[C320-list] EV-100 install on early 320

[Stephen Cox]

> I have seen the dimple you refer to on the stand and wondered 
> if that was the Centre for the motor cut out. I also thought 
> that the cable conduit may still be in the way, how did you 
> cut that away without removing all the cabling within it?
> 

Very carefully!  I can't remember but probably used a Dremel type tool to carefully remove the material.  I do remember inserting a
strip of metal down the tube to keep the wires to one side and protected.

> I will be sailing in the Hauraki Gulf and east side of 
> Northland Coast of New Zealand. While a bit more sheltered 
> than your trip to Tasmania depending on wind and swell 
> direction still somewhat open water conditions so I was a 
> little concerned about the robustness of the system. 

I was fitting out a new C320 and not unusually the costs mounted pretty quickly so cost was a consideration.  As they seemed to be
used satisfactorily by almost everyone on the C320 email list, I initially installed the wheelpilot .  However, it turns out a lot
of presumably mainly US Catalina owners appear to be day sailors who chose their weather carefully or don't sail on the open seas.
Given the time over I would not install a wheelpilot on a C320.

 
> When you upgraded to the hydraulic ram were you able to use 
> the old control box, head unit and GPS unit or was it a 
> complete refit?

I had an S1 control unit with no built in gyro. I purchased an SPX-30 by watching eBay, Defender sales and the like carefully for
some considerable time and got one at suitable price.  When I went to the hydraulic ram drive I was able to use all the existing
gear, just connecting the hydraulic pump to the appropriate connections on the control box.  I used a third party hydraulic pump and
ram by the way which again I was able to pick up at a ridiculously cheap price from a boat shop going out of business.

Looking up the specs for the EV-1 wheelpilot, the control box is capable of supporting their smallest hydraulic drive but I don't
think it will offer sufficient drive for a C320 in heavy conditions.  There would be no point of going to the better setup and then
having it underpowered when you really needed it.
 
 
Stephen Cox
Tegwen #1141