[C320-list] Raymarine Autopilot

[Rich Allen]

Paul, your comment about "autopilot hallucinations" brings back a memory.
We took delivery of our 320 last spring, and as we motored out of the
harbor we tested the autopilot while heading in an easterly direction, and
it worked great.  So we checked the "autopilot works" box, went to standby
and continued out of the harbor.  Once underway, we now were headed west
and we hit auto again.  The display was blinking so I hit the auto button a
second time.  After about 30 seconds the boat made a hard 180 degree turn,
nearly throwing me off the boat!  After doing some reading in the ST4000+
manual, we learned that the sequence activated the "use previous heading"
feature.  (manual can be found at this link:
https://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_gen_96382241.pdf)

On a related note, our autohelm was unreliable over the past season.
Sometimes it worked fine, and other times it would reboot itself, or
automatically switch back to standby.  And on some occasions it displayed a
"low battery" message.  This spring I may have resolved this issue.  I used
a multimeter to observe the voltage at the control unit while activating
steering while at the dock, bumping the -10 and +10 degree buttons.  When
the motor activated the voltage was dropping from 12.8v to 9.8v briefly.  I
refreshed the connections within the pod with solder joints replacing
crimps and had the same results.  Then I had my wife activate the autohelm
while I measured back at the control panel.  I found that the switch had a
variable voltage drop each time the switch was flipped from off to on.  I
have a switch and circuit breaker on order from Catalina Direct in hopes
that this resolves the intermittent autopilot failures.  Maybe the problems
you are experiencing have similar causes?

Rich Allen, Destiny, 1995 C-320 #265

On Fri, Jun 2, 2023 at 3:49 PM Paul Hetherington via C320-list <
c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:

> Sorry to step on the tread Ken, I don't have any experience direct drive
> systems, other than a little research and some envy.
>
> Fixing my autopilots 'hallucinations' is high on my lust list.  With my 2
> younger kids and only mildly interested Admiral on board having a working
> autopilot was a quality of life improvement for sure.  Until the
> 'hard-a-port' episodes started.   Moved anything metal far from the gear
> with no results.
>
> At this point it seems I need another head unit to properly troubleshoot.
> If anyone has an old Raymarine St4000 or similar (ST6000 and some others
> compatible) in your discard pile let me know.
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Paul Hetherington
> Hull #155, 1994 C320 Seasun
>
> On Fri, Jun 2, 2023 at 12:13 PM Chris Burti via C320-list <
> c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
>
> > When I did this Project on #867 I fabricated the backing plate out of a
> > scrap piece of 1/8"  316 stainless using home shop tools and polished it
> > myself. Definitely an easy  DIY project if you have a 4-1/2" angle
> grinder
> > with a cut off disk.
> >
> > Chris Burti
> > Farmville, NC
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Jun 2, 2023 at 1:32 PM ptormey 4square.net via C320-list <
> > c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Jeff Hare has posted detailed info for that conversion and with his
> help,
> > > I completed it on Blue Skies #1037 2 years ago. VERY happy with the
> > result.
> > >
> > > BUT The only thing I could re-use was the rudder angle indicator, and
> you
> > > might not even have one of those.
> > >
> > > The new Powerhead is NMEA 2000 which is great BUT you might have to
> > update
> > > you existing stuff too.  The kit is complete from Raymarine but there
> is
> > a
> > > little an annoying Edson Tiller Arm that was surprisingly expensive and
> > had
> > > to be cut to fit. AND the backing plate needs custom machining. Jeff
> has
> > > posted a CAD file for that.
> > >
> > > While I do like the look of a finished backing plate, If I'm doing it
> > > again, I'd use aluminum for both pieces. You can only see it getting
> into
> > > the bunk headfirst.
> > >
> > > Pat
> > >
> > > Pat Tormey
> > > Blue Skies S/V
> > > Newport RI
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of
> > > Ken McCrimmon via C320-list <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com>
> > > Sent: Friday, June 2, 2023 1:11 PM
> > > To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com>
> > > Cc: Ken McCrimmon <kenmccrimmon at hotmail.com>
> > > Subject: [C320-list] Raymarine Autopilot
> > >
> > > Hi Everyone
> > > I currently have a Raymarine Wheel Autopilot (EV100) installed on Kia
> > Ora.
> > > I am looking at having to replace the wheel section due to some
> > > malfunction.
> > > Instead, I was thinking about installing a direct drive system.  I am
> > just
> > > wondering if i can re-use any of the current components.
> > > They are only a couple of years old.
> > >
> > > Ken
> > >
> >
>