ab1974 1 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Looking to buy a tiller pilot for my Elliot 7.9. Any thoughts / feedback on the Simrad / Raymarine or others? Main be used when shorthanded when doing sail changes or motoring. Do I need one or am I better off with a simple rope / shock cord system? Link to post Share on other sites
Murky 1 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Haha, I single-handed the 88 home when we bought it and lost count of the number of circles I did using the rope system! Smaller boats are very sensitive to your weight as you move forward and no matter how well you managed to get it tracking when you are in the cockpit, as soon as you head forward...hold on tight. I got the Raymarine and have had no issues with it, think the Simrad pricing is slightly lower though. You probably know the tip of going up a model from what is recommended if you can afford to (and the price difference is probably only $150 at the level we are at). You will love having it - I have found the biggest difference being able to tidy up the boat while you are motoring the last leg (e.g. that headsail on the deck that you can see is threatening to get blown over the side but you can't leave the helm otherwise). Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Go and support the SSANZ sponsor tell them that your into shorthanded sailing and ask for a deal Link to post Share on other sites
ab1974 1 Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 Good point Danaide. Suspect they will tell me to go to a retailer. Marine-deals to a TP10 for $750 which is about the best I can find at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 360 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 these guys are the retailers and agents http://www.advancetrident.com/index.php ... Itemid=109 Physical Address Advance Trident Ltd 383 New North Road Kingsland, Auckland Link to post Share on other sites
Fogg 427 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I've had constant problems with Autohelm/Raymarine APs. when my current (3rd replacement) unit dies I'll be shifting to something else high-end and not going back. Same with my Navman/navico gear.... but don't start me on that one. Link to post Share on other sites
ab1974 1 Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 Good call Danaide - best price from Advanced Trident. Will go and pick one up next week...... AC - wished I had asked the same question before buying my Navman gear. Have it mostly sorted now (ie replaced), but will typically try to get some feedback here before buying anything significant for the yacht in future. Anyone had any issues with the Simrad TP10 I should be aware of? Link to post Share on other sites
Absolution 7 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 My only advice would be buy one size bigger than the specs say you need, you'll appreciate the extra speed and grunt. My TP30 died just before the Simrad last year and I had to replace it with a TP22. I'm planning to upgrade to a TP32 at some stage so you could buy my TP22 (which has hardly been used) for the price of new TP10. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Have a Simrad tp32 for a few years and all good. Link to post Share on other sites
Changed 10 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 A remote control is an added want. But very cool. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Watch that grunt bit. I stepped up a size, only for speed as the smaller one was sweet but knot as fast to move as my boat is, the baby still works fine. But it's only a matter of time when the boat loads up and the bigger AP just shares the tiller clean off. It's a 'when' knot a 'if'. Yes it is on the To Do list - gruntier tiller. And the step up in size still didn't make the AP fast enough. Just downhilling, otherwise fine but I understand most tiller versions struggle with hard running, especially in waves. Also watch for connectivity with other instruments. They all say the can chat on BlaaBlaa but look close and knot all gear has the same BlaaBlaa. My AP won't talk to my damn good problem free never once had the slightest drama or even a hints of running like a dream for years Navman gear, it's BlaaBlaa doesn't have the same string set of BlaaBlaa and my AP's BlaaBlaa set. True, I've never had the slightest Navman issue............ until I have now said that probably. My AP's are both called Ray, which is a reflection of the brand name on them. Both have never once given drama.............until I have now said that probably. I reckon AC is just to tuff for his gear a.k.a he's just a rough cu........ Just joshing, I know he looks after his baby far better than many others. Link to post Share on other sites
RedLine 0 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Bought a Raymarine 1000 last yr for my 930. And as KM says there not much good for downhill, but can be ok upwind/reaching in good conditions. Mostly use it when single or two handed to tidy up the boat, drop sails etc under engine, and wouldnt be without it. Had lots of them over the years, I always make a reflective cover (out of the stuff u put on ur car windscreen) this does two things: 1) Keeps the sun off the unit, none of these units like to be running for long on a hot day having the components fried 2) Keeps salt spray off the unit, I know they are supposed to be waterproof, but every little helps. Do this and you'll double the life of ur autopilot. Stu Link to post Share on other sites
ab1974 1 Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 Hmm, hadn't thought about the 'speed' of the TP. The TP10 is for yachts up to 33' and 3.7T. Given I'm 26' and less than 2T I thought I was no where near marginal and would get away with it. However expecting it to steer with the new gennaker up in 20kts while I'm pouring a rum could be interesting. Is there much difference in speed between a TP10 and a TP22? (or equiv 'Ray' units) Link to post Share on other sites
ab1974 1 Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 The TP10 has max thrust of 65kg and lock to lock of 8 sec at 20kg The TP22 has max thrust of 70kg and lock to lock of 8 sec at 20kg No much diff there to justify the 'upsize' for a Simrad TP. Main diff seems to be the ability to connect to NMEA input to allow to steer to GPS or wind. My wind instrument is Navman and the Lowrance Elite 5. Trying to get shite working is something else to go wrong and never works for me anyway...... Given the Ray ones seem to be more $$ any reason I would go down that route? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I had a Raymarine ST2000 in my previous boat, (4.5 t, 31'). It was only really good for motoring and light winds. And the first unit was not waterproofed (normal rain killed it) and the second one got too much sun and overheated and never worked well after that. I would go for some other brand. In the Transat650 race 2007 I was in Madeira and talked to several skippers and they all thought Simrad was a lot better. And most of them had Simrad tiller pilots onboard. And these guys use the autopilot pretty much 24/7 for weeks. I would also advice to buy one size bigger/faster than what the manufacturer recommends. Link to post Share on other sites
tuffyluffy 76 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I dont know if tiller pilots have them, but a gyro on my below-deck unit made a world of difference. It catches boat deviation before the compass does and corrects alot faster. She now holds a course in pretty much any seaway from any angle at any wind speed. Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Maybe someone could educate me. I've always wondered why you couldn't put an ' undersized' tiller pilot on a boat by just shifting the attachment point further out on the tiller. ie , if the specs say attach it 300mm out from the post, fit it 450 out for 50% more lever arm or less stress on the drive. I understand that you'll have less travel but what's the main issue.. not fast enough? Link to post Share on other sites
ab1974 1 Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 Thats the key issue - speed. The Simrad TP10 and TP22 are 8 seconds lock to lock - guessing if you place 50% further forward it will possibly need an extention and be slower. The ST1000 is also 8 seconds. Guessing slowing that down even further would make it less helpful especially off the wind or in larger waves. The TP32 and ST2000 are both about 4.5 seconds Gyro out of my price bracket TL - though there is one on TM used. Link to post Share on other sites
John B 106 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 What set me off on that track was the way cruisers use tillerpilots hooked up to self steering vanes as a low cost autopilot. There's virtually no load and low power consumption on the drive. So I wondered if there's another way to hook up a TP to a tiller with lower gearing and less load. Would it do for motoring/ glass days for example and sailing up to a point. My interest is whether it'd be worth having one as a backup should the hydraulic linear drive I have crap out on a trip. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 The TP10 has max thrust of 65kg and lock to lock of 8 sec at 20kg The TP22 has max thrust of 70kg and lock to lock of 8 sec at 20kg No much diff there to justify the 'upsize' for a Simrad TP. Main diff seems to be the ability to connect to NMEA input to allow to steer to GPS or wind. My wind instrument is Navman and the Lowrance Elite 5. Trying to get shite working is something else to go wrong and never works for me anyway...... Given the Ray ones seem to be more $$ any reason I would go down that route? Yeap I noticed that speed lack of difference so went with the Ray2000+ due to it being a lot faster. I buy what works, the brand has feck all input into the decision usually but I did suss Simrads 1st as they sponsor the Simrad. But I just couldn't get past the speed thing. I had, still have, a Ray1000 and it was fine but struggled downhill. As I solo a lot I wanted something a bit quicker so got the 2000+. Nice unit and works well, as long as you aren't watching the tiller turn inside out, but it still struggles a little on the downhills. Neither have gyro but the 2000+ has more/better list of connectible things, knot much at all on the 1000, or knot at least on one of my vintage, it may have changed. The 2000 does talk with more things so I can hook it to a gyro if I want. The oher reason I went up was so I could interface with my non-existent wind gear (still sitting on the floor under my desk at the oriface) so I can set TWA's rather than just straight lining. The 2000 does read it's internal compass faster than the 1000, or it appears that way. A mate has a Simrad, one up from the smallest, and he likes his a lot. reckons it's damn good and about the only negative is 'it could be faster', he also suffers issues downhill. He's a bit clunkier than my 930 so it works OK for him even if he does get the odd crazy ivan now and again. I think either brand would be as good as each other, both are good. So I suppose you have to make the call as to the cost verses speed verses how it chats to your other gear, fitted now and on the wish list. Link to post Share on other sites
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