New generation Raymarine A/P's

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by ctl411

Auto tack "trick". On my old boat a cutter I sometimes needed more tack angle for conditions in light air. If you hit the 10 degree course change then hit autotack the pilot will add the two giving a wider tack angle. Can do more than one 10 degree change also to get even wider.

WHOA!

Now I learned a new trick today!

THANKS!

b.

[Meriachee]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

WHOA!

Now I learned a new trick today!

THANKS!

b.

That works too.

[Meriachee]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

This power thing bothers me. I have burnt one brainbox (of the bigger ones - boat 46ft). I connected power at both ends - the instrument chain and also the brainbox of the pilot. The box went mute. We had Ray people at hand (ARC) and they fixed our brain box at no extra cost but warned us NOT to connect the power at both ends.

Now I thought I was a moron but now it turns out I might have gone by the book while Ray technicians already new there was a glitch.

It also seems I have to read all literature very, very well before I get our next AP (EV-100 shortlisted).

b.

The X5 requires separate power. It just doesn't feed the STng bus as the docs indicate. So you still require a power feed for the bus, I ran mine into the ITC5 converter ( which btw required firmware too) and if you don't have a large mdf with a card slot, or live by the sea, you're basically screwed, and need to send the stuff out to be flashed.

[Thumbs Up]

I have an st4000 powering a wheel drive. It is the newer wheel drive with the gray housing (I think they called it the mkII drive and is also the same wheel drive for the x5). Is this the same exact drive unit that comes with the evo100? I want to buy the evo100 package, install the controller hooked to my existing wheel drive keeping the new wheel drive as a spare. Then I want to use the st4000 head to control an old Benmar sprocket drive unit that has a manual clutch. If any body here has tried this or has ideas, I need help. The benmar has lots of circuitry inside that I am assuming I can bypass up to the point of the four MOSFET transistors. I need to figure out where to tap into the benmar circuit with the two st4000 leads. Can anyone tell me if this will work or am I wasting my time? I really like the idea of being able to switch between the wheel and chain drive pilot at will. At the very least the benmar could steer the boat when I need to swap out the wheel drive. I have been using the wheel drive to steer my 40' cat and it does a good job but I don't fully trust it. I have already had to replace the drive motor. It's those little plastic gears that worry me now but it makes the most sense to just carry the complete wheel drive as the backup. I am also hoping that the evo controller will do a better job steering in rough conditions and following seas than the st4000.

[sailingjazz]

So, I have purchased on of the EVO-100 systems and am getting ready to install it. In the advertizement they say;

Wheel Drive

• Quick and easy to install
• Fits most types of wheel with clean design
• Independent display for 'best location'
• Simple robust clutch engagement mechanism
• Smart Rudder Sense™ (SRS) enabled
• Rudder Reference Transducer not required

In the instructions they make is sound like the rudder transducer is required. The rudder transducer adds a bit to the cost and is a pain to install (on my boat, a Ericson 28'). What do you guys think? Do I need one? I work in the software industry so I know that what the marketing guy put out and reality frequently have a tenuous relationship.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by sailingjazz

Rudder Reference Transducer not required

In the instructions they make is sound like the rudder transducer is required.

Ray is famous for puzzling instructions. Someone there uses G oogle Translate, which, as we all know, is a bad practice with English to English translations ;-)

NOT required. (tiller drive units)

However, many owners claim it does improve steering immensely and reduces AP false moves. I would fit one, if budget/space permit.

b.

[sdennisf]

I have been fighting this issue for over 7 months on my Catalina 30. The sensor unit was returned to Raymarine in April and no issues found but they replaced the sensor anyway. I have continued to have oversteering issues with the unit, especially with moderate seas and wind and really bad with rougher conditions. Raymarine send me a rudder position sensor last week which is really difficult to install (their instructions really don't help much either but I was able to find some pictures on the web that helped). I had my first sea trial with the rudder sensor installed yesterday with mixed results and will try again today. I have had two other Raymarine wheel autopilots (ST 4000 and a older unit) which worked on this boat without a problem. They steered the boat more accurately then I could ever done manually. The EV1 has been extremely frustrating and consumed hundreds of hours of trying to get the unit to function, including how to upload software updates (you must have a Raymarine MFD), moving the sensor core, different settings and sea trials and dozens of phone calls and e mails. If I can not get the unit to function today it will be returned!

[toddedger]

I installed a new evolution Raymarine autopilot last year. It works marvelously. Steers up wind better than any pilot I've had previously. In fact there's no comparison to previous Raymarine autopilots.

[2hullvenus]

Just installed new Evo myself.

I get in the water next week, then a 1000 nm trip.

I'll report back on how well it controlled this catamaran.

[toddedger]

I don't think any will pilot should be expected to do much but motor from point A to point B when there isn't any wind. You get what you pay for and a wheel pilot is always going to be underperforming no matter what the sensor and software.

[northoceanbeach]

Now that these have been out longer, what is the consensus? Good or bad?

[DotDun]

The EV-1 works as expected.

[Rustic Charm]

I was expecting to see a few more reviews on the Evolution by now

Can those of you that have installed it, elaborate a bit

[ben373]

My ev-1 works well especially upwind, downwind only so so. I fitted an integrated gps but does not make any real difference.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by ben373

My ev-1 works well especially upwind, downwind only so so. I fitted an integrated gps but does not make any real difference.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Was it as easy to set up as they advertise? And is it true there is no callibration needed?