Time for a yearly update. I had a Bombardier Utopia - an 18'
jet-powered runabout that I added an autopilot to, but while it did work
at higher speeds, it failed miserably for trolling and fishing in
general. Last year I sold it and bought a center console Cobia, a 21'
with a 150 hp Yamaha outboard. I added a 15 hp (smallest I could get
without ordering) Suzuki outboard to use as a trolling motor. It is
tied, mechanically, to the larger Yamaha and sips fuel from the same
large tank. It works pretty well, and steers a straight course with no
hands on the wheel.

Still, I'd like to add an autopilot IF (and only if) it can operate at
trolling speeds (about 1 knot or 1.5 mph). ComNav makes a few units
which look like they'd work, but I'd like to hear that from someone
other than the manufacturer or salesman, preferably someone who owns
one. The boat is equipped with a Garmin 540 combination fishfinder/GPS
chartplotter which issues NMEA sentences.
--

Larry
rapp at lmr dot com

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Time for a yearly update. I had a Bombardier Utopia - an 18' jet-powered
runabout that I added an autopilot to, but while it did work at higher
speeds, it failed miserably for trolling and fishing in general. Last
year I sold it and bought a center console Cobia, a 21' with a 150 hp
Yamaha outboard. I added a 15 hp (smallest I could get without ordering)
Suzuki outboard to use as a trolling motor. It is tied, mechanically, to
the larger Yamaha and sips fuel from the same large tank. It works pretty
well, and steers a straight course with no hands on the wheel.

Still, I'd like to add an autopilot IF (and only if) it can operate at
trolling speeds (about 1 knot or 1.5 mph). ComNav makes a few units which
look like they'd work, but I'd like to hear that from someone other than
the manufacturer or salesman, preferably someone who owns one. The boat
is equipped with a Garmin 540 combination fishfinder/GPS chartplotter
which issues NMEA sentences.
--

You need an autopilot where you can alter the amount of response to a given
course deviation.
At trolling speeds you need much more rudder angle to correct a deviation
than you would at higher speed.
However, if you are trolling rather than maintaining course to a destination
you ought to be able to accept a greater amount of yawing about the set
course anyway.

Edgar wrote:

You need an autopilot where you can alter the amount of response to a given
course deviation.
At trolling speeds you need much more rudder angle to correct a deviation
than you would at higher speed.
However, if you are trolling rather than maintaining course to a destination
you ought to be able to accept a greater amount of yawing about the set
course anyway.

Frankly, I knew that - can you suggest one? Thanks.
--

Larry
rapp at lmr dot com

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Edgar wrote:

You need an autopilot where you can alter the amount of response to a
given course deviation.
At trolling speeds you need much more rudder angle to correct a
deviation than you would at higher speed.
However, if you are trolling rather than maintaining course to a
destination you ought to be able to accept a greater amount of yawing
about the set course anyway.

Frankly, I knew that - can you suggest one? Thanks.
--

Larry

Sorry, Larry-I did hesitate a bit before posting that in view of your
electrical
expertise.
Cannot suggest a make of pilot that would assist you as my last one was a
wind vane.
Now however I have got a Simrad wheel pilot which was very good when I used
it last season to steer compass courses.
However I am now on the point of hooking it into the output from the chart
plotter so it can steer me to a waypoint but have just seen your later post
about the uselessness of GPS based pilots at low speeds and since I have a
sailboat it looks as if this will not help me in light winds, so maybe I
will leave things as they are. It has a good fluxgate compass which you
calibrate by steering in slow circles a couple of times and, best of all,.no
belts or control lines across the cockpit. You can control the sensitivity
to yawing to minimise battery drain.

Just what the world needs - another autopilot jetboat jerk who hasn't a clue
as to how to safely operate a boat blasting around the water becoming a big
nuisance and even larger menace to all concerned.

Take your autopilot, and overgrown Jetski for that matter, and shove it up
your ass!

--
Gregory Hall


"Larry" wrote in message
...
Time for a yearly update. I had a Bombardier Utopia - an 18' jet-powered
runabout that I added an autopilot to, but while it did work at higher
speeds, it failed miserably for trolling and fishing in general. Last
year I sold it and bought a center console Cobia, a 21' with a 150 hp
Yamaha outboard. I added a 15 hp (smallest I could get without ordering)
Suzuki outboard to use as a trolling motor. It is tied, mechanically, to
the larger Yamaha and sips fuel from the same large tank. It works pretty
well, and steers a straight course with no hands on the wheel.

Still, I'd like to add an autopilot IF (and only if) it can operate at
trolling speeds (about 1 knot or 1.5 mph). ComNav makes a few units which
look like they'd work, but I'd like to hear that from someone other than
the manufacturer or salesman, preferably someone who owns one. The boat
is equipped with a Garmin 540 combination fishfinder/GPS chartplotter
which issues NMEA sentences.
--

Larry
rapp at lmr dot com

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:19:00 -0400, "Gregory Hall"
wrote:

Just what the world needs - another autopilot jetboat jerk who hasn't a clue
as to how to safely operate a boat blasting around the water becoming a big
nuisance and even larger menace to all concerned.

Take your autopilot, and overgrown Jetski for that matter, and shove it up
your ass!

C'mon Gregory, Why don't you tell him how you REALLY feel?
--
Calling an Illegal Alien an "Undocumented Worker" is like calling a
Crack Dealer an "Unlicensed Pharmacist"

Gregory Hall wrote:
Just what the world needs - another autopilot jetboat jerk who hasn't a clue
as to how to safely operate a boat blasting around the water becoming a big
nuisance and even larger menace to all concerned.

Take your autopilot, and overgrown Jetski for that matter, and shove it up
your ass!

--
Gregory Hall

Gregory,

Why don't you come tell me that personally. I live at 1 Indian Trail,
Colebrook, New Hampshire and we can talk about this face to face.

Lets see if your courage extends that far.
--

Larry
rapp at lmr dot com

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Gregory Hall wrote:
Just what the world needs - another autopilot jetboat jerk who hasn't a
clue as to how to safely operate a boat blasting around the water
becoming a big nuisance and even larger menace to all concerned.

Take your autopilot, and overgrown Jetski for that matter, and shove it
up your ass!

--
Gregory Hall

Gregory,

Why don't you come tell me that personally. I live at 1 Indian Trail,
Colebrook, New Hampshire and we can talk about this face to face.

Lets see if your courage extends that far.
--

Larry
rapp at lmr dot com


You're joking. He and his companions are cowards and liar. Maybe you're just
being mean, since I'm sure that it's obvious who and what they are. Shame on
you Larry!


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Capt. JG wrote:
"Larry" wrote in message
...
Gregory Hall wrote:
Just what the world needs - another autopilot jetboat jerk who hasn't a
clue as to how to safely operate a boat blasting around the water
becoming a big nuisance and even larger menace to all concerned.

Take your autopilot, and overgrown Jetski for that matter, and shove it
up your ass!

--
Gregory Hall
Gregory,

Why don't you come tell me that personally. I live at 1 Indian Trail,
Colebrook, New Hampshire and we can talk about this face to face.

Lets see if your courage extends that far.
--

Larry
rapp at lmr dot com


You're joking. He and his companions are cowards and liar. Maybe you're just
being mean, since I'm sure that it's obvious who and what they are. Shame on
you Larry!

You're right, Cap'n. Normally, I just ignore children going through
puberty, but this morning he just pushed the right buttons and I felt he
needed to be taught a physical lesson if he had the stomach for it. As
you surmised, he didn't. I'll go back to ignoring!
--

Larry R
rapp at lmr dot com

On Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:27:23 -0400, Larry wrote:

snip
LOL
what a putz!

would you please just get over yourself