Autopilot

H

Hunkydory

New member
Only videos of about a max minute in length can be posted to our albums, so I broke down the video of how to avoid objects dead ahead, while using a auto pilot into three short I minute videos starting here.

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _photo.php

I stated in the videos, the best way of several choices to make a quick turn, while on autopilot is to use the remote steering controller. The remote does steer the boat well, but the quickest way to avoid an object with the Raymarine EV 150 is to just quickly turn the helm by hand, which though shouldn’t be used often, in a an emergency it will override the autopilot allowing for a quick turn. As the video shows in a non emergency both the remote controller & controller knob works well for steering, while the autopilot is engaged.

For those interested, I also added to my 2018 SE Alaska album 4 short, one minute videos showing our entrance into Holkham bay & Endicott Arm on our way to Fords Terror starting here.

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _photo.php

Jay
 
Good info as always Jay. I’m in the early stages of shopping for an autopilot. We have the Garmin 740s chart plotter. The plotter may be old enough that it is not compatible it’s any of the new autopilots. Otherwise, I am content with the plotter. Is an autopilot functional without being tied to the chart plotter?
 
Is an autopilot functional without being tied to the chart plotter?
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Yes. Most have their own control head. As you can see in Jay's video's, he has several ways of controlling his AP. In my setup, I basically control it with it's own control head, or I connect it to the Garmin GPSMAP 541S or 840 to follow a route or track. I'm not sure if I can manually control the AP's direction with the chartplotters as Jay showed. (Probably can, but just haven't learned how.)

Regarding the use of all the other ways to turn directions with the autopilot if you have to dodge something, if I have time, I will use the control head to turn it. Otherwise in an emergency I'll just spin the helm against the autopilot (no big thing, but the autopilot will keep trying to correct my heading until I turn it off or place in standby), or turn the autopilot to standby then turn the helm. I have the Garmin Reactor 40 with smart pump. I do have Garmins included Shadow Drive, but found with the amount of steering restriction on my 25, it kicks in anytime the autopilot has to turn the boat more than a couple of degrees. Also, the way the Shadow Drive works, is it will kick the autopilot off for a short time and then re-engage on the boats current heading once you are going straight again. Without the shadow drive, and just steering the helm against the autopilot, once you are done, the autopilot will go back on it's original heading, track or route. Which I think is a better deal anyway!

Colby
 
Good Auto Pilot videos. I am looking at upgrading my old Raymarine C80 system to the Raymarine Axiom system with the new auto pilot. My old Raymarine autopilot is button based and to do a 30 degree turn you need to press the button three times to do a quick turn. Boating in the PNW waters, floating logs and deadheads are really common, especially in the inside passage along Vancouver Island's east coast. You really need to keep your eyes open and if going fast, then you are better with two sets of eyes. The knob system looks really nice to use. I don't use the autopilot connected to the chart plotter as the 17 year old system is more difficult to use and a couple of times something went wrong and it would have me spinning donuts in the ocean. When this happens it, you need to act fast as it could be dangerous in a small bay or anchorage. I hope and expect that the new Axiom system will be much better and easier to use.
 
kennharriet":2hvsjemy said:
Good info as always Jay. I’m in the early stages of shopping for an autopilot. We have the Garmin 740s chart plotter. The plotter may be old enough that it is not compatible it’s any of the new autopilots. Otherwise, I am content with the plotter. Is an autopilot functional without being tied to the chart plotter?
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Ken, you may be able to control the autopilot without the chartplotter as Colby says, but the three, I have had, including the Raymarine EV 150 must have a GPS nmea language input from a chart plotter or other outside gps device to mix information with the autopilot sensor for the autopilot controller to send the proper signals to the hydraulic pump for boat steering control. The best way to link all this together is a nmea 2000 network. Your Garmin 740 if it outputs nmea 0813, may work as is, with a Garmin autopilot or possibly with a converter to a nmea 2000 network. Personally, I think you are more apt to have less trouble setting the system up if sticking with one manufacturer for all the components. I prefer Garmin & Raymarine, others prefer different manufactors.

Again,
The autopilot sensor, it used to be called the electronic compass, sends the 9 axis movement of the boat to the autopilot brain (also called the controller, which is different than the hands on controller) there it mixes with the GPS signals from most often the chart plotter to output the boat steering control via the hydraulic pump. All interlinked by the nmea 2000 or combined NMEA 0183 with a converter to nmea 2000 network.

Jay
 
Jay, I do have NMEA 2000 networked between the motor and the plotter so maybe the auto pilot is compatible. However, the Reactor 40 I was looking at did not list my 740s as compatible. Sounds like some black magic involved🙂
 
jkidd":1bd1wf69 said:
Maggie's going to be in my lap.
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Yep, Maggie at times, for sure is going to want to be in your lap, lol & those videos as you expect were mild, only the small icebergs being a concern. Near there, crossing the bar going up Tracy Arm instead of Endicott Arm in 2007 was our most challenging & hazordous event in all our SE Alaska adventures. The Tracy Arm bar is much narrower than Endicott, though the tidal rapid that day was less. The hazard came from the many small & large icebergs moving with the current against us as we entered in the twilight in dense fog, that had came down just as we prepared to enter. When we finally made it through the entrance & started to enter Tracy Arm Cove to Anchor, the radar seemed to show the cove filled with icebergs as was in the channel. Great relief as we got very close & started seeing anchored boats instead of icebergs, though there was some icebergs mixed in with the boats. This photo was taken just after clearing the rapids & into smooth water. Have to look close to see the iceberg.

PICT0050_001.sized.jpg

Jay
 
kennharriet":12pji6b9 said:
Jay, I do have NMEA 2000 networked between the motor and the plotter so maybe the auto pilot is compatible. However, the Reactor 40 I was looking at did not list my 740s as compatible. Sounds like some black magic involved🙂
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Ken, that is strange as all the Garmin 740 should need to do for the auto pilot to work is provide the GPS signals through the nmea 2000. Perhaps the incapability comes with just no hand control of the auto pilot through the chart plotter with the Garmin 740. Which as Colby stated might not be necessary as the Garmin auto pilot should have it’s own controller. The only down side of that would be the Garmin steering controller doesn’t have the steering knob on it like my Raymarine. You might see if it will work before replacing the chart plotter. When I was researching a autopilot replacement, my final two choices was either the Garmin 700 series chart plotter with the Garmin auto pilot or the Raymarine Axiom 9 with the Raymarine EV150 autopilot.

Jay
 
Maggie's going to be in my lap.
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We have encountered a lot of floating logs in our cruising around Vancouver Island, but the scariest thing are the deadheads. These may 50 foot logs with only the butt end floating at or near the surface. Last summer boating in the Broughtons, we were coming up a channel in light fog. Up ahead we spotted what we thought was a seal sticking his head up from the the water. There was a slight chop, so the object would disappear from time to time. The log I think was floating below the surface and would pop up a foot or more at a time and then disappear again. We saw this log at least twice in our travels and we were glad to be going slow, as at speed and in a choppy sea it would be easy to miss, but could do a lot of damage. There are times when the Admiral has to put away the knitting, as all eyes are needed on the water, even Maggie's if she is trained properly.
 
Peter & Judy, I agree avoiding deadheads or at least serious boat damage from a possible hit is a good reason among many to keep the speed down. I’ve seen very few deadheads & lots of horizontal logs, but probably have passed by many deadheads I didn’t see. Those & very small icebergs, that are still quite capable of doing serious damage are high on my to avoid list. Bill Roche of “Mystery Girl” sent me a link about a Ranger Tug 27 with OB making a cruise from Blaine, Washington to Glacier National Park & back in 17 days. They cruised at 28 mph unless sea conditions forced less. I suspect it’s just a matter of time until they have a serious collision with wood debri or ice if several of these type trips are made. Even when really paying attention in certain light & sea conditions, they can be very hard to see to avoid with slowing up if possible the best option.

Jay
 
Jay, nice illustrations! Thataway CD 25 had a RayMarine S 1000. It adapted well to the Axiom MDF. We would just punch a 10* change if we had an obstacle and Theon 10* back on the hand held. The Newer EVO 150 has a number of other features.

Thru the years the majority of the auto pilots I have owned were only on magnetic headings. One of the early ones, was just a compass, with two contacts and two parallel tungsten wires. It was make or break--always hunting--but actually an effective and accurate pilot. The one on the longest voyages was a commercial Bendix and long before any MFD or GPS chart plotters. It used a photo electric cell and variable amount of light as the sensor which was mounted on a magnetic compass card.

For many of the auto pilots I made a "dodge remote". Basically it was a small box with two contact buttons--one port and one starboard with a cord to the auto pilot selenoids. We would put the boat on a heading--and many times not change for days when crossing oceans. But we always had the "dodger" handy, which would power the boat port or starboard- to avoid any obstacles. As long as we punched the button, the boat would deviate to that side. Upon release, the boat would resume its magnetic compass course. We found that most obsticals only required the boat to move a few feet to one side or the other. The remote could be carried anywhere on the boat that the tether would reach.

We are old fashioned, but rarely put a "route" in the auto pilot. We prefer to punch in the headings as we come to the waypoint.
 
I have the EV-150 AP and love it, especially the tiny steering wheel. So much easier than the one or ten degree buttons. I don't use the route following, but do use the Go To This Heading function mostly. For emergency I use the AP Control "Standby" button and manually crank the wheel. AND mostly keep a good eye out front, those "Things" have a way of popping up if you aren't watching.

A good rule to know too, is : "If you see birds standing on the water, They are not."

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

IMGP1867.thumb.jpg
 
Jay, I do have NMEA 2000 networked between the motor and the plotter so maybe the auto pilot is compatible. However, the Reactor 40 I was looking at did not list my 740s as compatible. Sounds like some black magic involved
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Ken, I assume that your 740s is comparable to my older 541s. The Reactor 40 (with the GHC20 control head) works fine communicating with my 541s. I just haven't figured out how to remotely control the a/p from the chartplotters, other than having it follow a route or track. It would be great if the chartplotters could control the A/p's direction manually, as then I could drive the a/p from the cockpit helm where I have the 541 mounted. Otherwise the GHC20 is located at the cabin helm. I think the operating manual for the a/p says somewhere that it can be controlled from the chartplotter, so the GHC20 wouldn't even be needed in that situation. Perhaps a winter project for me to work on. :? Colby
 
My 7610 has the ability to show the autopilot on the screen and to engage the autopilot from there as well. The Garmin autopilot would use the heading sensor to lock onto a course. You might or might not be able to do a go to or a route. It might be that it just can’t display on the MDF or control from it. So I would give Garmin a call and ask them about the compatibility.
 
Bob, my Raymarine S100 wireless remote connects to the Raymarine EV150 through a dedicated receiver & converter, which is not Bluetooth or Wi-F. The Seatalk receiver/converter converts the Seatalk nmea 0813 to nmea 2000 & into the nmea 2000 network.

When away from the helm at displacement speed, I use a lanyard around my neck attached to the wireless controller. On long slow cruising days, when JoLee takes a nap in the V berth, I’ll sit on the portable West marine chair placed on the passenger seat cushions with the table down & my feet up & my back & neck supported. A great place & way to comfortably sit, & still steer the boat. The binocs in reach & iPad running Navionics on my lap.

I imagine the Garmin wireless remote is just as good or better. I agree, very handy & worth the extra cost. Actually, when ever I leave the helm while underway, the remote goes with me.

Jay
 
Hunkydory":3rujsmac said:
Bob, my Raymarine S100 wireless remote connects to the Raymarine EV150 through a dedicated receiver & converter, which is not Bluetooth or Wi-F. The Seatalk receiver/converter converts the Seatalk nmea 0813 to nmea 2000 & into the nmea 2000 network.

Actually, when ever I leave the helm while underway, the remote goes with me.

Jay
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Jay, I see that the S 100 (which I have on my S 1000 system), now comes with the "Base Station" which needs to be plugged into a "Sea Talk" port. The older S 1000 system, does not appear to have a base station, but the S 100 corresponds directly with the "brains" of the S 1000. It appears that the S 100 has changed very little if any over the last 17 years, by comparing the 2005 and 2021 manuals.

I have not found the frequency of the S100--but some FCC filings suggest it is in the 800 to 1200 MHz range of RF.
 
thataway":1jn5o1cp said:
Hunkydory":1jn5o1cp said:
Bob, my Raymarine S100 wireless remote connects to the Raymarine EV150 through a dedicated receiver & converter, which is not Bluetooth or Wi-F. The Seatalk receiver/converter converts the Seatalk nmea 0813 to nmea 2000 & into the nmea 2000 network.

Actually, when ever I leave the helm while underway, the remote goes with me.

Jay
Click to expand...

Jay, I see that the S 100 (which I have on my S 1000 system), now comes with the "Base Station" which needs to be plugged into a "Sea Talk" port. The older S 1000 system, does not appear to have a base station, but the S 100 corresponds directly with the "brains" of the S 1000. It appears that the S 100 has changed very little if any over the last 17 years, by comparing the 2005 and 2021 manuals.

I have not found the frequency of the S100--but some FCC filings suggest it is in the 800 to 1200 MHz range of RF.
Click to expand...



I too originally had the S1000 that connected directly to the brain with the S100. With the EV150 it’s just as you described with the base station being what I called in my description “the receiver” followed by the converter.

Jay
 
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