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

[Graeme Clark]

Just to clarify for anyone reading this who isn't already aware. There are essentially three options - an electric wheel pilot, an electric below deck ram and a hydraulic below deck ram.
The last option is a lot more expensive than the other two as it requires installation of a hydraulic pump!

Graeme
#366, 1996

> On 24 Nov 2020, at 06:41, Ian Neale <kiwineales at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> Thanks Stephen, again very insightful. 
> 
> I am going to call Raymarine in the morning and see what they say about converting to a hydraulic system in due course. Even if I had to swap out the drive unit it may still be an ok way forward. 
> 
> My key objectives are to have an Autopilot for sail changes, spinnaker drops etc, motoring and light wind sailing. I think when we are out in 20 plus knots i will want to be on the wheel myself. So given this the wheel system may be all I need. 
> 
> Thanks, Ian.  
> 
> Sent from. my iPhone
> 
>> On Nov 24, 2020, at 6:41 PM, Stephen Cox <scox at timmin.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>> 
>>> 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 
>> 
>> 
>