[C320-list] Repairs for Legacy Autopilots

[Rod Boer]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the timely information.  I am having problems with calibrating
"Audrey", which is my affectionate name for the auto pilot when she is
operating properly.  I will contact Dan and see if it needs service or if
there is a way to get everything working by a pressing and ordered sequence
of buttons. Thanks again.

Rod 

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
Of Robert Sloat
Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2014 12:09 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Repairs for Legacy Autopilots

Mates-I just had my ST 4000+ wheel autopilot  control head which Raymarine
no longer services repaired by Dan Gerhardt who was mentioned a few months
ago by a fellow C320 owner on this site. Costs vary with the amount of work
and my repair was a lot less than what Raymarine charged the last time this
unit was repaired 6 years ago.  He turned it around in a few days and it is
running fine with all the original settings intact.  His contact info is
c250 at mydurango.net.  He is out of that great sailing community of Durango
CO!  He also buys and sells autopilots and services autopilots from
Raymarine, Raytheon and Autohelm. He told me he has done other instrument
repair but with varied success.  Advise dropping him a note if you have an
autopilot repair need for cost and shipping information.  I don't know if he
does autopilot repairs for units that Raymarine still services.  

I am not Gerhardt's agent nor is he related.  I am just delighted to get the
repair done quickly in the middle of the season and saving me a lot of angst
over spending a lot of money for an upgrade replacement and the hassle of
installation a control computer along with the instrument display or taking
a chance on buying a used control head over eBay..  

If your legacy autopilot control head breaks down, the alternative if you
cant't get it repaired could be well over a $1000 for a new display and
control computer or looking on eBay for a used control head which would be
cheaper.  Most of the ST 4000 + control heads on eBay when I last looked
were used and cost well over twice my $150 repair cost which included
including return shipping if prepaid.  While the upgraded Raymarine
autopilot is very good looking, it doesn't match the 2002 area ST60 +
instruments I have on the Nav Pod.

One thing I learned about the Raymarine ST 4000+ is that both the display
and the control computer are in the control head which is the instrument
itself.  This apparently was a poor design as this is the second time it has
been repaired over 13 seasons.  STKL FAIL error message is bad news on the
instrument.  The newer wheel autopilots have a separate instrument and
course computer, the latter installed some where else on the boat. And you
might have to get a separate drive motor which may not be a direct
replacement for the drive motor for the 4000 + possibly requiring more holes
to drill in the Edson pedestal and maybe moving the engine instrument box a
little.

Bob Sloat
Savannah 894 (2002)
Waukegan Harbor, IL