"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