[C320-list] Some instrument advice out there?

Tue Sep 2 07:52:52 PDT 2014

More information.  Thanks. 

Scott Westwood

scottwestwood at bellsouth.net
H (919)-362-8538
C (919)-618-7185

________________________________
 From: Scott Thompson <surprise at thompson87.com>
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com 
Sent: Tuesday, September 2, 2014 10:47 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Some instrument advice out there?

I've had no issues like that at all. When power is completely off you 
don't notice it is there. The helm is lighter than with the old wheel 
drive, which always had a bit of drag. I've never tried shutting off 
power while the linear drive is engaged, however so perhaps that would 
be a failure mode. But my understanding is that it is a magnetic clutch 
that is supposed to disengage when power is removed. If for some reason 
the drive actually broke or jammed so that you could not steer then I 
think it would be pretty easy to remove the clip securing it to the 
tiller arm so that you could steer again. I have read about clutch 
failures that caused jamming, but the issues were mechanical wear and 
tear, not electrical.

BTW, wheel drive is a manual disengage until something breaks. When one 
of the bearing mount posts inside my old ST4000+ broke I had a devil of 
a time steering until I could drop anchor and remove the wheel drive. 
True that the unit was "disengaged" but the now loose belt and broken 
parts rattling around inside kept jamming so that I couldn't turn the 
wheel. With the linear drive, the main problem I've seen reported when 
there is a mechanical failure is that the clutch slips, not that the 
drive itself jams.

On 9/2/2014 7:42 AM, Scott Westwood wrote:
> How does the linear drive dis-engage?
>  
> Main concern is if it's electrical, could that fail and you lose manual operation when you want it?  Any issues dis-engaging the autohelm?  Can the helm be stiff if it doesn't fully dis-engage?
>  
> Wheel drive is a manual dis-engage.
>  
> Just asking.
>
>
> Scott Westwood
>  
> scottwestwood at bellsouth.net
> H (919)-362-8538
> C (919)-618-7185
>  
>
> ________________________________
>   From: Scott Thompson <surprise at thompson87.com>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2014 8:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Some instrument advice out there?
>    
>
> Following up on my post from last week. I was on board recently and
> measured the loss in rudder movement with the linear drive. It was more
> than I reported and is more like 33%. Specifically, I now can turn the
> wheel 2/3 of a revolution (4 spokes) in each direction instead of the
> one full turn I had before the rudder stops were modified. 2/3 is plenty
> for maneuvering the boat in my experience.
>
> Scott
>
>
>
>
> On 8/23/2014 11:54 AM, Scott Thompson wrote:
>> You lose some rudder movement with the linear drive, but I haven't
>> really felt it was an issue. I haven't been on board for a few weeks,
>> but going from memory, I would guess that I lost maybe 20% of rudder
>> travel. (I'll try to measure next time I'm on board.) I can still turn
>> the boat around in place by putting the wheel hard over to port and
>> then alternating between forward and reverse. On the other hand,
>> Surprise lives on a mooring and I rarely need to maneuver into a slip
>> where sharp turns would be required.
>>
>> The upgrades were a major investment and I made sure that the spouse
>> understood that we were committing to keep the boat for a while if we
>> made that investment. I think we've both been very happy with the
>> results. We have better performance and a much simplified helm
>> station. I was amazed at the performance improvement over the older
>> wheel drive.
>>
>> The linear drive attaches to an Edson tiller arm that bolts directly
>> to the rudder shaft. I believe it is keyed so that the arm won't slip
>> on the shaft. It was a professional install. I'm pretty sure that the
>> Edson hardware for rotary drives clamps around the rudder post in a
>> similar fashion. You should contact them directly to inquire.
>>
>> Scott
>>
>> On 8/23/2014 9:40 AM, Robert Sloat wrote:
>>> Scott-I checked out your pictures on the C320 website.  Very
>>> informative.  How much rudder movement do you lose from end stop to
>>> end stop with the linear installation?  I haven’t check out if there
>>> is any loss with a rotary system, but I assume installing a sprocket
>>> on the rudder post on our C320s requires disconnecting the rudder
>>> p0st so the sprocket can be installed.  That looks like a fairly big
>>> project even for me.
>>>
>>> I sail on Lake Michigan and so far the Raymarine ST 4000+ has
>>> performed well is all conditions save for two control head repairs
>>> needed over 13 seasons.
>>>
>>> The upgrade of instruments on your boat looks impressive.  I would
>>> love to go that route to get the upgrade with everything looking
>>> coordinated rather than mix and match series models. Need to somehow
>>> to do this without revealing the dollar amount to spouse.  After all
>>> this is a sport and mental health depends on it being fun.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Aug 21, 2014, at 9:04 AM, Scott Thompson <surprise at thompson87.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'll add that after two seasons I couldn't be happier with the
>>>> Raymarine linear drive setup, except for a few minor issues having
>>>> to do with the control unit software: I don't like the "rolling
>>>> road" graphical animation on the control unit when I'm in "track"
>>>> mode. It's just silly, and does not show me the compass or wind
>>>> information I get in other modes. And certain "pattern" modes are
>>>> only available if you configure the unit to think it is installed on
>>>> a fishing boat, in which case the wind modes disappear. Don't they
>>>> know that sometimes people go fishing from a sailboat when the wind
>>>> dies? (The patterns could also be helpful in a MOB or emergency
>>>> search situation.)
>>>>
>>>> The linear drive itself is terrific. It is almost silent and very
>>>> smooth. I like the fact that I have an independent steering
>>>> solution. It drives the boat much better than the older ST4000+ unit
>>>> it replaced, with none of the "snake wake" problems I had with the
>>>> older unit when in track mode.
>>>>
>>>> Scott Thompson
>>>> Surprise, #653
>>>>
>>>> On 8/20/2014 10:19 AM, Allan S Field wrote:
>>>>> Scott Thompson has pictures out on the C320 website regarding a
>>>>> linear drive
>>>>> install.  I followed his instructions and did the same install
>>>>> after going
>>>>> through 3 wheel pilots.  I highly recommend this robust solution.  The
>>>>> linear drive is designed for a 24K pound boat and the C320 is less
>>>>> than 12K
>>>>> with the result that the drive will hold a straight line course in
>>>>> virtually
>>>>> any kind of wind and seas. See:
>>>>> http://www.catalina320.com/search.php?query=linear+drive&type=all&mode=searc
>>>>>
>>>>> h&results=30
>>>>>
>>>>> Allan S. Field
>>>>> Sea Shadow - #808
>>>>> Columbia, MD
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On
>>>>> Behalf
>>>>> Of Stephen Cox
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2014 10:01 AM
>>>>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>>>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Some instrument advice out there?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>    1. I was assuming wheel drive  but what models fit the wheel
>>>>>> with the
>>>>>> factory pedestal arrangement?
>>>>>>    2. What models has anybody installed recently and what are your
>>>>>> thoughts?
>>>>> You have to ask yourself when will you really need the autopilot.
>>>>> The wheel
>>>>> pilot is OK for mild conditions but when the going gets really
>>>>> tough the
>>>>> wheel pilot setup just won't cut the mustard in the long run.  Been
>>>>> there,
>>>>> done that.  I have upgraded my Autohelm system from an ST4000 II
>>>>> autopilot
>>>>> by installing a hydraulic ram setup acting directly onto a lever on
>>>>> the
>>>>> rudder stock (separate from the steering quadrant), upgraded the
>>>>> computer to
>>>>> an X30 (needed to provide the maximum amps of the ram setup) and
>>>>> reused the
>>>>> control head.  Using a separate lever onto the rudder stock gives you
>>>>> complete backup steering if something fails in the normal steering
>>>>> setup.
>>>>> Some people do connect their drives to the quadrant but Edson don't
>>>>> recommend it and if you think about it it’s a false economy if it
>>>>> fails.
>>>>>
>>>>> There are good linear drive systems out there too now so you don't
>>>>> have to
>>>>> go hydraulic, its just that I managed to get a ram setup on eBay
>>>>> for about
>>>>> 1/10 of the rrp from a former dealer who was remaindering his stock
>>>>> of bits
>>>>> and pieces.
>>>>>
>>>>> As to second hand, if cost is an issue I would pay to get the drive
>>>>> new but
>>>>> the computer, compass, rudder angle and control head second hand.
>>>>> As new
>>>>> models of gear come out there are always people who just have to
>>>>> upgrade
>>>>> what is really quite good gear with plenty of feature and life in it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Just my two pennies worth,
>>>>>
>>>>> Stephen Cox
>>>>> Tegwen #1141
>>>>>
>>> Bob Sloat
>>> Savannah 894 (2002)
>>> Waukegan Harbor, IL
>>>