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expierences with a tiller pilot

Posted: Mon March 31st, 2008, 10:04 pm
by eilard
I made my first trip with our new gained MG Vulcan "Odyssee". In the Netherlands from our winter berth in Amsterdam to our summer location in Friesland across the IJsselmeer lake. We had a good backstay breeze. Most of the time we sailed with genoa and mizzen, parts of the trip also with the double reefed main. Our speed was almost always between 4 and 5 knots and sometimes above 5. It was my first real sailing experience with this ship and I 'm pleased about her behaviour in these circumstances.

I also did a short try out with my autohelm 2000 tiller pilot at one of the Frisian lakes. With a strong wind (7 beaufort) I noticed that under this circumstances the reaction of the tiller pilot is to slow to maintain a course with a reasonable stability. Of course I have to try out further, but my question is: "does anyone have experiences with a tiller pilot on MG designs like the vulcan (like the golden hind e.g.)". And are there tips to stable the course a bit more. Or do I have to seek the problem with my -quite old fashioned type of- tiller pilot?

Tiller pilots

Posted: Wed April 9th, 2008, 10:48 am
by Fiddler's Green
I too have a Tiller pilot, a Navico made device. It is 15 years old now... It is designed for craft of 30ft, whereas we are just 27ft. It copes well, but when conditions get beyond F6 it struggles.

Having been out once or twice in F7's, I hope never to be out there in similar conditions again! So the tiller pilot should not have to try and cope with these conditions too often.

Reading the instruction booklet, the thrust it can exert is in excess of 140lb! I think the tiller would complain if that amount of force was used often!

Like you it was the delay in correcting course that caused me problems, however reading the book it tells me it will 'learn' and begin to react faster.... Not sure I could wait!

Regards
John

futher experiences

Posted: Sat May 17th, 2008, 9:46 pm
by eilard
Thank you for your reaction John

Now I've done some more sailing. We had a good week on the Wadden sea and where even able to put her aground at low tide properly. I 've also experienced using the tiller pilot some more. Indeed it is learning. During sailing by power it can steer us at a satisfactory straight course. When I put on the sails it is much less steady. But under sail the vulcan is almost steering herself, so that is not such a problem. Alas I obtained my tiller pilot second hand without a manual, so I have te learn things too (I could not find a manual for the old fashioned type I have)

Eilard[/list][/list]

Posted: Sun May 18th, 2008, 11:54 am
by chris s
One way to decrease the load on the tiller pilot is to fit a small trim tab onto the rear of the rudder blade,
You then reverse the T/P and connect it to steer the trim tab (direction reversed)
The T/P will then only be powering the trim tab, and the trim tab will then steer the rudder and so the boat, this will not only reduce the load/power at the T/P it will also decrease the overall response time as the T/P has a lot less work to do in steering the boat.

Auto pilot

Posted: Wed September 17th, 2008, 1:32 pm
by Fiddler's Green
Very Clever.. I had fogotten you could do that!

john