autopilot advice needed for HT27

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  • 7th June 2007 at 12:14 pm #10964

      I want to buy an autopilot for my HT27. There doesn't seem to be a lot of choice! I was thinking of the raymarine S1 wheel pilot as the only option (very expensive at £650). Has anyone any experience with using an autopilot on an HT and any recommendations on which to choose/options/ease of fitting and price comparisons?
      Alastair (RnR- soon to be renamed Iolite)

      7th June 2007 at 4:26 pm #11495

        Hi Alsastair

        We have the Autohelm 4000 which is very good. We didn't fit it but it looks to be quite easy. It fits neatly behind the wheel and is very quick and easy to set up and use. Don't know the price.

        Steve

        7th June 2007 at 7:21 pm #11496

          That's about the only choice now if you want new. We have an old style Simrad unit bought 18 months ago which is great but noisy. The new ones are much quieter.

          22nd July 2007 at 12:01 pm #11497

            Hi, We had the 3000 autohelm on the wheel, but tis is terrible because of the free space in the wheel system, too much turnings for nothing, so a friend gave a old autohelm 600 or 700, made for helmstok(?) I removed all electronics and only use the motor and wormwheel system and placed it directly on the ruder: It is stering correctly, quick, no noise and irritation, less off power consumption, but it could be dangerous when you have to put it away quickly, we made a rope on it, pull and the device comes up, and stering can be done by hand.
            if someone is interested, I can make some pictures, and post it. bye, martin

            6th May 2008 at 11:59 am #11498

              We had a wheelpilot till it was stolen now its all done by hand. not so good for relaxing on the foredeck watching the world go by with a beer in hand!!

              6th May 2008 at 4:45 pm #11499

                Hi alastair
                we have the autohelm 4000 it works fine, it can be connected to the wind meter (autohelm st50) in our case.
                The motordrive is mounted inside the console and therefore hard to steel.
                It can be connected to an NMEA( 0183 protocol) device such as a chartplotter.
                But… we hardly use it. Its no fun, but practical at times. As all autopilots it finds it hard to steer the Ht27 when sailing with (fore?) the wind.
                I hope this helps.
                regards
                Juup

                29th June 2008 at 1:48 am #11500

                  Sula has an Autohelm 6000. Its the hydrolic unit, and works well. Am sure it was expensive, but it came with the boat so don't know the cost. I have an Autohelm st 4000 on my wharram. It cost US $800.00 four years ago. It workes very well, and the wife actually enjoyed going offshore, without being tied to the helm.

                  11th July 2008 at 8:50 pm #11501

                    We have one of the belt driven thingies, but you can only get them 2nd hand now. I used to think autopilots were for people who didn't like sailing – until we did some long cross channel trips. It's so nice to concentrate on the passage and let the autopilot keep her on course. It's also lovely like doc says for sitting on the fore deck and watching the water go by!

                    p.s. Steve – if you were tying your wife to the wheel then that may explain her reluctance to go offshore 🙂

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