Autopilot questions

[RobS]

Otto?

[jcollins]

Otto?

"Who's driving the boat"? Otto (pilot)

[Mike]

That may be our next on the list.

[driftaway]

Info please....

I have just bought a 2003 28 engine box with Y315, love it… Ran it down from LI last week (had 80 hrs on it when picked up)… Current plan is to put a Raymarine SmartPilot X-10 package on her in prep for running to her permanent home in Ft. Lauderdale…

Questions:
It is a lower cost unit without rudder feedback. If I read the mail correctly people are very happy with it, correct??

How many hours have installers charged to put one in??

My guy suggests putting the pump under the helm seat and keeping the medicine cabinet space open, comments??

I plan to follow suggestions and put the computer under the sink with the heading sensor hidden on the forward bulkhead of the hanging closet as suggested, sound right??

Thanks,

Kelly
Currently on the Magothy River, Ches Bay

[RobS]

I am not familiar with Ray's rudder reference-less unit but I can offer eqpt location feedback as I installed my Furuno AP myself last year and it has performed flawlessly. I am at Montauk Yacht Club as I type this. Ran over 3hrs off shore yesterday. In a calm ocean at 17-18 knots the autopilot is surely a must have... Here are some pics I took during the install (hence the blue tape and no steering lines plumbed in):

AP Pump under the helm was a no-brainer for me:

ap pump.jpg

Heading sensor in the med cabinet. Takes up very little room and zero interference experienced. It's very close to the center of the boat. The Ray sensor is even smaller. I blue-taped it in until a few sea trials were done to be sure she was good there. Then she got screwed down and the wires properly run:

hdg sensor.JPG

I considered under the sink for the brain but decided on under the aft/starboard v-bunk, just fwd of the hanging closet. Under the sink waos a little busy already with the 12v f.w. pump and y-valve. Glad I stayed clear under the sink as I just installed Heat/AC and mounted my vented loop there. There are already wire chases back to the location I chose so it worked out very well. In the footwell between the v-bunk you have 4 stainless screw heads with finish washers that looks just fine and blends right in.

brain.JPG

BTW, where in LI did you get the boat?

[RobS]

Since I am presently staying on the boat, I just took 2 pics of the AP Pump with the plumbing tied in. The long legs from the tees to the pump allow for unscrewing the pump and moving it out of the way if the need arises without having to open a fitting, re-bleed, etc. Adios, time to go catch some fish...

P5301407.JPG

P5301399.JPG

[driftaway]

Thanks for the info...
I will try the heading sensor as suggested...
Pump is pretty much as I thought except I plan to put this one a bit higher...
Think I will try the computer near the same area...
Any thought as to the hours needed??
All the best...

BTW: Boat came from West Islip..

Kelly

[RobS]

Sorry, just too many variables to estimate the time required....

[jleonard]

I installed a complete autopilot in my ex boat, a 34 Mainship 1 and it took me just about an entire day, 8 hours.
I installed an autopilot in my current Albin over the past 2 weekends. It took a little longer because I had to build some "platforms" and mounts for the various components, plus snake several cables. I estimate 16 hours for this one.
I still need to do the sea trial and final setting adjustments next weekend.

[jcollins]

How many hours have installers charged to put one in??

Although I try to forget how much I have spent, I seem to recall my guy (Andy - Dockcall) charging me 8 hrs. + misc. parts.

Are you still on the Magothy? He is in Annapolis.

[RobS]

For an installer, yes, I agree it's all in a day's work as long as you lay out what you want where ahead of time this way the day can be spent doing, not thinking and deciding. The thinking and deciding usually is more time consuming than the doing..