What auto pilot do you have?

[Atavist]

I have an old Sharp SeaPilot, which has finally bitten the dust... just becoming  more trouble to keep working that it's worth and has lost my confidence... as such I'm shopping around for a new autopilot... I like the price on teh Simrad and Raymarine Wheel-Pilots but the Raymarine one is only for boats up to 16500lbs laden and I can't even find a weight limit of the Simrad one it just says "up to 39'"  any chance anyone has one of these two systems, or another comparably priced system??  If so how is it working for you? How long have you had it does it seem to strain much?

thanks
J

[dutchie]

I have a old Neco Marine. It has a very robust drive under-deck





I'am still not sure how to get this thing to set a decent and repeatable course. Some how it starts of wel but after a half hour it is going somewhere else 

[RayNWanda]

We have a Simrad WP 5000 that I salvaged off the other boat. It worked OK, seemed to have plenty of power. We were trying to decide whether to use it on Abracadabra or go with an under deck autopilot. We ended up finding a used Sailomat wind vane, so I am going to install the Simrad as a backup.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Cruising with a Raymarine below deck rotary chain drive tied into my helm cables and chain.  A S2G corepack with built in Gyro and a ST 6100 control head, one at the helm and one at the chart table.  I've been happy, but don't ask it to hold a course in heavy flowing seas...in fact....don't as me to do it either!!!!

[Randy]

I installed a Raymarine X-5 this summer. Working great. Handles the boat fine. Of course i am not doing any offshore stuff. All bay sailing. If I was staying Coastal or Bay I would again install the X-5.  Offshore Others more versed in bluewater can better speak to that.

[jim]

We have a Simrad on Ohana. Don't buy one!
In even the lightest breeze it tends to wonder off. It's ok if your motoring and need to go below real quick.
We can't leave the helm for very long, ever!

[SailingSeaDragon]

Sea Dragon has a Raymarine below deck Linear Drive with an S1G Core Pack controlled via the 6001.

Absolutely the best investment I have made for Sea Dragon... The installation can be seen at:

http://www.sailingseadragon.com/AutoPilot.htm

Garner

[EdHouston]

I have the Raymarine S1 Wheel pilot, did not rate it very good at first but now I have all the settings gain etc dialed in it seems to perform well in light to moderate conditions have not had it in heavy air or following seas but do not think it will do too good in the following heavy seas as hand steering in these conditions is difficult at best.

As a side bar has anyone considered increasing the rudder surface area for their 365, I read an article somewhere "Sail or Cruising magazine" about someone who had extended the length of their rudder and greatly increased the steering performance of their boat!!

Ed
S/V Moonlight Mile #110.

[kevin barber]

Ed,  Are you not happy with the way your boat steers?

[EdHouston]

I bought my boat in Key Largo FL and brought her across the Gulf of Mexico to Houston in April May 08 we had following seas 10 15 foot for about three days with 10 to 20 knts wind and steering down and off the waves was a bunch of work with half to full helm switches which seemed like every three seconds. So to ask I am not happy with the way she steers its relative to what your doing I guess we were on a schedule to get her home so could not bear off and make the ride comfortable as you would if you were cruising. She is a great boat and I love her to death, I just think maybe another couple of inches on the tailing edge of the rudder may just give better steering, I could be wrong!!!!!


Ed

[Atavist]

Thanks for all the feedback... I ended up going with a Raymarine X10 below deck rotary drive which ties into the old edson gear assembly below deck that the old Sea Pilot used... so far I'm happy with it...

As Third Day said about his, not that great in a following sea, but then what is....

... for some reason the windvane setting on it always says "no wind data available" even with the ammemomoter is working and powered by the auto-pilot though.... weird.