[C320-list] ST 4000 Autohelm autopilot

[Dave Ouimette]

My ST 4000 autopilot is not working properly and I'm hoping someone has a suggestion on how to get it repaired. Raymarine no longer repairs these older units. The primary symptom is the unit will not correct to starboard when the boat drifts off course; it will correct to port. The tech at Raymarine said this is a relatively common problem and reflects failure of a transistor in the head. My boat tech checked the voltage going to the wheel drive unit and, indeed, when a port correction is needed, the voltage is adequate (about 9.4 volts), but to starboard, the voltage is only .2 volts. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Dave
Hull 174

[Rod Boer]

Hi Dave,
I have inserted some information from a previous email on the subject from
Bob Sloat which has contact information in it. I also had my ST 4000+ wheel
autopilot control head repaired by Dan Gerhardt. His price was very
reasonable.

"Mates-I just had my ST 4000+ wheel autopilot control head which Raymarine
no longer services repaired by Dan Gerhardt who was mentioned a few months
ago by a fellow C320 owner on this site. Costs vary with the amount of work
and my repair was a lot less than what Raymarine charged the last time this
unit was repaired 6 years ago. He turned it around in a few days and it is
running fine with all the original settings intact. His contact info is
c2...@mydurango.net. He is out of that great sailing community of Durango
CO! He also buys and sells autopilots and services autopilots from
Raymarine, Raytheon and Autohelm. He told me he has done other instrument
repair but with varied success. Advise dropping him a note if you have an
autopilot repair need for cost and shipping information. I don't know if he
does autopilot repairs for units that Raymarine still services.

I am not Gerhardt's agent nor is he related. I am just delighted to get the
repair done quickly in the middle of the season and saving me a lot of angst
over spending a lot of money for an upgrade replacement and the hassle of
installation a control computer along with the instrument display or taking
a chance on buying a used control head over eBay..

If your legacy autopilot control head breaks down, the alternative if you
cant't get it repaired could be well over a $1000 for a new display and
control computer or looking on eBay for a used control head which would be
cheaper. Most of the ST 4000 + control heads on eBay when I last looked
were used and cost well over twice my $150 repair cost which included
including return shipping if prepaid. While the upgraded Raymarine
autopilot is very good looking, it doesn't match the 2002 area ST60 +
instruments I have on the Nav Pod.

One thing I learned about the Raymarine ST 4000+ is that both the display
and the control computer are in the control head which is the instrument
itself. This apparently was a poor design as this is the second time it has
been repaired over 13 seasons. STKL FAIL error message is bad news on the
instrument. The newer wheel autopilots have a separate instrument and
course computer, the latter installed some where else on the boat. And you
might have to get a separate drive motor which may not be a direct
replacement for the drive motor for the 4000 + possibly requiring more holes
to drill in the Edson pedestal and maybe moving the engine instrument box a
little."

Bob Sloat
Savannah 894 (2002)
Waukegan Harbor, IL

[Dave Ouimette]

Rod,

Thanks for the advice. I will follow-up with Dan Gerhardt.

Dave
Hull 174

[Beverly Wright]

Dave, I had the same success with Dan this past season. He is fantastic at
repairing these units and the turnaround is just a few days. My autopilot
didn't work at all and now it works perfectly save for needing calibration,
so we live with the 11 degrees off the compass/GPS on one heading until we
find the time to do the dockside and circles calibration exercises. Email
him and he'll give you simple instructions about what to send him and you
pay him after he fixes the unit.

Bev
Whoosh #15
Edgewater, MD

[Dave Ouimette]

Bev,

Thanks for the positive response. I have e-mailed Dan and probably will use his services to repair our autopilot.

[Welch, Myron D]

Good Afternoon,

I am purchasing a new Doyle mainsail with the StackPack system. I have always enjoyed the Dutchman system, but hopefully this will be even easier as we age and are not as strong and agile.

I now have my 1995 OEM Catalina mainsail for sale. It is in good condition and since we sail a short season on Lake Michigan, it has minimal wear and sun damage. It has the Dutchman system and full battens, although the battens, especially the two longer one, would be expensive to ship. I am asking $400 plus shipping.

Also, I have the captain navy sail cover which has the two zippers for the Dutchman lines and is in excellent condition. That is available for $75 plus shipping. If interested, I have pictures of the sail cover, but not the sail. I have the sail cover at home and could ship soon, but the sail is stored indoors with the boat in northern Michigan. I will not be back at the boat until June 1.

Please contact me at the address below if interested in either item.

Myron Welch
Wind Instrument, #238
Iowa City, Iowa
Grace Memorial Harbor
Elk Rapids, Michigan
myron...@uiowa.edu

[Doug Treff]

Myron,

If someone purchases the sail but has no need for the cover, I would be
interested. When I purchased September song, the boat had been converted
to lazy jacks and the cover was changed to a solid one. I've been
considering a switch back to Dutchman, and this cover would be needed if
I do.

Thanks,

---
Doug Treff
Catalina 320 - 1996 - September Song - #350
http://savvysailor.blogspot.com/
do...@treff.us