Raymarine Autopilot

S

SeaSpray

Active member
When I got my CD22 from Less I got the raymarine C80 system and the autopilot with the gyro. I have had trouble with the auto pilot from day one.

It will follow a compass heading but will not go to a waypoint and stay on course. I talked with Raymarine today and they said they have been getting reports of some problem. They don't know what the problem is but it may be the software. The guy suggested that I just wait and call back at the end of Jan. or Feb.

Does anyone else have this system and is having problems? I would be happier if they had told me to send the unit back and they could fix it.

Steve
 
Steve, I had a similar problem with Raymarine equipment while crewing on another person's boat, and never managed to get it fixed. However, the systems are different, so nothing I tried there would be applicable.

Having said that, it looks like you've been enduring this problem for some time, and I find Raymarine's suggestion that you endure it for another couple of months, and then give them a call, to be way out of line. If you've had this problem for some time, they have to know all about it from other users, and someone at Raymarine knows how to fix it.

I suggest you call Raymarine, and work your way up their "food chain" until you get someone who is willing to attach urgency to the situation. It might help to get the names of everyone with whom you speak, and have spoken, and let them know that you need that information for your records because you use the boat in congested waters, and if you're involved in an accident, you want to be sure that everyone at Raymarine who declined the opportunity to work this to prompt resolution gets the opportunity to explain their indifference to a judge.

Good luck, and keep us posted.
 
Steve,

I've used the Ray. system C80 with the same pilot on 2 boats -- absolutely no problems. Put the pressure on those folks -- if it ain't right they should fix it NOW.

Dusty
 
Hi Steve,

Now that you highlight it, I too think I've had trouble setting a waypoint and having the autopilot follow it. I figured it was me - and normally I just use the compass setting, not the track.
TwoLuckyFish is outta the water at the moment, but we'll put 'er back in as soon as I get the carpet installed in the V-Berth - right after Christmas I suspect. Then I'll check it out. My previous e-mail experience with Raymarine was pretty good, so I am surprised at the answer you received

mac
 
Hi All,
Thanks for the replys.

One of the things with this type of problem is not having time to work on it regularly. I can only get out a couple of weekends each month and I am taking the boat to Arizona after christmas and will leave it there a few months.

The main problem I have is that when I set a waypoint about 1mi away it usually veers off slowly to the left. The crosstrack error increases and then about 7/8 of the way there it starts to correct back to the waypoint. Sometimes it will do it to the right of the waypoint.

I will be on the boat the week after christmas and maybe I can get someone at Raymarine on the phone while in the boat to work on this.

It is good to know that this same system has worked for you Dusty.
I will tell them that and that they should be able to fix mine.

Steve
 
I am looking forward to a couple of days on FreeByrd next week. I have gotten the C-Map chip of Lake Martin installed ...now it is time to set some points, make a route and see how it follows.. I have not taken time to read all the adjustments possible, but some of the "floating off course" and then overcorrection my be a setting somewhere? Dusty?? Feedback on this.. The boat would have to respond differantly while just moving slowly forward while trolling vs at about 3800 rpm/20mph cruising.. May even be an adjustment that could be made with the push of a few buttons (it is just which few and in what sequence) that could correct this too..?
Dusty and Les have spent time on this boat (C-Salt) so I feel sure that any and all issues will have been worked out if they existed. One thing I did notice one NIGHT trolling along with the auto pilot set on the current particular angle was that when it "kicked in" and made movements, that there was a suttle "flicker" of the wallas power light... Kinda made me go humm?? Wondered if the wallas was staight wired to one of the batteries, but then I "think" that even if it was, if two power draws hit the same battery, it is going to notice the "surge"...? Just one of those things that pops out in the dark, that you would never see "with eyes" in the daylight, but maybe a test gauge or light would pick up.. Dusty... what do you think on this? Look forward to meeting you in Seattle at the boat show and factory gathering.
 
Whoa! Gotta take off my red hat and white beard. Do what I can, which isn't much.

The ST 5000+ that is in the T-Cat (sure miss that boat) is simple if compared to the new ST6001. Most of the variables are easily set from the control head - as long as you have read the book and understand the basics.

The ST 6001 (with gyro) is a complex (COMPLEX) dude -- and it's highly recommend to thoroughly RTFM. If it came from EQ I'd wager the dealer portion of the setup was done right. I'd recommend going back to zero, check the dealer setup portion, and fully understand the operator portion. This unit doesn't know whether its going to be in a 200 foot high speed luxury liner or a baby CD - gotta tell it in detail what the platform is. Do NOT stop when it asks what kind of hull (displacement, planing, etc) -- there are types of the planing hull, and it needs to know if you are outboard powered or have an outdrive. (Different control factors).

Les usually sets the turn rate to 5 degrees per second. I personally like 3 degrees because I'm used to that rate in aircraft. We both like the rudder limit set to 15 degrees, and the cruise speed set to 20 knots. Lots of room for experimentation. The basic operator setup is important. When you make your calibration turns follow the manual directions. What you set is what you are gonna live with.

If you have done this properly and it still doesn't home on a waypoint, get on 'em. When set properly this is a great autopilot -- I don't like to leave home without it.

HTH,

Dusty
 
Hi Dusty,
I may have some time to try going through this system again and redo the setup. One thing that bothers me is that on check out the compass would not calibrate. Les replaced it and it did calibrate the next day. I wounder if there is still some problem.

I talked with Chris at Raymarine and he told me that the crosstrack error is a slow reacting signal. Also that the unit was not designed for short legs to waypoints. Basically that 1 or 2 miles is a short distance for the unit.

I don't buy this compleatly. In the meantime I can get to a waypoint by setting a heading and manually correcting when I get off the track to the waypoint.

Steve
 
Steve,

I've never tried it on short tracks to a waypoint. The Raynav stuff will be installed soon and I'll check it out carefully. I'm the guy who pushes the buttons and calls Les if it doesn't work! His years as a nuclear sub electrician have made him a bit picky :roll:

Have a great Holiday and New Year

Dusty
 
Hi Steve,

You're correct. The Track function doesn't work very well.

Yesterday, we cruised from Cultus Bay (Whidbey) down to Poulsbo for lunch. It was a little chilly outside (31 degrees at the dock), but the Wallas worked fine. And outside was sunny - 'till we got to Poulsbo.

Anyway, I set a waypoint a couple miles away, then set the track. The boat went way to the right, then way to the left. I saw that the track error was set at 0.3nm, so that may have something to do with it. I also noticed that the GPS heading (true) is quite a bit different from the Boat heading (true) - by like 18 degrees. No way that is current or drift, so I suspect something in setup or calibration.

As soon as I can, I'll start digging in as well.

Mac
 
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