Garmin GHP Reactor autopilot- CD 36

[Steve A]

Has anyone installed one of these new Autopilots ? I'm gonna
have the Garmin GHP Reactor unit installed in our boat. Hull # 105 which is an 84,CD 36.
Just wonder, what if any, issues that you ran into ? I am pretty sure we're going to have Sailcraft in Oriental NC
do the install here in a few more weeks. Using the Garmin Class A mechanical drive. Any recommendations based on other owners
experience ? I searched and John Ring has installed one on Tiara, any input from John would be very helpful. Thanks Steve

[John Ring]

Steve,

The Garmin autopilot system is great, best I've ever used. It takes some work to get the linear drive unit in place, but it's well worth the effort. I installed mine in the aft end of the port sail locker, just below the engine instrument panel. If you mount yours here, be sure the instrument panel is well sealed and not letting rain water get through to drip onto the drive unit.

It was a big job, but I'm very happy with the Garmin autopilot. It's easy to use, steers beautifully, and works silently. As part of a Garmin networked system (NMEA 2000) the autopilot talks to everything else on the system and will follow a course, steer a set wind angle, steer the boat to waypoints you select on the chartplotter, and lots of other really neat things.

Here's a link to my install: http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=33725

If you have questions feel free to send me a note.

Very Best,
John Ring
CD36 TIARA

[Steve A]

Where did you get the bracket that attaches to the steering quadrant ? Was it necessary to extend the drive arm in order to reach the drive arm on the quad or was there an alternative ? Thanks Steve

[John Ring]

That's a modified Buck Algonquin part, a split head tiller arm for 1.5" shaft. It clamps directly to the rudder shaft, not the quadrant. The split head design allows you to just bolt it in place on the shaft without removing the quadrant or other parts.

Link: http://catalog.buckalgonquin.com/item/s ... 10ta15x130

The tiller arm is modified with a second 3/8" key cut into the backside (180° from the standard keyway) and heated & bent to about a 3" offset. Maybe 2" offset would do - you can always bent a little more if needed. After it's bent you can measure & drill the hole for the linear drive unit to attach.

Best,
John

[John Danicic]

Steve:

I also intend to install the very same unit on my 1984 CD36 next Spring. John Ring really helped me with all my questions and I have spent this season figuring, measuring and deciding how to go about this project. It is now slowly coming together. I made a mock-up drive unit and placed it here and there to see how/where it fits. I am slowly coming up with a plan.

I did figure out that our two CD's are not quite the same back there so rather then copying exactly what Mr. Ring did, I will be changing a few things. Instead of the Buck tiller arm custom bent and mounted below the quadrant, I will be going with an Edson Autopilot Tiller Arm mounted above the quadrant.

This will not be an easy install because of the drive's location. Lots of crawling around in lockers and working in a tight space. I wish I was twenty years younger but as you know, you use the body you have, not the body you might want or wish to have at a later time. In a strange way, I think it will be fun and according to John in the end, a very rewarding addition to our boats.

Keep us posted as to how a professional will go about this. Sometimes we amateurs tend to over think things.

[Steve A]

I think the concept of attaching directly to the rudder post has merit simply because even when a cable fails in the wheel steering you would still have steering as long as you had power. The emergency tiller is still onboard our boat, has never been used, and would be awkward at best to actually use, let alone use at a moments notice in an already tense situation. As to crawling around in those darn lockers I need to take a few painkillers before I start and keep an ample supply of bandaids on hand and pray I don't loose my glasses or get stuck where I won't be found for days. I do make a habit of of filing a float plan of sorts in case I don't make it out. John can you still attach the "emergency tiller" with the bracket in place ?

[John Danicic]

Steve:

The emergency tiller attaches to the very top of the rudder post and yes it is a bit awkward to use but it does work fine as I can attest having had that need a few years back. It should not make any difference adding the tiller arm as the ET fits over the butt end of the post only an inch or so down.

(I had taken off the wheel to give me a little more space in this picture. I didn't need to initially in the emergency situation though it was tight.)

I can't see any other way to use this type of drive unit like the Class A but to attach it to the rudder post using a tiller arm.
Garmin does not recommend that it be attached to the quadrant.

Luckily, the post has a long keyway that extends above and below the quadrant that you can see here. The tiller arm attached to that.

This is Edson's tiller arm shown below.

Mounting the drive unit that will be tricky as Mr. Ring informed me. But he did it and we should be able to as well.

And yes, the crawling around under the cockpit is fraught with peril. There will be blood and aches and pains. I let the boys in the marina shop know that if I don't make it to their beer hour at five o'clock that they should come looking for me. But it could be worse, I could be working in a spacious office under florescent lights but instead, I am getting beat-up working on my boat. That beer tastes great no matter if it was a good or a bad boat project day. So there is that.

[mgphl52]

In all my 50+ years of sailing, I have yet to encounter a tiller boat that carries an emergency wheel...
Just saying...

[John Ring]

John can you still attach the "emergency tiller" with the bracket in place ?

Yes, the emergency tiller still goes on fine with the tiller arm on the rudder shaft.

And yes, if your steering cables fail, this autopilot system will steer the boat just fine - the emergency tiller would then come into play only after the cables fail, and autopilot (or boat's electrical system) fails. Be sure to swap out your steering cables while you're spending all this quality time below the cockpit sole anyway.

As John Danicic said, the underside of your '84 is probably a little different from my '85, so the Edson tiller arm might be a better fit for your boat.

Special Tool: It's not easy crawling around inside the sail locker & under the cockpit sole. Years ago, out in San Diego, a yard manager was asked about properly tightening the nuts on the underside of the deck, an impossibly small space, and said he had a special tool. On installation day the manager was on deck turning the wrench. When asked, he then opened the locker & pointed inside the laz where there was a little Mexican dude about 4' tall inside holding a wrench on the other end. The manager pointed at the little guy and said with a smile, "special tool".

John Ring

[John Danicic]

Special tool.....

I always tend to lose a little weight after extensive under cockpit work. I think the crawling around to lube the steering sheaves and tending the stuffing box is pretty good exercise or my body knows it needs to shrink to get through the little spaces. This auto helm installation might be a record weight loss project.

The emergency tiller is interesting to use. I had to practice using it before I brought Mariah into dock after my steering cable broke to make sure I was turning the boat the way I wanted it to go. At top speeds, you have to struggle to steer as the tiller gives almost no leverage up other then that, it steers fine at low speeds once you get used to the fact that it is a tiller and not a wheel and its awkward placement. Never less, I was very glad I had it.

John Ring. Do you think that you could use the Garmin auto helm to dock her? Does it react that quickly?

[John Ring]

Do you think that you could use the Garmin auto helm to dock her? Does it react that quickly?

Docking in a tight space might be asking a bit much of it - depends how big the dock is I guess. Anchoring, or picking up a mooring would be fairly easy.

John