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

[Chris Burti]

I read those also, but while I was doing the install, I checked ram travel
and rudder arm travel and the rudder arm travel was a few degrees less than
that of the ram travel.
Chris Burti
Farmville, NC



On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 9:11 AM P.F. Ross <pfrstl at gmail.com> wrote:

> Chris, interesting.
>
> Seems like I recall seeing write ups and pics on how others did their hard
> stops but maybe those were all on older boats like mine.  Those articles
> are what prompted me to look more closely into the Raymarine ram
> installation manual where they required the stops.  This is all from
> memory, so I hope I am not "mis-remembering".
>
> Frank Ross
> Beta Wave #206
>
> On Tue, Nov 24, 2020 at 8:05 AM Chris Burti <clburti at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Frank,
> > I did not have to do that. It might be because Commitment is a later
> model
> > or the geometry of our rudder arm mount, but the existing rudder limit is
> > within the range of the ram.
> >
> > Best Regards,
> > Chris Burti
> > Commitment #867
> >
> > > On Nov 24, 2020, at 8:52 AM, P.F. Ross <pfrstl at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > 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
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>
> > >>
> > >>
> >
>