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

[P.F. Ross]

All,

One requirement for the Raymarine ram is that you must install hard stops
to limit the rudder to (IIRC) +/- 35 degrees rotational travel.  This, I
assume, is to keep the ram itself from acting as travel stops.

This amount of rudder travel seems more than adequate for open water
sailing, but it may not be for everyone.  For example, our dock is close to
the end of a narrow canal and we feel like we need the entire ~55 degrees
(as measured by me) rudder swing in order to turn our boat around in one
motion (she turns in not much more than one boat length).  Of course, we
are moving very slowly when we perform this maneuver and are also well
protected from wind and waves.  But this is why we chose the
wheel autopilot, no stops.

That said, we are Gulf of Mexico coastal sailors but even then we have been
in a condition that overpowered the wheel pilot and had to take the wheel
ourselves.  So it is not for everyone but it works well for us.

Frank Ross
Beta Wave #206
Naples, FL

On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 2:07 AM Graeme Clark <cg at skyflyer.co.uk> wrote:

> 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
> >>
> >>
> >
>
>