Roger Long wrote:
I just bought a Raymarine ST1000 Plus tiller autopilot for my Endeavour
32. The astute among your will immediately wonder how this will work on
a 13,000 pound 32 foot wheel driven boat. The unit will just drive the
vane servo shaft on the Cape Horn steering gear now on order. We could
have bought even a smaller tiller pilot if one was available.

Since I was trying to buy the smallest and cheapest unit I could get, I
was surprised to find out how sophisticated it is. Given the right NMEA
input, it evidently will follow a track to a waypoint instead of just
blindly maintaining a given course. It will even rollover to a new
waypoint and run another leg.

The Raymarine manual describes the inputs needed to follow a track but
in plain English. The Garmin manual for the GPSmap 76Cx I will be using
says:

The following are the sentences for NMEA 0183, Version 3.01 output:

Approved sentences-

GPGCA

GPGLL

GPGSA

GPGSV

GPRMB

GPRMC

GPRTE

GPVTG

GPWPL

GPBOD

GPAPB

If anyone could annotate a quoted copy of this list I would appreciate
it. I've tried to find a listing via Google but the only one I can turn
up is quickly replaced by another page before I can read it. Presumably,
the Capt'n wants you to buy the information.

A link to a similar but readable listing would also help.

Any tips or experience interfacing and using one of these autopilots
with a GPS also appreciated.

Roger,
A good place for NMEA and GPS info is http://vancouver-webpages.com/peter/
krj

On Feb 1, 6:29 pm, "Roger Long" wrote:
I just bought a Raymarine ST1000 Plus tiller autopilot for my Endeavour 32.
The astute among your will immediately wonder how this will work on a 13,000
pound 32 foot wheel driven boat. The unit will just drive the vane servo
shaft on the Cape Horn steering gear now on order. We could have bought even
a smaller tiller pilot if one was available.

Since I was trying to buy the smallest and cheapest unit I could get, I was
surprised to find out how sophisticated it is. Given the right NMEA input,
it evidently will follow a track to a waypoint instead of just blindly
maintaining a given course. It will even rollover to a new waypoint and run
another leg.

The Raymarine manual describes the inputs needed to follow a track but in
plain English. The Garmin manual for the GPSmap 76Cx I will be using says:

The following are the sentences for NMEA 0183, Version 3.01 output:

Approved sentences-

GPGCA

GPGLL

GPGSA

GPGSV

GPRMB

GPRMC

GPRTE

GPVTG

GPWPL

GPBOD

GPAPB

If anyone could annotate a quoted copy of this list I would appreciate it. I've
tried to find a listing via Google but the only one I can turn up is quickly
replaced by another page before I can read it. Presumably, the Capt'n wants
you to buy the information.

A link to a similar but readable listing would also help.

Any tips or experience interfacing and using one of these autopilots with a
GPS also appreciated.

--
Roger Long

Roger,

The ST1000 manual (http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/Default.asp?
site=1&SECTion=3&Page=337&Parent=166) on page 47 lists the NMEA inputs
accepted. And what sentences contain each item.

Most likely if you just wire up the Garmin and the ST1000, it will
work. The garmin most likely is set to transmit the most usefull NMEA
sentences allready. Sentence APB (Autopilot B) seems most
appropriate.

Check crossing of NMEA + and - if it doesn't work.

Todd Smith

"Roger Long" wrote in
:

Any tips or experience interfacing and using one of these autopilots
with a GPS also appreciated.

--
Roger Long


The autopilot doesn't do the navigating. The chart plotter does the
navigating and sends out directional messages to the autopilot via the
network from its calculations taken from GPS position data. i.e. "We
want to go to this waypoint. We are headed in this direction, so we need
to turn the boat 48.5 degrees to starboard to head that way. Our course
over ground to the waypoint shows there is 1.8 knots of current trying to
drag us off course, so we need to subtract that from the boat heading.
Yo! Autopilot! Turn 44.5 degrees to starboard or I'll tell the captain
to replace you!" Autopilot, terrified of being turned into marine scrap,
comes about smartly 44 degrees to starboard, as measured on its compass
I'm convinced, causing an awful gybe because you got cheap and didn't buy
the network wind instrument so Chart Plotter could tell the slaves it
needed to gybe to the new course. The chart plotter makes constant
course corrections and tells the autopilot what to do to make it happen.

Autopilots aren't all that smart, if you haven't guessed that already.
All this is to force you to buy more boxes...GPS boxes...Chart Plotter
boxes...Speed boxes...Gyrocompass boxes...Compass boxes...Wind
boxes...etc. The more boxes, the more data. The more data, the smoother
that turn is because Chart Plotter and Autopilot can see their rate-of-
turn lots more often than waiting on the calculated ROT from the slow GPS
updates. The more boxes, of course, the more profits. Boats are full of
boxes...

Hope the gybe didn't pull apart the traveler that needs replacing....(c;

Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"Roger Long" wrote in
:

Any tips or experience interfacing and using one of these autopilots
with a GPS also appreciated.

--
Roger Long


The autopilot doesn't do the navigating. The chart plotter does the
navigating and sends out directional messages to the autopilot via the
network from its calculations taken from GPS position data. i.e. "We
want to go to this waypoint. We are headed in this direction, so we need
to turn the boat 48.5 degrees to starboard to head that way. Our course
over ground to the waypoint shows there is 1.8 knots of current trying to
drag us off course, so we need to subtract that from the boat heading.
Yo! Autopilot! Turn 44.5 degrees to starboard or I'll tell the captain
to replace you!" Autopilot, terrified of being turned into marine scrap,
comes about smartly 44 degrees to starboard, as measured on its compass
I'm convinced, causing an awful gybe because you got cheap and didn't buy
the network wind instrument so Chart Plotter could tell the slaves it
needed to gybe to the new course. The chart plotter makes constant
course corrections and tells the autopilot what to do to make it happen.

Autopilots aren't all that smart, if you haven't guessed that already.
All this is to force you to buy more boxes...GPS boxes...Chart Plotter
boxes...Speed boxes...Gyrocompass boxes...Compass boxes...Wind
boxes...etc. The more boxes, the more data. The more data, the smoother
that turn is because Chart Plotter and Autopilot can see their rate-of-
turn lots more often than waiting on the calculated ROT from the slow GPS
updates. The more boxes, of course, the more profits. Boats are full of
boxes...

Hope the gybe didn't pull apart the traveler that needs replacing....(c;

Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

I'm pretty much of the opinion that the only automated course correction on
a sailboat, under sail, should be "Steer To Wind." That doesn't insure that
you will go where you want to go, but it will help prevent the boat suddenly
deciding to tack or gybe because it reached a waypoint that you forgot
about. Of course, missing that waypoint turn might put you aground, but
under no circumstances should the boat be allowed to sail itself for any
length of time without supervision -- fall overboard and the boat continues
merrily along its way. I use my tillerpilot on Essie, but only with someone
keeping an eye on "Otto." If I'm singlehanding, I have a remote for "Otto"
that lets me make corrections from the foredeck.

KLC Lewis wrote:

I'm pretty much of the opinion that the only automated course
correction on a sailboat, under sail, should be "Steer To Wind."

All my steering under sail will be done by the Cape Horn windvane servo
pendulum. The small electronic unit will just tweak the servo shaft while
under power with the primary effort to turn the rudder provided by the
boat's motion, just as under sail.

--
Roger Long

"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
KLC Lewis wrote:

I'm pretty much of the opinion that the only automated course
correction on a sailboat, under sail, should be "Steer To Wind."

All my steering under sail will be done by the Cape Horn windvane servo
pendulum. The small electronic unit will just tweak the servo shaft while
under power with the primary effort to turn the rudder provided by the
boat's motion, just as under sail.

--
Roger Long

Ya, Cape Horns are good units. I want to figure out how to add one to my
boat, but with my davits it's a bit difficult.

"KLC Lewis" wrote in
et:

I'm pretty much of the opinion that the only automated course
correction on a sailboat, under sail, should be "Steer To Wind." That
doesn't insure that


Lionheart's Network Pilot (B&G) has 3 options...Steer to Network Wind
instrument's data, steer to the autopilot's compass or take instructions
from one of the chartplotters or The Cap'n.

I agree steering to wind is correct, ESPECIALLY at night sailing short
handed. We never let her go off by herself without someone on watch.
Most of her sailing controls come back into the cockpit under the
hardtop. Sticking to a waypoint course isn't practical in most sailing
situations we encounter. Sailing in the general direction of some
waypoint is nice, though...(c;

If anyone is in a hurry or has to "be somewhere" at a certain time,
please take a jet, not spoil it for the rest of us who are happy to get
there "some time this month". Thanks....

Beer - Check...Food - Check...Water - Check. Who cares who's first?

Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

"Larry" wrote in message
...

I agree steering to wind is correct, ESPECIALLY at night sailing short
handed. We never let her go off by herself without someone on watch.
Most of her sailing controls come back into the cockpit under the
hardtop. Sticking to a waypoint course isn't practical in most sailing
situations we encounter. Sailing in the general direction of some
waypoint is nice, though...(c;

If anyone is in a hurry or has to "be somewhere" at a certain time,
please take a jet, not spoil it for the rest of us who are happy to get
there "some time this month". Thanks....

Beer - Check...Food - Check...Water - Check. Who cares who's first?

Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

I've charted-out my proposed route for my wee-long July cruise around the
northern end of Lake Michigan. In theory, it's seven days leaving Marinette
(home port), hitting Washington Island, Snail Shell Harbor at Fayette MI,
Manistique MI, St.James Harbor at Beaver Island, Leland MI, Stugeon Bay via
the Canal, and back to Marinette. In theory. I'll be gob-smacked if that's
where I actually get to go.

Karin

"KLC Lewis" wrote in message
...

"Larry" wrote in message
...

I agree steering to wind is correct, ESPECIALLY at night sailing short
handed. We never let her go off by herself without someone on watch.
Most of her sailing controls come back into the cockpit under the
hardtop. Sticking to a waypoint course isn't practical in most sailing
situations we encounter. Sailing in the general direction of some
waypoint is nice, though...(c;

If anyone is in a hurry or has to "be somewhere" at a certain time,
please take a jet, not spoil it for the rest of us who are happy to get
there "some time this month". Thanks....

Beer - Check...Food - Check...Water - Check. Who cares who's first?

Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

I've charted-out my proposed route for my wee-long July cruise around the
northern end of Lake Michigan. In theory, it's seven days leaving
Marinette (home port), hitting Washington Island, Snail Shell Harbor at
Fayette MI, Manistique MI, St.James Harbor at Beaver Island, Leland MI,
Stugeon Bay via the Canal, and back to Marinette. In theory. I'll be
gob-smacked if that's where I actually get to go.

Karin


That should have been "weeK-long," but the way weather can blow up here,
"wee-long" might actually turn out to be prophetic. :-D

Larry wrote:

The autopilot doesn't do the navigating.

That's not what the manual for the ST1000 says. The GPS can tell it the
bearing, distance, and track error. The ST1000 has a logic circuit to
resolve this into a new heading.

No chartplotter on my simple boat. Not enough room and power for all that
fancy stuff.

I'll only be using this under power as well. See other reply.

Enjoyed the rest of your post though.

--
Roger Long