Me raymarine st4000 mark 2 wheel pilot.
Use it as soon as leave marina and really never disengage unless emergency or traffic!
I had a Peterson 42 that was tiller steered and I loved it. The tool that bought it from me put a wheel on it.
Why would anyone complicate something that works very well and is simple. Correctly trimmed the yacht could be steered with forefinger and thumb.
Besides which, steering a performance yacht is where the fun is at. For sail changes, no wind motoring days or going below to cook, pee etc a Simrad TP1 or 2 is the go. Cheap enough if it buggers up, toss it and get another.
I have both a tiller and a wheel steering yachts! It's a little hard to put a tiller in a centre cockpit and I don't like a big wheel so yes my cruiser is autopilot driven most of the time.....it still sails in a strait line in fact straiter than when one takes the helm.
I have skippered a 52 ft Adams sports boat and the wheel was bigger than me....I would agree with that set up!
Select to expand quotesouthace said..
Me raymarine st4000 mark 2 wheel pilot.
Use it as soon as leave marina and really never disengage unless emergency or traffic!
Same here. hand steer in and out of marina and tight anchorages, auto does the rest.
Simrad TP32 tiller pilot for inshore and Fleming 401 windvane for offshore. Both are fantastic, the Fleming outstandingly fantastic.
Hi All,
No i do not have an Autopilot, however i would love to have one, I have priced a Coursemaster system to fit a 40' Beneteau, but i am wondering if anyone knows of, or currently uses a different brand that they would recommend, how good or bad is it, and how much was it worth???
Thanks in advance
I have a Raytheon (Raymarine) on my Beneteau 393, and it's excellent. Steers the boat well under most conditions - only has trouble in strong downwind conditions when it doesn't respond quickly enough (although I haven't bothered to try to change the configuration for these conditions, which should be possible). It is an electric ram on the steering quadrant. I think it's over 10 years old and definitely obsolete.
The current Raymarine equivalent includes a gyro compass, I believe, so it should perform significantly better.
My 9yr old daughter. She can hold a course pretty well, not too bad through a tack and is eager to learn.
Ongoing maintenance is the only issue, requires regular sustenance (junk food most effective) and can also lose interest after a while. In the long term is probably an expensive option, but worth it.
I'll get back to you about the teenage years.
Ben405
We have a Coarse Master 450 Auto Pilot on our yacht. Bruce Roberts Steel 38 (16 tonnes)
It has been fantastic for the previous two years (10,000nM) and I heard no complaints from the previous 2 owners who must have racked up over 30,000nM with it. We use it every where and all the time.
Just a simple system but reliable. You could still adjust for roll, etc on it.
Then 6 months ago it started hating been set between 48 degrees & 67 degrees. I know this because we were trying to go at 52 degrees for 200nM!! Keep tripping out. Other courses were normal. Anyway thought I better look at seeing what could be done.
Contacted Coarse Master and they said the 450 model is 20 years old!! How good it that. Talk about value for money. 20 years!
A cheekily asked it there were any spare parts!
Alas, no, but the latest model upgrade for me, which means I can still use the hydraulics etc and just replace the gyro compass & control unit would only be $3k. That's a lot of cash at once for a liveaboard but if it lasts anything like the last one...bargain.
I shall be getting it in a few months.
To sum up, very happy with Coarse Master gear.
Select to expand quoteDunedinite said..
Ben405
We have a Coarse Master 450 Auto Pilot on our yacht. Bruce Roberts Steel 38 (16 tonnes)
It has been fantastic for the previous two years (10,000nM) and I heard no complaints from the previous 2 owners who must have racked up over 30,000nM with it. We use it every where and all the time.
Just a simple system but reliable. You could still adjust for roll, etc on it.
Then 6 months ago it started hating been set between 48 degrees & 67 degrees. I know this because we were trying to go at 52 degrees for 200nM!! Keep tripping out. Other courses were normal. Anyway thought I better look at seeing what could be done.
Contacted Coarse Master and they said the 450 model is 20 years old!! How good it that. Talk about value for money. 20 years!
A cheekily asked it there were any spare parts!
Alas, no, but the latest model upgrade for me, which means I can still use the hydraulics etc and just replace the gyro compass & control unit would only be $3k. That's a lot of cash at once for a liveaboard but if it lasts anything like the last one...bargain.
I shall be getting it in a few months.
To sum up, very happy with Coarse Master gear.
Have you tried a compass swing and a recalibration? I personally prefer TMQ 4's. Would expect 20 years out of them easily. TMQ also provide good service and a readily supply of parts and upgrades, rudder feedback and compass units etc. This port all the fishing vessels have TMQ. Mate did have a Coursemaster which gave him grief. He has passed and his boat sold on.
On my yacht I use a windvane exclusively. Have an autopilot that stays in my sail room!
