[C320-list] Autopilot

[clburti at gmail.com]

Scott’s article on his installation should be appearing in the Spring issue of Mainsheet.






Fair Winds
Chris Burti
Commitment
Catalina 320, #867





From: Scott Thompson
Sent: ‎Saturday‎, ‎November‎ ‎30‎, ‎2013 ‎12‎:‎09‎ ‎PM
To: 320





I'll add my 2 cents on this. Last Spring we took the plunge to install 
below decks linear drive, replacing our ancient wheel pilot. I'm very 
impressed with the performance of the SPX10 with linear drive. If I were 
starting from scratch, as Ian is doing, that is what I would choose.

On 11/26/2013 6:59 PM, Graeme Clark wrote:
> Yes we have done this - I’ll try and find some photos
>
> The pin mounts quite happily on the binnacle below the compass with four screws and this engages with the drive ring to stop it turning. The next problem you will find is that there are only two slots cut in the back of the drive ring into which the pin can engage.
>
> If you choose one slot then the wheel motor sits right by the compass itself and the magnetic field is too great to be compensated out - basically in this position your compass is as much use as a chocolate teapot.
>
> However if you try the other slot you will find that the engine pull stop projecting out of the top of the instrument pod gets in the way. We solved this by paying for the solenoid shut off (about $250 as i recall, fitted) so the engine turns off like a car does, when you turn the key back to the left.
>
> Even then we found that the  wheel pilot clutch engagement level fouled on the engine pod. I gather that others have had the pod lowered to get round this, but we simply cut the end of the lever and filed and sanded it smooth. It’s still quite useable.
>
> As an aside I will say that we find the Raymarine SPx-5 not really up to the job in anything other than fairly benign conditions. I think you needaan inboard rudder mounted actuator to get the best from these units.
>
> Feel free to ask further details
>
> Graeme
> #303, Simia, UK
>
> Photo here: —  http://i41.tinypic.com/2vb79xj.jpg
>
> Its the best I can find, taken from forward of the wheel whilst we had everything out the lockers so all a bit of a mess. However you can see the motor position in relation to the engine instrument pod and just in view on the right of the binnacle is the edge of the plate that mounts the pin. Hope it helps
>
>
> On 26 Nov 2013, at 20:01, c320-list-request at lists.catalina320.com wrote:
>
>> From: Ian Davis <iand2002 at hotmail.com>
>> To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
>> Subject: [C320-list] Autopilot
>> Message-ID: <COL125-DS44A2F4B637E0777084B1ACDEC0 at phx.gbl>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>
>> 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.