[C320-list] Raymarine EV-200 Autopilot upgrade project

[danny jensen]

Jeff,
The reason I spent the extra money on the more powerful linear drive unit
was because it should be able to hold a course in hold a course in heavy
seas while sailing while i go forward and reduce sail area, pee, get a beer
etc. I was not happy with the wheel steering in seas / sailing in over 13
knots of breeze. I sail by myself to Catalina at least 15 times a year and
I'm tired of that off course alarm.  I believe the heavy duty aspect of the
linear drive will stand up to heavy seas / sailing (not motoring).  I don't
think I could justify the added expense if I didn't single hand so much.
Lastly, if an an emergency was to occur in heavy seas while i'm single
handing I could tend to the emergency without needed to drive the boat so
some of the cost justification is safety.
Danny

On Wed, Dec 16, 2015 at 10:26 AM, danny jensen <dbjensen1219 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Jeff,
> The reason I spent the extra money on the more powerful linear drive unit
> was because it should be able to hold a course in hold a course in heavy
> seas while sailing while i go forward and reduce sail area, pee, get a beer
> etc. I was not happy with the wheel steering in seas / sailing in over 15
> knots of breeze. I sail by myself to Catalina at least 15 times a year and
> I'm tired of that off course alarm.  I believe the heavy duty aspect of the
> linear drive will stand up to heavy seas / sailing.  I don't think I could
> justify the added expense if I didn't single hand so much. Lastly if an an
> emergency was to occur in heavy seas while i'm single handing I could tend
> to the emergency without needed to drive the boat so some of the cost
> justification is safety.
>
> Danny
>
> On Wed, Dec 16, 2015 at 9:44 AM, Jeffrey Brown <oceanblues at mac.com> wrote:
>
>> Danny
>> Thanks for sending the update. Curious to hear the specific differences
>> you’ve noticed between the wheel pilot vs. the linear drive? I’m trying to
>> determine which way to go. You make a very good point about the differences
>> in how long each will last, although my current wheel pilot has lasted
>> about 19 years.  Thanks.
>>
>>
>> Jeff Brown
>> "Out of the blue" Dana Point, CA
>> Catalina 320, Hull 78
>> (949) 350-5123
>> oceanblues at mac.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > On Dec 16, 2015, at 9:03 AM, danny jensen <danny at jensenshouse.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > PROJECT
>> >
>> > I just finished the my hull #972 Catalina 320 autopilot upgrade from a
>> > wheel based autopilot to a Raymarine EV-200 autopilot using a tiller
>> based
>> > Type 1 linear drive.  The autopilot is integrated with the Raymarine e7
>> > MFD. I used a boat electronics guy to do the install
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > INSTALLATION
>> >
>> > The install took a bunch of time about 38 hours of a paid installers
>> time.
>> > I used Jeff Hare’s detailed instructions (also thanks to Allen Field for
>> > sharing his design with Jeff). It was interesting how at first, my
>> > installer was not excited about installing the tiller arm forward. Then
>> he
>> > wanted to take up the entire starboard locker. I insisted to
>> Jeff's/Allen's
>> > design and in the end, he thought the design was the best possible
>> choice.
>> > I did however, deviate by with the rudder tracking sensor. I'll post
>> > pictures on the C320 site. Jeff was currently working on a rudder stop
>> but
>> > I used the factory rudder stop unchanged.  I talked to Reid at Edson and
>> > ordered the tiller and he said the linear drive needed to be in the
>> middle
>> > of the tiller arm not on the top. This mounting is not feasible
>> according
>> > to Jeff and I agree. My install did drill a hole through the rudder post
>> > pinning the tiller arm to the rudder as recommended by Edson. Jeff used
>> > another method on his install. I copied Jeff's backing plates
>> sandwiching
>> > the aft cabin bulkhead.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > PERFORMANCE
>> >
>> > The interesting thing was I lost no turning radius. We used my existing
>> > cable stop setting. The installer said he just finished another Catalina
>> > and he said that boat lost some turning radius due to the way they had
>> > rigged the rudder stop from the factory.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Jeff was right about the wheel feeling a bit stiff now because it pushes
>> > against the linear drive motor. It is not so bad but it is not a light
>> > touch.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Wow. The auto pilot is really smooth and turns on a dime and rolls out
>> to
>> > course perfectly. I've only driven in flat water so far. The wheel does
>> not
>> > move much and it does not over correct like the old wheel steering.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > COST
>> >
>> > The total cost of the project with install was $6,920. It was $1,500
>> more
>> > than I thought mainly because of install labor. It was very expensive
>> and
>> > hard to justify but I single hand a bunch in heavy seas so I think I’ll
>> use
>> > my boat more and will be willing to take longer trips. My boats
>> electronics
>> > guy says the wheel type auto pilots usually last only 10 years as most
>> and
>> > the replacement cost is about $3,000 so you are paying about 2 x the
>> > replacement cost of the wheel based system for the linear drive... And
>> you
>> > will be replacing your autopilot on your schedule not your boats
>> schedule.
>> > The old auto pilots are now out of production I guess? ... It is
>> expensive.
>> > Not doubt about it.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Description
>> >
>> > vendor
>> >
>> > pn
>> >
>> > price
>> >
>> > EV-200 ACU-200,p70R Sail Pack
>> >
>> > raymarine
>> >
>> > T70155
>> >
>> > 1666
>> >
>> > anchorexpress
>> >
>> > Type 1 linear Drive
>> >
>> > raymarine
>> >
>> > M81130
>> >
>> > 1496
>> >
>> > hodges
>> >
>> > rudder stop
>> >
>> > edson
>> >
>> > 862-WIRE (I did not need)
>> >
>> > 0
>> >
>> > Tiller Arm 2.86 pinned
>> >
>> > edson
>> >
>> > 926-10-610-MKII
>> >
>> > 449
>> >
>> > Linear Drive backing plate
>> >
>> > custom
>> >
>> > 2 ss backing plates
>> >
>> > 450
>> >
>> > Rudder position sensor mounting
>> >
>> > ss bracket
>> >
>> > 100
>> >
>> > raymarine backbone cables T's
>> >
>> > interface with e7 chart plotter
>> >
>> > 189
>> >
>> > 38 hours labor
>> >
>> > 2570
>> >
>> >   6,920.00
>> >
>> >
>> > Danny Jensen
>> > #972
>>
>>
>