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

[Jeffrey Brown]

Thanks Danny, I do agree the wheel pilot never works well in heavy seas or winds.

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 11:48 AM, danny jensen <danny at jensenshouse.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 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
>>> 
>>> 
>>