I am currently looking at tiller pilots for a 27 footer, and am
deciding between the Simrad TP10 and Raymarine ST1000+
Tiller Pilot A12004.

What I found on them says that both are not really waterproof,
the TP10 is said to be faster and stronger, but lacks interfaces
to other navigation electronics. Both are made by subsidiaries
of weapon manufacturers.

As they seem both equally bad in water resistance and pedigree,
I am leaning towards the TP10. I am not planning to connect it to
other gadgets, I like the "faster and stronger" promise, and hope
that Scandinavian maritime engineering for the professional fishing
fleet beats American for recreational boating.

Am I missing other important points here, or are there other
products I should consider?


Thanks!

I have a Navico tiller pilot on my 27 footers
The making of components are outsourced to China and about.
The enemies number one of tiller pilots is the humidity.
You have to pick up a design that is well sealed and have a waterproof
breathing hole. The inside compass has to be well shielded to avoid any
electro magnetic interference with your radio and other electronic
components.
The response time is crucial. With a 27 footer when in choppy waves and
high wind you need a fast response time.
On long distant trip I bring my old tiller pilot as a spare, with the Navico
I never had to use it.


"Chris" wrote in message
ups.com...
I am currently looking at tiller pilots for a 27 footer, and am
deciding between the Simrad TP10 and Raymarine ST1000+
Tiller Pilot A12004.

What I found on them says that both are not really waterproof,
the TP10 is said to be faster and stronger, but lacks interfaces
to other navigation electronics. Both are made by subsidiaries
of weapon manufacturers.

As they seem both equally bad in water resistance and pedigree,
I am leaning towards the TP10. I am not planning to connect it to
other gadgets, I like the "faster and stronger" promise, and hope
that Scandinavian maritime engineering for the professional fishing
fleet beats American for recreational boating.

Am I missing other important points here, or are there other
products I should consider?


Thanks!

Chris,

Those are about all the tiller pilots that are available.

The Raymarine company separated from Raytheon five years ago, but their
designs of the tillerpilots are still those from when the company was a
british firm called Autohelm (Something). Raytheon had been their
design source.

Simrad bought Navico and something else a few years ago. I believe that
Navico was also a british concern prior to that.

Neither is design for commercial service.

There was a Practical Sailor evaluation several years ago, but I have
never read as I already had a an St1000+.

If something says that one is faster and stronger than the other, that
may well be, but I never noticed I have set up and used both and both
work.

Do not discount the ability to have the autopilot listen to the GPS.
When you use this capability, the device takes you down the rhum line to
the waypoint - not sort of off in this direction - end of discussion (do
not use aids to navigation as waypoints). It is worth the upgrade price
in my opinion.

We use it most when setting and clearing sail, next would be when
underpower on flat water and lastly on long reaches.

Get both manuals off the websites and read them before you buy.

Fair Wind and Smooth Sea
Matt Colie



Chris wrote:
I am currently looking at tiller pilots for a 27 footer, and am
deciding between the Simrad TP10 and Raymarine ST1000+
Tiller Pilot A12004.

What I found on them says that both are not really waterproof,
the TP10 is said to be faster and stronger, but lacks interfaces
to other navigation electronics. Both are made by subsidiaries
of weapon manufacturers.

As they seem both equally bad in water resistance and pedigree,
I am leaning towards the TP10. I am not planning to connect it to
other gadgets, I like the "faster and stronger" promise, and hope
that Scandinavian maritime engineering for the professional fishing
fleet beats American for recreational boating.

Am I missing other important points here, or are there other
products I should consider?


Thanks!

I use an old Autohelm AH800 on my 8000lb 28' S2 and it works very well.
It interfaces to nothing more than my hand.

Thanks for all the input! I ordered the TP10.
Downloading the manuals was a good idea,
I hadn't thought of this.