> 
>