Minimum Autopilot

[LarryM]

I answered my own question:

It turns out my assumption was correct. This time. But you know what happens when you assume.

The "Mode" button (connect both port and starboard terminals to ground) switches to Standby mode. Obviously not real helpful if I'm not at the helm and ready to take the wheel, so I'll have to live without that function.

Tom,

The "Mode" button on the R3000X Remote Control does a little more than just but the system in "Standby" mode.

If your initial mode is STBY (where you can steer with the Port and Stbd buttons), the first press places the A/P in "AUTO" mode on your present heading. The second press places it back in "STBY" mode.

If your initial mode is "AUTO", the first press places the A/P in "STBY" (where you can steer with the Port and Stbd buttons). The second press places the A/P back in "AUTO" mode on your present heading.

If your initial mode is "NAV", the first press places the A/P in "STBY" (where you can steer with the Port and Stbd buttons). The second press places the A/P back in "AUTO" mode on your present heading. You cannot place the system back in "NAV" mode from the remote.

The ability to place the A/P back into "AUTO" mode can be very useful if you are relocating to another helm position of if you are elsewhere on the boat and going back to your main helm.

Using the 3-wire connection and selecting Port or Stbd on your wireless remote should immediately place the A/P 26 in "INACTIVE" mode and pass steering control to your remote. You will have to return to the A/P 26 to regain A/P control again (AUTO, NAV, STBY).

How is the installation going so far?

 

[CaptTom]

Tom,

The "Mode" button on the R3000X Remote Control does a little more than just but the system in "Standby" mode....

How is the installation going so far?

Hmmmm. This complicates things. I may have to go back to the drawing board on the remote.

The install is just waiting for the pump to be hooked up. The guy who's supposedly doing it gave me some good ideas where to mount it, and if he gets too busy I may end up running the hydraulic lines myself, with some help from the local shop that was recommended by a few others in my marina.

 

[CaptTom]

Poking around, I found this 4-channel remote:

.

If I'm reading the schematic above correctly, the mode change button only shorts the two terminals (port and starboard) to ground simultaneously. In theory, I ought to be able to achieve the same result by pressing both buttons at the same time. Since I don't have everything hooked up yet, it's impossible to test this theory.

Anybody know what diodes I should use if I go the 3-button route?

If I buy the 4-channel remote, I'll have fun trying to figure out what to hook up to the 4th channel. Horn? Deck lights? They also sell a 6-channel...

 

[twistedtree]

Yes, that could well work. For diodes, pretty much anything will work, Just be sure their rated voltage is well over your battery voltage. So for a 12V system, I'd look for 15V or higher rating, and for 24V system I'd look for 35V or higher. Radio Shack should have something in their parts drawers.

I'd love to hear how this works out, especially whether the remote is sufficiently responsive and reliable.

 

[jtbedell]

Just had to throw my two cents in. I have an old Autohelm 2000 that holds whatever course it is on when I hit "HOLD". It used to do courses of of Loran but that is now gone. In updating radar and GPS and such I thought about it but I don't want to have an autonomous boat. I use it to avoid fatigue but I make all of the course changes and let the unit keep it on course between turns. My brother is looking for a unit like mine and can't find one without the computer either. I would say to try to find an old unit like the Autohelm and offer someone $200 and you would probably have what you want. We've traveled the East Coast up into Canada with it and I will probably never upgrade if I have that choice.

 

[psneeld]

Holding a heading is fine in wide open spaces because drift is no big deal.

If you need to avoid hazards, holding a course is much safer.

I can see not wanting to autoturn...not sure all APs do that anyway without acknowledgement...but leaving holding a course off the table to me seems....well I have no way to put it that someone wouldn't take offense. It really is a quantum leap feature.

 

[jtbedell]

psneeld - Let's not be so judgmental. I enjoy actually piloting my boat and you perhaps don't but I would never think of judging someone who does things differently - I usually think about it and usually find that there is some good in what they are saying. In 50 years of boating I have never smacked a dock or another boat, never went aground more than a nudge on soft sand, and never damaged an engine and I credit a lot of that to staying involved and alert. All too often I see boaters going along with the entire crew at a table in the rear of the bridge and no one looking forward. It all works well until it doesn't! Having a simpler system "leads me not into temptation" and it works for me.

 

[FF]

"I have an old Autohelm 2000 that holds whatever course it is on when I hit "HOLD"."

Perhaps not.

Most will hold Heading ( direction thru the water,) no problem , but Course is direction made good over the bottom, and must have some Nav input.

 

[psneeld]

psneeld - Let's not be so judgmental. I enjoy actually piloting my boat and you perhaps don't but I would never think of judging someone who does things differently - I usually think about it and usually find that there is some good in what they are saying. In 50 years of boating I have never smacked a dock or another boat, never went aground more than a nudge on soft sand, and never damaged an engine and I credit a lot of that to staying involved and alert. All too often I see boaters going along with the entire crew at a table in the rear of the bridge and no one looking forward. It all works well until it doesn't! Having a simpler system "leads me not into temptation" and it works for me.

It has nothing to do with all that....

I think you are missing the point between the two functions.

Used exactly the same, for the same reasons..... only one will keep you and your near perfect boating record clean just in case something along the way distracts you. Not necessarily the party at the table....but something important and putting the boat in neutral is not the best option.

Works for you till it doesnt...have seen plenty of people get into trouble on auto that forgot it doesn't allow for drift. They were not any more alert than people who use "track".

Not being so judgemental as I have plenty of experience with boaters of all experience levels and for the life of me don't see how one feature is so different than the other when only used from A to B.

I can see a person not using AP at all, again unusual in my experience, but understandable. That is a significant difference in piloting....but not the difference between the 2 features.

 

[Wxx3]

PS.
I'm not sure I understand this whole issue.

My autopilot can do both, hold course and hold heading.
I've never set it up to hold course.

I love my AP, but don't trust it that much. For every occurrence of it saving you from being distracted, I think there are at least a few occurrences of taking you over ground that is not advisable.

I could be totally wrong about that and maybe that's exactly your point, but I can't see trusting it to ever make course changes on it's own.

At least at this moment in time. But never say never!

 

[timjet]

PS.

I could be totally wrong about that and maybe that's exactly your point, but I can't see trusting it to ever make course changes on it's own.

At least at this moment in time. But never say never!

Well they do in aviation. The autopilot will fly a preprogrammed route consisting of many legs. The technology is there of course.

But for safety sake, let's not allow that for marina use. Aviation is a carefully controlled radar environment where everybody knows where everybody is.

 

[jtbedell]

Wxx3 That is what I am trying to say. I am what takes drift into account because I am constantly scanning the path ahead. To me the AP is there to alleviate the constant grip on the wheel, not to replace my judgment. My son, who manages a marina that does a lot of insurance work, says the "new" accidents are often due to AP being so precise that it doesn't take you between the buoys but into them. That is the kind of pilot I never want to be but see far too often.

 

[psneeld]

There is NO difference between using an autopilot on auto or track...other than if you are standing there seeing you being carried off track by wind or current and manually adjust a few degrees.

Using the "tack" function does nothing more than adjust ever so slightly, even imperceptibly, for you.

Either you guys just have never used it in that capacity or don't understand the simple difference.

There is no more relying on the AP between those two functions than anything.

I am not saying let it make turns for you, just use it the same way but now you don't have to make those small eyeball adjustments all the time.

Otherwise...just hand steer....because one is just a tiny difference to the operators needed attention but huge in what the device is designed to do.

 

[LarryM]

Wxx3 That is what I am trying to say. I am what takes drift into account because I am constantly scanning the path ahead. To me the AP is there to alleviate the constant grip on the wheel, not to replace my judgment. My son, who manages a marina that does a lot of insurance work, says the "new" accidents are often due to AP being so precise that it doesn't take you between the buoys but into them. That is the kind of pilot I never want to be but see far too often.

The autopilot is indeed "precise" in that it will take you to precisely where you set the waypoint. If you set it on top of a marker or buoy, that's where it will take you! When setting a WP, zoom in and position it exactly where you would like to go or pass in relation to the obstruction.

As for accuracy, an older AP on NMEA0183 should be able to stay within 60' of a track or WP, newer systems this will be more like 6', so there is absolutely NO excuse for running into anything. Further, every AP owners manual I have ever seen always warns the operator to monitor the AP and disengage when in congested or dangerous conditions. These kinds of accidents are almost always operator error. RTFM!

 

[78puget-trawler]

This thread is timely for me as my CHB has no pilot. I wont really need one to toodle around the San Juans but should I want to travel farther north, an AP will be fitted. My experience with AP's has been on tugs and salmon trollers, and the ones on the tugs were large expensive units and had knobs for changing course. Of course we didn't mostly use any of the capabilities of the units, other than setting a course and keeping an eye on things. Someone was always at the helm. No steering wheel on most modern tugs either, just a pilot and jog sticks for maneuvering. Rudder angle indicators of course. I found about 3 RAI's in boxes on this CHB just bought, and one is mounted in a hole in the dash but not hooked up to anything! Not much good that way. Years ago on my dads last tug, I remember an old Wood Freeman unit, that you kicked in and out with a big lever. Stone age stuff now. I seem to remember a Benmar on one of his trollers too.

 

[FF]

"That is the kind of pilot I never want to be but see far too often.'

Back in the day , ships would ask the radioman for a DF steer to the Ambrose Light Ship , anchored outside NYC.

In heavy fog more than one actually collided with Ambrose , even tho there was a human helmsman steering.

" I remember an old Wood Freeman unit, that you kicked in and out with a big lever. Stone age stuff now"

Probably would still be operating.

Today folks prefer to never make repairs of equipment , just replace it with this weeks newest gadget.

Repairable under way is sadly not a selling point.

 

[Millard]

auto pilot question

any have a suggestion on what I should purchase for a 34 mainship mk1 for auto pilot? I m on a buget and cant decide. I dont care about using it for anything but going in a staight line.

 

[dhmeissner]

Do you have cable or hydraulic steering?

 

[djones44]

I have a rubber lobster and rat on my dash as navigation assistants. Neither as cute as a hula bobble!! What happened to it??

The PO of my boat left behind a cute little plastic Jesus in his carpenter outfit. I put him to work keeping an eye on the oil and temp gauges.

 

[Al]

Now I do not mean to have my contribution taken out of context. Having a small boat with limited space, having a professional auto pilot is near non existent.
That is to say, the bundgee cord that is attached at a point that allows enough time to hit the piddle pot is ample enough.:lol:
'KISS' in principle and practice.

Al-Ketchikan-27 foot Marben pocket CRUISER