Raymarine Autopilot size / Displacement ?

[GARBOARD]

Group:

My 1991 38 came factory equipped with an Autohelm / Raymarine Type 1 mechanical/electric linear drive unit.  I know others have the same Raymarine drive on these boats. My question is this.  I’ve seen our boats listed at weights that vary greatly.  Not sure what to believe.  My USGC documentation list the hull at 13 ton, and 15 ton max gross.  I wonder where they get those numbers ?   The problem is that the engineer I spoke with at Raymarine tells me I need a Type 2 short drive due to the displacement. The Type 1 is rated to handle vessels from 11,000 to 24,000 lbs and the Type 2 is rated from 15,000 to 33,000. Raymarine told me the smaller drive would work, but would fail prematurely from being overloaded.  The .pdf drawings from Raymarine look like the mounting and length of the type 2 Short is the same as the type 1.  This all started because I am Installing 2 new Axioms and a new Ray Quantum 2 radar and Ray engineering tells me I must have the new EV1 9 axis position sensor and autopilot control unit on the CAN buss or the radar display will be heads up only, inaccurate and very laggy.  It will not show the targets as it should.  So if I want this radar to operate properly I must get rid of the flux gate position sensor and course computer etc. the only thing that will still work is the drive.  The Type 2 drive and controller are a good bit more expensive and it draws lots more battery current. I’d like to hear from anyone using either drive, pro’s and cons. Raymarine told me the drive units , if properly sized for the boat are built to complete one circumnavigation.

Thanks,

Brian

CR 38 # 150

[Dave Newberg]

Hi Brian,

We sail a 1990 34 vs. a 38 so no conclusion based on experience can be drawn, although I will render a couple of points/opinions which others may either support or refute. 

1. Our smaller original Raymarine linear drive (30 years old with lots of miles/hours) is significantly more than powerful enough for our boat and still working great.

2. When using Raymarine’s ratings, which are meant to universally cover all boats of X to Y displacement, also must include those with some seriously heavy helm pressures. On your Cabo Rico, being a very well balanced boat, helm pressure is significantly lower than what is likely the maximum expected pressure limits on the heavier linear drive. So the smaller drive may very well be adequate.

Any others thoughts?

Cheers

Dave

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[LARRY BARKER]

I agree with Dave on light helm pressure.  The drive will be worked considerably less on a 1984 CR 38.  Put a lower rated NEXIS unit rated to 23, 000 pounds (If memory serves) and it was never an issue. 

Mounting the ram base was the biggest problem. They were not thinking about installing that in ‘84. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 7, 2020, at 8:27 PM, Dave Newberg <sv.c...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Brian,

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[Robert Benner]

How are you going to sail the boat?

The 38 is a heavy boat.  If you will only go out in good weather and never more than an hour from port then you can install any lightweight wheelpilot.

When the wind is howling 45 unforecast knots in the middle of the night a thousand miles from anywhere....

Well then I like a piece of kit that I can rely on.

Bob Benner

Meredith

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[GARBOARD]

I appreciate the reply’s, thank you All.  Everyone makes good points to ponder.  The decision making and modification process seems endless on a sailboat like ours !  Only limited by the amount of hard work and $$ one is willing to invest.

Best Regards,

Brian

[LARRY BARKER]

Most important don’t forget to go sailing.  👍👍

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 8, 2020, at 9:16 PM, GARBOARD <go...@earthlink.net> wrote:

I appreciate the reply’s, thank you All.  Everyone makes good points to ponder.  The decision making and modification process seems endless on a sailboat like ours !  Only limited by the amount of hard work and $$ one is willing to invest.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/caborico/e4c2ea33-8dd7-4155-99d7-54240001de5bn%40googlegroups.com.