Where to put the control head of new autopilot?

[russkendall]

Howdy all:

I'm installing an S1 Wheelpilot from Raymarine on a CD30c (upgrading from a Autohelm 4000.)

I had no problems installing most of the components once I ditched the rudder sensor ("easy to install" the catalog said. Yeah right, I say, easy the way giving yourself a lobotomy is easy. Which you'll need when the ordeal is over) and added a gyro sensor instead.

I had originally thought I'd put the control head in a navpod and mount it to the binnacle, but changed my mind once I saw how big and ugly the navpod was once it was on the binnacle.

So now I figure I have two placement choices for the control head, a procedure that requires I cut a four-inch diameter hole in a wall somewhere.

The first choice is to put it on the bulkhead next to the knotmeter - dry under the dodger, easy to see, but about a foot or two out of my reach while I'm standing at the helm.

The second choice is to put it in the cockpit down near my left mid-calf as I'm standing at the wheel, opposite side of the cockpit from the engine tachometer. It would be within easy reach there, but exposed to weather and hard to read (in the same way that the tachometer is hard to read without kneeling down and turning your head sort of sideways.)

I seldom go sailing without my wife and four-year-old sailor-in-training. We sail in the mostly protected waters of the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound. We'll probably circumnavigate Vancouver Island someday, but not for a few years.

Any thoughts, advice, cautions, experiences to share on this matter?

Thanks in advance,


Russ Kendall
Bellingham, WA

[Parfait's Provider]

I have an autopilot control mounted in the location you are considering. It must be weather proof as it seems to survive fine. I added labels to the top of it so I could remember which button was which and I don't have to see the front of the panel at all. There are no displays on this control, just push button switches and a rotary knob to set course. It works.

However, I plan to mount it on the pedestal so I can mess with it while standing in a position to see what the boat is doing instead of looking at the cockpit sole, not having a clue. If you get in trouble while looking at the cockpit sole, you will never know it. If you get frustrated with the determination of the control to make you do whatever right, if you just want to gaze at the control, you will not know what your boat is doing.

I only need a flat surface and a cable for this control, no large holes, so I plan to surface mount it above the compass on the pedestal. My RADAR / chartplotter / GPS is already mounted there.

JWIWD if I find the time/energy.

[Paul D.]

Russ,

The control head for my 25 year old Benmar is on the cockpit footwell by my left calf as your second position is and I like that fine. I think accessibility trumps weatherproofing as long as the control is waterprroof as all new ones should be. Mine lasted this long. (OK so it is really, really bizarre at times.)

The pros of this position is that you can reach it easily while pumping the bilge, steering and talking by VHF if needed, SOmething I consider rather important if not likely! And it is really out of the way.

Cons are that you have to bend way down to read and it is suseptable to big waves coming in. If I were to replace mine I would mount it on an angled teak block to give it just a tad more readability. But I like it where it is so I recommend the lower cockpit location, especially as you are mostly sailing inshore.

Good luck and I wish I had a nice new S1 to mount. My unit is bomber and mounted below decks, but so old it just doesn't steer very straight anymore. WHen it works though it is a dream. I need to re glass the mounts for the rotary drive unit in the lazarette as it works when steering in a seaway. So much now that I don't like to use it at those times. It also takes up quite a bit of lazarette space.


Paul

[Russell]

Personally I prefer the mounting with the depth/speed insturments, forward in the cockpit. Mounted at the helm you cant see it unless your standing behind the helm. When my autopilot or windvane is engaged I am ussually sitting forward in the cockpit. I also like keeping the binacle clean, I do not mount anything on it.

[bottomscraper]

It depends. Here in Maine where lobster pots are everywhere having the AP control near the helm is must. You will be turning it off to get around the pots. On the other hand if you will be doing offshore work / nasty weather having it in a location behind the dodger would be better. We have out chart plotter under the dodger (visible from the helm) and a wireless remote for the AP in addition to the wired control at the helm. Life is a compromise!

This old thread has pictures of my instalation of the rudder position indicator:

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic ... r+position

[russkendall]

Rich:

Thanks for linking to the pictures you posted. I recall that I saw them when I was looking for ideas about how to mount the rudder sensor. (do you know that now Raymarine is marketing a new autopilot called the X-series which is essentially the S1 Wheelpilot but which, in the language of the catalog "eliminates the need for a rudder reference sensor.")

Here's my new idea, which came to me after reading the posts of fellow CD-ers. Since I am upgrading from an autohelm 4000 and since there is already a male bracket mounted to the port side coaming, and since I have the old Autohelm 4000 box with appropriate female mount, why don't I install the new 6002 control head into the old Autohelm400 box, mount it to the coaming when I need it, and take it off when it isn't in use? I'll try to post pictures in case this might be of help to someone else.

My wife and 4-yr-old are heading out on Saturday for a five-day sail in the San Juan Islands. I'll report back how things worked out.

Many thanks for the responses,

Russ Kendall
Bellingham, WA

[Cathy Monaghan]

You can put the control head anywhere if you also intend to use a remote.

In addition to the wired remote, we also use a Raymarine SmartController wireless remote which is kinda like having a second control head. Not only can it do everything the control head can do, it displays info for your entire SeaTalk network if you've got one, like a repeater.

If you want the control head somewhere in the cockpit where you can reach it from the helm, see if you can get a flush mount kit (Part# A25005-P for ST60+ instruments) and mount it in the seatback on the port or starboard side near the helm rather than down by your feet in the well where it won't be very easy to read.


Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

[jerryaxler]

I use my autohelm extensively on the annual trek up the coast and having it handy and easy to read is paramount. I mounted mine on the seat back parallel to the wheel. The only thing I would have done differently is to mount it slightly higher so that I wouldn't accidently change settings with my knee.

[mike ritenour]

I agree with Cathy.

I installed LaVida's main control head below, near the nav station where it can be easily reached and utilized from down below.

Then I installed the remote in the cockpit and mounted its hand heled head on my radar mast.

The little control unit gives you all the functions as the main head plus you can walk about.

It only required a less than one inch hole.

With the remote in the cockpit I'm able to walk almost all the way forward and still control the helm.

This really worked well as I approached the inner harbour at "P-town" this summer, at 0230 in the morning.

With slow revs, my handy 1 million candle power light and my remote, I was able to go forward and steer around the gazillion lobster pots that infest the harbour.

BTW I have an ST4000 available.

Rit

[Ron M.]

Jerry,
I had the same problem with my new engine control panel after a re- power. I located it on the side of starb. cockpit locker near the helm, so it's seen and reached easily. The panel has 4 buttons, and it didn't take much to inadvertantly push one moving about the cockpit.......not good.
I had a bunch of designer draw pulls,(stainless) left from a project. Essentially a long [ , shape - about 3/16"in x- section and available in various widths. I used a 4" mounted horizontally across the panel and haven't turned the engine on or off with my knee since. I did cut the legs down so it only protrudes 3/4".
________
NEVADA DISPENSARY

[Parfait's Provider]

For those who are still fussing with engine control locations, here is a
$99 Engine Pod that mounts on the pedestal:
http://store.oceanequipment.comProductI ... ctid=EP162

It might be worth the trouble to have another panel ready to go below decks should the pod not be as watertight as advertised. Certainly a start and stop button should be paralleled in a dry spot