Autopilot install - st2000 below deck!

Submitted by mike.floutier on Mon, 29/05/2017 - 12:00pm

Technical

Here I will post pics as I take them. They're not going to be in any order at first as there's a lot of problem solving to do. Anyway this is a start.

Click on any thumbnail image to popup a slide-show window.
Click on a thumbnail title to view the photo in a page, complete with full descriptive text.

Unit closure lugs will make way for wiring exit Unit closure lugs will make way for wiring exit	2 of 8 unit closure lugs removed 2 of 8 unit closure lugs removed	Remote wiring soldered to button legs Remote wiring soldered to button legs
Remote wiring from buttons through cannibalized lugs Remote wiring from buttons through cannibalized lugs	Remote wiring exiting AP unit image_3_r1	Remote wiring terminated in connector block then linked to Cat 6 twisted pairs Remote wiring terminated in connector block then linked to Cat 6 twisted pairs
Remote wiring enters binnacle tube from below image_2_r2	Remote wiring fed up the binnacle tube image_4_r2	Momentary buttons £1 each, butyl taped into binnacle side cover, wired up and working. Momentary buttons £1 each, butyl taped into binnacle side cover, wired up and working.
Door knob added to ram end Door knob added to ram end	Another knob - this time linked with a tapered 3/8" nipple - this option exposes a little of the M10 bolt giving more freedom of movement at the ball/socket joint Another knob - this time linked with a tapered 3/8" nipple - this option exposes a little of the M10 bolt giving more freedom of movement at the ball/socket joint	Door knob with AP unit image_6_r1
Chair leg cannibalized and bolted to tiller extension Chair leg cannibalized and bolted to tiller extension	Chair leg meets door knob - AP connect/disconnect Chair leg meets door knob - AP connect/disconnect	Needs a sling to lift it up and down Needs a sling to lift it up and down
B&Q chair leg - aka tiller extension, now bolted on B&Q chair leg - aka tiller extension, now bolted on	The business end slots perfectly into the tiller extension receptacle - note head protection The business end slots perfectly into the tiller extension receptacle - note head protection	Slot cut in liner to take AP anchor shelf upright - cut with Dremel disc Slot cut in liner to take AP anchor shelf upright - cut with Dremel disc
Anchor shelf marked up for slimming Anchor shelf marked up for slimming	Now fits snugly - will coat with epoxy to bond with inside of deck to spread the load Now fits snugly - will coat with epoxy to bond with inside of deck to spread the load	AP unit sitting on shelf - all operational clearances are good AP unit sitting on shelf - all operational clearances are good
Autopilot anchorage shelf epoxied into slot between deck and liner. Brass thingy also epoxied in Autopilot anchorage shelf epoxied into slot between deck and liner. Brass thingy also epoxied in	Wireless remote -available on Amazon for free immediate delivery Wireless remote -available on Amazon for free immediate delivery	Optional gouged head Optional gouged head
Going to use 8mm rope to raise and lower the connector knob in and out of the tiller extension. Here you can see the first of two blocks that will guide the rope from the ram up the rudder tube. Shares tube with rudder rope; fixed to cleat. Going to use 8mm rope to raise and lower the connector knob in and out of the tiller extension. Here you can see the first of two blocks that will guide the rope from the ram up the rudder tube. Shares tube with rudder rope; fixed to cleat.	Enjoying the freedom of my new Raymarine autopilot; sitting at the bow, single-handed, able to steer the boat and program the pilot using this little £11 fob (you get two for £11 btw) image_26_r2	Full sail in Falmouth Bay, 15deg heel, 4.5kts, balanced helm, enjoying picnic hands-free - Joy! Full sail in Falmouth Bay, 15deg heel, 4.5kts, balanced helm, enjoying picnic hands-free - Joy!

9 Comments

Hard wired remote control

Submitted by mike.floutier on Wed, 14/06/2017 - 2:19pm

Looks like it will work, just need to add the buttons to the binnacle side cover.

Then I can get to work on installing the AP unit itself, just waiting for cutting disc for the Dremel and masks for protection when cutting the engine well liner.

Good afternoon working on the AP install

Submitted by mike.floutier on Tue, 20/06/2017 - 5:52pm

Tiller extension now bolted onto the starboard tiller.

The £1 a piece Chinese momentary buttons are now butyl taped into the binnacle side cover, wired up and working; might as well add the other two, was concerned about space and crosstalk so only did the important 4.

Also fed another Cat 5e cable up the binnacle. This one takes the NMEA 0183 Track output from my Garmin GPSMAP to the AP. And it works too!

Flushed with all this cable success I fed up yet another pair of twisted pairs; this time from the Garmin GPSMAP to the ICOM VHF to feed the DSC "Mayday" function with the boat's GPS position for transmission.

Just need to fit the hardwood shelf to the engine well liner as the AP unit anchorage point and rig the line that's going to effect the connect/disconnect.

Exciting!

Don't forget to round off the corners of the tiller extension

Submitted by mike.floutier on Wed, 21/06/2017 - 5:47pm

If you don't fancy getting your head gouged:)

Wireless remote with two fobs

Submitted by mike.floutier on Fri, 23/06/2017 - 9:36am

Neat little unit, smaller than a cigarette packet. I just piggy-backed my existing wiring and it worked fine.

Initial test

Submitted by mike.floutier on Tue, 27/06/2017 - 11:52am

I finally got the shelf upright slim enough to fit in the slot between deck and liner (will add epoxy as well as screwing plus aluminum plate for strength to resist twisting forces). In fact it was so snug that I was able to test the setup in it's roughly final state prior to fixing it securely.

It was a lot of fun to stand in the cockpit press my £1 binnacle buttons and watching the rudders, engine and wheel turn to the commands.

Calibration and Sea Test

Submitted by mike.floutier on Tue, 04/07/2017 - 10:28pm

Great day today! Having completed the physical install, the final item being the rope used to connect and disconnect the ram from the steering mechanism, I took Sky's the Limit out into the Carrick Roads for the calibration and sea trial of the autopilot.

Well I felt like a cross between the cat that got the cream and a dog with two tails. It all went well. The connect/disconnect mechanism worked fine. The best bit however was to be able to leave the wheel alone and the crowning glory was sitting at the bow directing affairs with my £11 wireless fob, I was tickled.

That's fantastic Mike. You

Submitted by roly.simpson on Tue, 04/07/2017 - 11:04pm

That's fantastic Mike. You've really done well with this.m Amazing. Thanks so much for sharing all the process. I guess you have put in a lot of hours labour but since my autopilot has been declared un repairable I but be copying your design.

Roly

Mike, I am amazed, stunned,

Submitted by simon.armitage on Thu, 06/07/2017 - 7:45pm

Mike, I am amazed, stunned, impressed and flabbergasted. I thought Macs were so willful that they needed constant sail trimming to keep a course. Well done and I am glad to have been proved wrong. Must be my sailing ability that needs trimming.

Simon Armitage

Sowenna (26M)

Hands-free picnic under full sail at 4.5kts - pure

Submitted by mike.floutier on Fri, 07/07/2017 - 10:32am

Full sail in Falmouth Bay, 15deg heel, 4.5kts SOG, balanced helm, enjoying picnic hands-free - Joy!

We were sailing for around 6 hours but so relaxed, easy to choose when to helm and when to hand over to Otto.

The course is kept by the AP, either:

1. Compass course - it has its own compass, calibrated for latitude, current variation plus the boat's deviation card,

2. Chartplotter track (linked by NMEA 0183) - the advantage here is that leeway and drift are included in the course calculations, and

3. To the wind - a wind transducer (again linked by NMEA 0183) provides wind shift data and the AP keeps your course adjusted to a set angle (your choice) to the wind. This saves constant sail trimming and you get an alarm if wind changes too much. Needs to be used intelligently. I'm not incorporating this yet as the expense involved is fairly disproportionate.

9 Comments

Search form

User login