Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:


If all you need is to hold a straight line, you don't even need to
hook up the NMEA. The autopilot will follow the magnetic course you
start it on with its internal fluxgate compass.

I will pick nits here, Rodney, but mostly semantic nits. The idea behind
the NMEA autopilot interface is to have the vessel _maintain_ a straight (or
more accurately rhumb) line course. If the autopilot is set merely to
follow a magnetic compass course, then the resultant track will be at the
mercy of currents, wind, leeway, etc.
..
--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 11:08:14 -0500, "Armond Perretta"
wrote:

Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:


If all you need is to hold a straight line, you don't even need to
hook up the NMEA. The autopilot will follow the magnetic course you
start it on with its internal fluxgate compass.

I will pick nits here, Rodney, but mostly semantic nits. The idea behind
the NMEA autopilot interface is to have the vessel _maintain_ a straight (or
more accurately rhumb) line course. If the autopilot is set merely to
follow a magnetic compass course, then the resultant track will be at the
mercy of currents, wind, leeway, etc.
.
You are right, of course, and that is why I intend to hook up the NMEA
next spring. But my old autopilot, which had no such facility, could
hold a fairly straight course in motoring conditions for a few hours.
Until it gave up completely.


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:
"Armond Perretta" wrote:
Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:

If all you need is to hold a straight line, you don't even need to
hook up the NMEA. The autopilot will follow the magnetic course
you start it on with its internal fluxgate compass.

... If the autopilot is set merely to follow a magnetic compass
course, then the resultant track will be at the mercy of currents, wind,
leeway, etc.

You are right, of course, and that is why I intend to hook up the
NMEA next spring. But my old autopilot, which had no such facility,
could hold a fairly straight course in motoring conditions for a
few hours. Until it gave up completely.

I have written about autopilots here before, but just to bring you up to
day, I now carry 3 tiller pilots. I had an instance 2 or 3 years ago where
both of the 2 then on board went out. A short while after that I
cracked a part of the windvane self-steerer.

So now it's 3 tiller pilots and the repaired Navik. Hmmmmm.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 10:33:29 -0500, "Armond Perretta"
wrote (with possible editing):

....snip

I have written about autopilots here before, but just to bring you up to
day, I now carry 3 tiller pilots. I had an instance 2 or 3 years ago where
both of the 2 then on board went out. A short while after that I
cracked a part of the windvane self-steerer.

So now it's 3 tiller pilots and the repaired Navik. Hmmmmm.

How do they attach to the tiller? Do any of them attach to a wheel?
Do you think any of them might be adaptable to my situation?

Thanks,
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

L. M. Rappaport wrote:
"Armond Perretta" wrote...

...
So now it's 3 tiller pilots and the repaired Navik. Hmmmmm.

How do they attach to the tiller?

The tiller pilots have a small plastic (or similar) fitting at the end of
the pushrod that snaps onto a stainless pin mounted, facing up, on the
tiller.

... Do any of them attach to a wheel?

This was one way of doing it years ago. I cannot recall manufacturer names
all that well, but I believe "Tillerpilot" was one. The pushrod attached to
an arm mounted in line with the steering wheel radius.

Do you think any of them might be adaptable to my situation?

I am afraid I don't exactly really your situation.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 15:46:30 -0500, "Armond Perretta"
wrote (with possible editing):

....snip

Do you think any of them might be adaptable to my situation?

I am afraid I don't exactly really your situation.

18.5' Bomabardier Utopia 185, a jet boat powered by a 200 hp Merc jet.
Basically a bow-rider runabout. Boat handles well on plane, but you
can't take your hands off the wheel.
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 15:46:30 -0500, "Armond Perretta"
wrote (with possible editing):

....snip

Do you think any of them might be adaptable to my situation?

I am afraid I don't exactly really your situation.

18.5' Bomabardier Utopia 185, a jet boat powered by a 200 hp Merc jet.
Basically a bow-rider runabout. Boat handles well on plane, but you
can't take your hands off the wheel.
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

L. M. Rappaport wrote:
"Armond Perretta" wrote...

...
So now it's 3 tiller pilots and the repaired Navik. Hmmmmm.

How do they attach to the tiller?

The tiller pilots have a small plastic (or similar) fitting at the end of
the pushrod that snaps onto a stainless pin mounted, facing up, on the
tiller.

... Do any of them attach to a wheel?

This was one way of doing it years ago. I cannot recall manufacturer names
all that well, but I believe "Tillerpilot" was one. The pushrod attached to
an arm mounted in line with the steering wheel radius.

Do you think any of them might be adaptable to my situation?

I am afraid I don't exactly really your situation.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com

Just read this thread, and have one comment: my experience w/ auto pilots is
that the flux gate compass must be a good distance away from an outboard
motor. 5ft, 6ft even. I've got some real stories about this.

"L. M. Rappaport" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 10:33:29 -0500, "Armond Perretta"
wrote (with possible editing):

...snip

I have written about autopilots here before, but just to bring you up to
day, I now carry 3 tiller pilots. I had an instance 2 or 3 years ago
where
both of the 2 then on board went out. A short while after that I
cracked a part of the windvane self-steerer.

So now it's 3 tiller pilots and the repaired Navik. Hmmmmm.

How do they attach to the tiller? Do any of them attach to a wheel?
Do you think any of them might be adaptable to my situation?

Thanks,
--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com

On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 19:17:44 -0500, "Garland Gray II"
wrote (with possible editing):

Just read this thread, and have one comment: my experience w/ auto pilots is
that the flux gate compass must be a good distance away from an outboard
motor. 5ft, 6ft even. I've got some real stories about this.

Thanks. No outboard, the boat is powered by a 200 hp Mercury jet.
The wheel is forward of the engine by several feet, and I could move a
flux gate compass several feet forward if necessary. In addition, I
believe I could have access to a NEMA stream from the Garmin GPS/Fish
finder, if I needed it.

My biggest question is how or perhaps if I can interface the hydraulic
or electric unit with the steering system.

--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com