Installing a tiller autopilot with 90 degrees offset?

[Pollux]

I would like to install my Raymarine ST1000Plus at a special mount at the rudder axis, which is 90 degrees offset to the recommended way (see picture). Is there anyone that's done that, and know if I will get any problems with it that way. Appreciate if you share any experience, facts, guesses or opinion of the installation.
Thanks

[Adelie]

Curious as to why?

[Paul L]

As long as the leverage arm is equivalent it should work fine.

[tkeithlu]

The autopilot has no inner sense of how it the actuator is oriented. As far as it's concerned, "Out" is port rudder and "In" is starboard rudder, or vice versa. Just rig the rudder position indicator arm the same way.

Do note that the way you are changing it reverses port and starboard, so you'll have to change rudder direction at the controller when you program it.

[JBP]

It will work fine with a couple exceptions. As tkeithlu said you will have to change the setting to port side mount (the default is starboard side I believe). There is no setting for forward nor stern mount. Also the course indicated or set will not, of course, be your course, but will be 90 degrees off. Probably not a big deal. You want the center tiller position to be at the middle of travel of the autopilot or longer. You can make the actuator rod longer but not shorter.

[psk125]

Will the tiller hit the actuator at any point? The two would need to be in different planes or far enough apart to keep that from happening.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Pollux

I would like to install my Raymarine ST1000Plus at a special mount at the rudder axis, which is 90 degrees offset to the recommended way (see picture). Is there anyone that's done that, and know if I will get any problems with it that way. Appreciate if you share any experience, facts, guesses or opinion of the installation.
Thanks

I have done this.


You will need to mount it on the port side, though. As shown the action is reversed (push by the ram pulls tiller to starboard). Some rams can have the action reversed, but I don't believe this one can.


(Oh yeah... Keith said that already.)

[JBP]

The ST1000 (and 2000) support port side operating sense. Press and hold +1 and-1 to switch.

[Pollux]

Thanks for all replies, appreciate it. I will give it a try.

My use-case is not my main rudder. But my Hydrovane rudder (WindVane). It steers the boat like a charm with wind, and can be used as an emergency rudder if the main rudder/steering fails. I'm getting a tiller pilot for it, so I also have a spare auto-pilot if my ordinary fails (or the main rudder falls off :-).
Thanks again.
/Anders

[JBP]

Free Range Sailing on YouTube uses their tiller auto pilot to control their wind vane. They did a video about it a few years ago.

[NevilleCat]

I think usually you control the air vane of a wind vane rather than the rudder?