[C320-list] Autopilot

[B. Stumpp]

Ian, 

 

I did something similar to Warren but couldn't enlarge one of the existing
holes so drilled a new hole.  I just held the wheel/Autohelm assembly near
the wheel axle, rotated the ring around until everything cleared the dash
board, etc.  Then CAREFULLY drilled a new hole in the back of the ring where
it matched with the mounted pin.  Mine is the Raymarine (gray ring) unit. 

 

Bruce Stumpp

1999, C320, #647, Adventure

Frog Mortar Creek, MD

 

Message: 8

Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 15:59:18 -0500

From: Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com>

To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>

Subject: Re: [C320-list] Autopilot

Message-ID: <COL129-DS23CA659EC17CD0F63FD324BEEC0 at phx.gbl>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

 

The answer may depend on which version of the wheel pilot you have. I

switched from the original Autohelm unit (black ring)to the newer Raymarine

(gray ring) recently and found that: the original pin was usable where it

was but I had to lengthen the hole in the ring very slightly; the unit is

slightly larger and had to be rotated about 180 degrees so that the drive

motor is on the left side of the pedestal (fortunately, the wire was just

long enough to reach.) Having done that, it is a better device than the

older black model.

I remember discussions about the dash board being an issue and able to be

lowered to accommodate the new device. I was able to get around that. It's

also possible that different mechanics at Catalina mounted the dash board

higher or lower than others thus creating the problem. 

Warren & Pattie Updike

1994 C320 #62 "Warr De Mar"

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Ian Davis [mailto:iand2002 at hotmail.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 2:33 PM

To: C320-List at Catalina320.com

Subject: [C320-list] Autopilot

 

Has anyone mounted a Raymarine (was Autohelm) wheel autopilot onto an early

320 (mine is #18).  My experience of doing this comes from my old 32?

Jeanneau 15 years ago which I no longer have.  But I now want to add one to

my C320  

One part requiring mounting is a circular drive unit that must be attached

to 3 of the steering wheel spokes.  A built-in motor then drives the boat?s

wheel.  To stop the whole unit revolving when the motor runs, there is a

separate large ? diameter metal pin that must be mounted to the binnacle

housing with the pin poking into a hole on the circular drive unit at the

bottom.

On my Jeanneau affixing the pin to the binnacle seemed relatively easy ? a

couple of screws.  But, on the C320, there is a huge instrument panel for

the engine controls just behind and below the wheel hub precluding access to

most of the binnacle housing.  I was in the local West Marine discussing

this and they called Raymarine but the guy we got effectively refused to

discuss mounting for a specific boat type (other than to suggest ? ?mount it

upside down ? with the pin at the top!?).

So, the question ? has anyone mounted (or even just have) a

Raymarine/Autohelm wheel autopilot on a C320 and how is the circular drive

unit?s metal pin mounted to the binnacle.

Thanks,   Ian Davis     Wind Star (#18)