[C38] Autopilots, Strong's perspective

[tdtron at earthlink.net]

My only auto steering experience is with a wheel steering but any auto
steering system will work better, cooler, and with less electrical drain if
you neutralize the weather helm with elastic bungee cords.  The heavier the
wind, the more this become important.  

In heavy air, you could burn yourself on my electric servo motor before I
started using elastic bungee cords but after using the bungee cords the
motor stayed cool to the touch and the battery had a fraction of the drain.

Tom Troncalli





> [Original Message]
> From: Don Strong <drstrong at ucdavis.edu>
> To: <listserve at catalina38.org>
> Date: 7/10/2012 3:36:29 PM
> Subject: Re: [C38] Autopilots, Strong's perspective
>
> Damas Y Caballeros: As per below, my Alpha (linear, below deck) works 
> fine until a screw comes out or it gets gunked up by salt in grease. 
> When it doesn't work, it is a huge pain and requires a midget to crawl 
> into the bilge. Were I starting anew, I would not do below deck install 
> on a C38. The newer wheel steering works well. I have a pal with one on 
> her Cal40, which has hefty weather helm. If one were half way to Cocos 
> Island and the damn below deck mechanism failed, no self steering. On 
> the other hand, the Alpha is very salty and gets knowing nods from all 
> of the old salts who remember when men were iron and ships were wood.
> Don
>
>
> On 7/10/12 12:19 PM, Max Soto wrote:
> > Hi Julian,
> > What do you have, a wheel pilot or a below deck linear drive unit??
> > Max
> >
> > Sent from my iPod
> >
> > On Jul 10, 2012, at 13:04, "Julian Adams" <julian at umich.edu> wrote:
> >
> >> I have a Raymarine autopilot also.  I specifically asked the Raymarine
guys
> >> at the Chicago Boat Show in January about integrating the Remarried
Sea Talk
> >> with NMEA, and  was told it can't be done...
> >> Julian Adams
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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> -- 
> Donald R. Strong
> Professor
> Dept. of Evolution and Ecology
> University of California, Davis 95616
>
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