Wandering auto pilot
 

I have an auto helm, and latley it has been wandering, back and forth. Any
sujjestions on how to correct this?

Thanks, in advance

Sterling

"Florida Keyz" wrote in message
...
I have an auto helm, and latley it has been wandering, back and forth. Any
sujjestions on how to correct this?

Thanks, in advance

Sterling

How about:

1. You're heading north a lot - most fluxgate compasses get rather sluggish
when heading northward and autopilot response suffers

2. You've stowed a metal caulking gun near the compass (or something
similar....)


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

Florida Keyz wrote:
I have an auto helm, and latley it has been wandering, back and forth. Any
sujjestions on how to correct this?

Thanks, in advance

Sterling

It would help if you told us what brand and model, and how much
wandering are you talking about?

I assume you've gone through the manual looking at all of the
adjustments possible. My Autohelm 4000+ wanders a bit in rough seas -
it has rudder sensitivity adjustments, although only two settings are
possible (response levels 1&2) without going in the setup mode.

If you're talking about major wandering, check out the compass. On my
old boat I put the compass under the forward cabin. However, my boat
shoes have a metal shank, so if I walked in the cabin (or if a shoe was
rolling around) the boat would suddenly veer off course.

A friend had a worse case of that - workmen unmount the compass and left
it lying in the bilge. On their first long trip the compass started
rolling around, cause the boat to do spontaneously do circles!

On 01 Dec 2004 05:08:34 GMT, (Florida Keyz) wrote:

I have an auto helm, and latley it has been wandering, back and forth. Any
sujjestions on how to correct this?

Check for slack in your steering system, unless your autohelm has a
direct sensor for actual rudder position.

Ryk

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 22:48:33 -0800, "Evan Gatehouse"
wrote:

How about:

1. You're heading north a lot - most fluxgate compasses get rather sluggish
when heading northward and autopilot response suffers

Really? This is a new one to me, and at first flush I can't think of a
reason why this should be. Can you explain?

Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The destruction of the World Trade Center was
a faith-based initiative. -- George Carlin

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 22:48:33 -0800, "Evan Gatehouse"
wrote:

How about:

1. You're heading north a lot - most fluxgate compasses get rather
sluggish
when heading northward and autopilot response suffers

Really? This is a new one to me, and at first flush I can't think of a
reason why this should be. Can you explain?

This is a simplified version.


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)


http://www.boatus.com/husick/techno01_02.asp

One of the adjustments for an autopilot is to enter the latitude so that
this error can be corrected. If the mode is turned on, it may be able
to pick up the lat from the gps.

For example, see page 111 of:
http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/S...00plus_mk2.pdf


Evan Gatehouse wrote:
"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message
...

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 22:48:33 -0800, "Evan Gatehouse"
wrote:


How about:

1. You're heading north a lot - most fluxgate compasses get rather

sluggish

when heading northward and autopilot response suffers

Really? This is a new one to me, and at first flush I can't think of a
reason why this should be. Can you explain?


This is a simplified version.

If this is an original grey metal box type Tiller Master or an older
auto helm (pre flux gate compass), they start to wander when the
photoelectic cell or the small bulb that powers it has gone dim. I
repaired my Tiller Master by replacing both the bulb and the photo
electric cell from Radio Shack stuff. This is finicky work and buying a
new one
is probably the easiest solution. Also, check the power cord for
corrosion as any loss of power can also cause this.
good luck with it j

Florida Keyz wrote:

I have an auto helm, and latley it has been wandering, back and forth. Any
sujjestions on how to correct this?

Thanks, in advance

Sterling