Installation of rudder angle sensor

[Hermia II]

You will probably spend just as much time rigging a half bad solution as you would spend building a shelf. And there's a very good chance you would have to do it the proper way later if you cut corners now.
Modern autopilots function with very sophisticated algorithms. Not giving proper rudder feed back will impair the function. For example instead of steering a stable course, the autopilot may continuously compensate starboard/port/starboard/port...etc. etc. using much more electricity and shortening the lifetime of the unit.
On a boat vital functions have to be bullit proof, otherwise they will fail when you least want it.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Hermia II

You will probably spend just as much time rigging a half bad solution as you would spend building a shelf. And there's a very good chance you would have to do it the proper way later if you cut corners now.
Modern autopilots function with very sophisticated algorithms. Not giving proper rudder feed back will impair the function. For example instead of steering a stable course, the autopilot may continuously compensate starboard/port/starboard/port...etc. etc. using much more electricity and shortening the lifetime of the unit.
On a boat vital functions have to be bullit proof, otherwise they will fail when you least want it.

No. This sensor nothing to do with an autopilot (I don't have one at this stage)

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by billknny

Think about the geometry here for just a second.

How much cable goes by one spot to move the rudder from hard over to hard over? Two feet? More? You'll have a bit of a geometry problem getting that connected in a useful way to the sensor arm that has a throw of 4 or 6 inches.

When you install the autopilot, it needs to know the position of the RUDDER, not the cable. Even a tiny bit of slack in the cable with have you slewing all over the place.

There are lots of good reasons to attach directly to the quadrant or rudder post. No good reasons to attach to anything else. If you were building a boat for me, "easy for you" doesn't count as a good reason for me!

This is a non-starter.

Before you try to get too clever, try a bit more creativity. Nothing says the sender has to sit horizontally. It can attach to a vertical bulkhead, or even upside down. The push arm from the sender to the quadrant can be as long as needed. It fits through a very small hole (slot actually!) in a bulkhead if needed. It can run off a separate small tiller arm off the rudder post if that helps. It is best if it is in a plane normal to the rudder post, but a bit of up down deflection isn't a big deal.

Agree that geometry needs to be considered. In this case a long range would need a long arm to give a long arc. So space maybe a limiting factor.

However, although your comments about connecting the sensor to the cable being all bad., I'm not completely in agreement with.

I do agree with the reasons you state but I don't agree it's always quite as dramatic as you indicate. Aircraft feed back sensors for example are often at the control input ends.

Access for maintance and space etc can also be valid reasons, maybe an overriding reason, to not have sensors in the 'usual' locations.

Like you also say that creativity may require a different mounting orientation. I agree, but could also extend to locations.