Well I've spent the weekend, trolling through what seems like every smallish below-deck ap thread I could find.
To be honest I'm still not sure if the st2000 will allow me to control the boat manually. However, having read the above threads I'm pretty convinced I might be able to engineer a solution to remotely disconnect the below-deck linear drive if it doesn't.
What finally decided the issue was seeing a "new" st2000 on eBay. The seller had been supplied it as a replacement for a failed unit but had not been able to fit it before his boat was wrecked. It bought it for £192; the normal cost being around £500.
By the way I already have an idea for an almost zero cost remote control device for it - on the basis that the ones on the market cost around twice what I paid for the ap unit itself.
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MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
Yes the noise seems to be the only issue you can't really get round.
The other issue, as you mention, is the wheel, i.e. if you have fat fingers you can't fit them between the bagel and the wheel rim. But this is solvable by fitting a larger wheel as you also mention - http://www.supersail.com/large-wheel/
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MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
I haven't got spending permission yet but am working on it and am less likely to get permission for a wheel steering auto pilot. I have however been thinking about using an st 2000 below decks with a separate handset. So far as I know there isn't a mobile app to control the unit.
I'm not impressed with the method of connecting and disconnecting the piston from the steering. The problems of having to locate one moving part into another seems rather difficult without going below.
However my thoughts are on the lines of leaving the unit fixed to one of the rudder steering arms and allowing the units fixed end to run in a slide fixed to the boat, this could be a rail or a rod and tube arrangement. This would then need a self locking catch which you should be able to release from the cockpit. The catch would lock the base of the unit centrally to the piston action. In this way the steering and or the unit would align the base with the catch. I don't see any difficulty in designing this nor any difficulty with the cabling dealing with the necessary flexing though the latter is possibly the greatest issue.
He does a pair of fobs for around £150 + postage, or an iDevice app for about £190 +
My plan is for a wired controller. I would add the wiring to the device and run it to the pedestal to a unit of my choice; the cheapest being a set of 6 waterproof momentary buttons inserted in one of the side access covers.
Regarding The connect/disconnect issue, I'll post over the next few days some idea of the internal resistance of the unit on standby.
One view of this is that it's no great hardship to pop below to do the deed. Certainly a lot quicker than say reefing or mooring and probably only done with a similar frequency.
We can get a bit disproportionately anal about some requirements.
Having said that, BOAT's system certainly seems to work fine, when employed with a degree of finesse.
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MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
Ok the st2000 arrived as promised and, having opened it up it's certainly all brand new kit inside the original (5 year old) casing.
I attached it to a 12v supply, via my car cigar lighter socket and it works fine.
A bonus for me is that it works ok upside down - quite possible to aid installation and ease of operation from below deck.
Will start designing installation and hopefully post with pics in due course.
Since I'm on a mooring for the summer I'll content myself without a wind sensor until next season.
One last thing for now, it's obvious, from the internal inspection that the ram is locked in position when the unit is in the off/standby condition so I will need to fabricate an emergency disconnect system.
I guess I'll go for BOAT's, Kadet's or Estate Sail's systems although still waiting for Estate Sail to post some pics.
If I get the install done soon it may enable me to get up to Dartmouth to finally meet some of my virtual friends.
—
MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
Ok, here's a question for the electrical/electronics engineers amongst you.
The st2000 autopilot unit is operated by six momentary switch buttons. My plan for a cheap and dirty remote control (ie £10 compared to Raymarine's £350 - 500) consists of soldering wires in parallel to said switches and running these wires to new waterproof switches to be mounted on the binnacle.
Today I wired up 2 wires from a 4 metre 7-core loom (each wire containing 7 x 0.1mm strands) to test the idea.
I planned to initialise the device with a 12v (10A fused) supply and then hopefully connect the said 2 wires together at the other end of this 4 metre cable.
However, as soon as I applied power to the unit, it did iniatialse correctly but immediately started to behave as if I'd already connected those 2 wires.
Is there any possibility that, simply by running side by side for 4 metres, the PCB may have concluded that they were in fact joined?
—
MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
Well I've spent the weekend, trolling through what seems like every smallish below-deck ap thread I could find.
To be honest I'm still not sure if the st2000 will allow me to control the boat manually. However, having read the above threads I'm pretty convinced I might be able to engineer a solution to remotely disconnect the below-deck linear drive if it doesn't.
What finally decided the issue was seeing a "new" st2000 on eBay. The seller had been supplied it as a replacement for a failed unit but had not been able to fit it before his boat was wrecked. It bought it for £192; the normal cost being around £500.
My plan is to install it rather like BOAT - in http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=25657&hilit=Au... - a very funny thread.
Or Kadet in - http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=19769&hilit=St...
A good example of lateral thought engineering can be seen here - http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/tech/tech25/sunris.asp
Will let you know how it goes.
By the way I already have an idea for an almost zero cost remote control device for it - on the basis that the ones on the market cost around twice what I paid for the ap unit itself.
MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
Good luck with your mod! I think this is a better way to go then a wheel pilot. Mine is (hopefully) effective but noisy.
David Claassen
"Logan's Run"
2006 26M
Yes the noise seems to be the only issue you can't really get round.
The other issue, as you mention, is the wheel, i.e. if you have fat fingers you can't fit them between the bagel and the wheel rim. But this is solvable by fitting a larger wheel as you also mention - http://www.supersail.com/large-wheel/
MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
Brief reply since I'm at work.
I bought a simrad wp32 from America. Best thing I've bought. Had to get a bigger wheel.
I couldn't single hand without it.
See me mods section for photo.
Roly
You could always try an Hebridean wind vane
www.windvaneselfstearing.co.uk
kit form form for around £600 as seen in practical boat owner Jan 2017 and May 2017 I think.
A cheap alternative to running the batteries flat which I am toying with
Safe winds and happy sailing to all
Woody DB
Jack Jeavons, M26C Fair winds to all
Thanks guys, it should arrive tomorrow so I'm getting excited about bench testing it properly and finding out how likely it is to fit my scenario.
At least I'm ok on the power front as I've got solar plus 3 meaty batteries.
MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
Mike
I haven't got spending permission yet but am working on it and am less likely to get permission for a wheel steering auto pilot. I have however been thinking about using an st 2000 below decks with a separate handset. So far as I know there isn't a mobile app to control the unit.
I'm not impressed with the method of connecting and disconnecting the piston from the steering. The problems of having to locate one moving part into another seems rather difficult without going below.
However my thoughts are on the lines of leaving the unit fixed to one of the rudder steering arms and allowing the units fixed end to run in a slide fixed to the boat, this could be a rail or a rod and tube arrangement. This would then need a self locking catch which you should be able to release from the cockpit. The catch would lock the base of the unit centrally to the piston action. In this way the steering and or the unit would align the base with the catch. I don't see any difficulty in designing this nor any difficulty with the cabling dealing with the necessary flexing though the latter is possibly the greatest issue.
Just an idea!
Regards Jonathan
Hi Jonathan,
The cheapest remotes for Raymarine APs are found at http://www.madmanmarine.com/ .
He does a pair of fobs for around £150 + postage, or an iDevice app for about £190 +
My plan is for a wired controller. I would add the wiring to the device and run it to the pedestal to a unit of my choice; the cheapest being a set of 6 waterproof momentary buttons inserted in one of the side access covers.
Regarding The connect/disconnect issue, I'll post over the next few days some idea of the internal resistance of the unit on standby.
One view of this is that it's no great hardship to pop below to do the deed. Certainly a lot quicker than say reefing or mooring and probably only done with a similar frequency.
We can get a bit disproportionately anal about some requirements.
Having said that, BOAT's system certainly seems to work fine, when employed with a degree of finesse.
MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
Ok the st2000 arrived as promised and, having opened it up it's certainly all brand new kit inside the original (5 year old) casing.
I attached it to a 12v supply, via my car cigar lighter socket and it works fine.
A bonus for me is that it works ok upside down - quite possible to aid installation and ease of operation from below deck.
Will start designing installation and hopefully post with pics in due course.
Since I'm on a mooring for the summer I'll content myself without a wind sensor until next season.
One last thing for now, it's obvious, from the internal inspection that the ram is locked in position when the unit is in the off/standby condition so I will need to fabricate an emergency disconnect system.
I guess I'll go for BOAT's, Kadet's or Estate Sail's systems although still waiting for Estate Sail to post some pics.
If I get the install done soon it may enable me to get up to Dartmouth to finally meet some of my virtual friends.
MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
Ok, here's a question for the electrical/electronics engineers amongst you.
The st2000 autopilot unit is operated by six momentary switch buttons. My plan for a cheap and dirty remote control (ie £10 compared to Raymarine's £350 - 500) consists of soldering wires in parallel to said switches and running these wires to new waterproof switches to be mounted on the binnacle.
Today I wired up 2 wires from a 4 metre 7-core loom (each wire containing 7 x 0.1mm strands) to test the idea.
I planned to initialise the device with a 12v (10A fused) supply and then hopefully connect the said 2 wires together at the other end of this 4 metre cable.
However, as soon as I applied power to the unit, it did iniatialse correctly but immediately started to behave as if I'd already connected those 2 wires.
Is there any possibility that, simply by running side by side for 4 metres, the PCB may have concluded that they were in fact joined?
MacGregor 26M 2009 - Sky's the Limit - Suzuki DF50
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