Simrad TP10 Tiller Pilot on CD25?

[Jim]

Has anyone used the Simrad Navico TP10 Tillerpilot on a CD25? It advertises sub 1 amp draw and is under $300. I am considering purchasing one.



jmyers@styluscentral.com

[Bruce Janssen]

Has anyone used the Simrad Navico TP10 Tillerpilot on a CD25? It advertises sub 1 amp draw and is under $300. I am considering purchasing one.

I use a TP10 on a 25D it works fine.



bvj@rkymtnhi.com

[Pete Sorensen]

I use a bungy cord and balance the sails with slight weather helm. Works great!!!



svmiranda@aol.com

[Kevin Aubuchon]

Have you sailed with a tiller pilot? Last year I sailed a Sea Sprite 28 (very much like a Cape Dory) that had a tiller pilot (Autohelm 1000 I think). In flat water it worked great, in 3-5 ft waves, 15-20 kts wind it couldn't manage. There were wild swings in heading and finally lost it course all together. It was my first experience with a tiller pilot and was very disappointed. Has anybody had better experiences?

Best wishes,
Kevin



kaubuch@earthlink.net

[Warren Kaplan]

Have you sailed with a tiller pilot? Last year I sailed a Sea Sprite 28 (very much like a Cape Dory) that had a tiller pilot (Autohelm 1000 I think). In flat water it worked great, in 3-5 ft waves, 15-20 kts wind it couldn't manage. There were wild swings in heading and finally lost it course all together. It was my first experience with a tiller pilot and was very disappointed. Has anybody had better experiences?

Best wishes,
Kevin

I haven't sailed with a tillerpilot yet but I have been "researching" them as I will get one. They do have their problems in many conditions. The only comment I want to make here, that certainly would be contributory to the problems you've encountered is that I believe an Autohelm 1000 is way undersized for the displacement of a Sea Sprite 28. I don't have the figures in front of me wbut I think to Auto 1000 is for displacement up to about 5000 pounds or so. My CD27 displaces 7500# and the tillerpilot I'm lookin' at is the Autohelm 2000 plus, for displacements up to 10,000#. A bigger tillerpilot certainly wouldn't solve all the downsides of the device but its bound to help.

Warren Kaplan



Setsail728@aol.com

[Bruce Janssen]

After using a tiller pilot for two seasons I have found some instances where they don't work, at these times things were pretty gnarly and I would not trust anyone at the helm except me anyways,it is my boat. Adjusting the gain is very important, the same setting will not work in different conditions, also it takes about 15-20 minutes for the sea state ajustment to adjust itself. Sail trim is very important, I tend to be a little conservitive, go a little slower ,but You don't have to steer. I find the auto tack feature very usefull when single handed, but you do have to fine tune course after tacking. In general, I get the boat in trim with my hand on the tiller, till it doesnt take much input, ie balanced sail plan, then connect it or leave it on standby and use it like a tiller tamer till I get the boat trimmed. The main times that it hasnt worked is down wind, big following seas, where you have to anticipate each swell and apply large corrections before the boat has started to change course, I don't think any auto pilot can correct for those conditions. so in summary you do have to learn how to use a tiller pilot and it takes a while, but I would'nt be without one. There's nothing like being able to go forward and hang out and let the boat sail itself. : : Have you sailed with a tiller pilot? Last year I sailed a Sea Sprite 28 (very much like a Cape Dory) that had a tiller pilot (Autohelm 1000 I think). In flat water it worked great, in 3-5 ft waves, 15-20 kts wind it couldn't manage. There were wild swings in heading and finally lost it course all together. It was my first experience with a tiller pilot and was very disappointed. Has anybody had better experiences?

Best wishes,
Kevin

I haven't sailed with a tillerpilot yet but I have been "researching" them as I will get one. They do have their problems in many conditions. The only comment I want to make here, that certainly would be contributory to the problems you've encountered is that I believe an Autohelm 1000 is way undersized for the displacement of a Sea Sprite 28. I don't have the figures in front of me wbut I think to Auto 1000 is for displacement up to about 5000 pounds or so. My CD27 displaces 7500# and the tillerpilot I'm lookin' at is the Autohelm 2000 plus, for displacements up to 10,000#. A bigger tillerpilot certainly wouldn't solve all the downsides of the device but its bound to help.

Warren Kaplan

bvj@rkymtnhi.com