Below decks autopilot installation report on a 1987 MK1

[markr]

I just finished installing a Raymarine below decks linear drive autopilot today on my 1987 MKI. Memory does not serve me well but I think it is a Raymarine S1 series autopilot. If people are interested I can look at getting some photos and do a tech wiki on it? Here are some points that I found out about and did during the installation:

1. I contacted Catalina and they sent me photos of an autopilot installed on a MKII. In this case the aft water tank had been removed and the linear drive went aft from the quadrant and was attached to a point under the swim step.
2. I purchased a "tiller arm" quadrant extension thingy from Edson. This attached to the rudder post below the quadrant and is the only way they recommend to be secure attaching a linear drive to the rudder post - they do not recommend directly to the quadrant.
3. I installed this heavy metal tiller extension going directly aft of the rudder post. This means that unlike if you install it to the side, the arc of the tiller arm swinging does not affect the water tank, and there is enough clearance between the rudder post and the water tank to fit in this extension without having to remove the water tank.
4. Next was to remove the wooden lid above the quadrant and replace it with wood going all the way to the starboard hull. Of course, I had to also run the wires and install the brain and the control panel, but I also installed a raymarine A50 and have the two devices communicating by NMEA and using the same run of power cable. (note, after the installation of the motor and drive, there was some flexing in this wood, so today I finished off the installation by glassing with expoxy and fiberglass matting the starboard end of this wooden plank to the starboard hull).
5. The motor and linear drive are installed under his new bit of wood and  directly out to starboard of the tiller extension. The end of the linear drive attaches to the end of the Edson extension.
6. I installed the brain box also in the aft lazarrette on the back side of the aft cabin locker. I installed the flux compass in the Bottom of the locker just aft of the nav table - seemed the most central and below waterline place to put it away from batteries and the engine etc.
7. Coincidentally the top of this new long piece of wood that replaces the old quadrant cover is where I will attach strapping and place my newly acquired second CXNG tank - strapped down laying athwartships on top of this new piece of wood, with the linear drive underneath.
This is a fairly quickly typed out post so i hope it makes sense and is of interest....
Comments welcome...
Mark

[SeaFever]

Hi Mark,

I am looking to do something similar with a ST7000. Does that mean your Edson Tiller arm (thingy) is point straight AFT when you are dead center? And makes a quadrant in the AFT direction when you steer to port or sta? If you post some pictures of your install would be helpful. Thanks.

[Ken Juul]

Mark,
That would be a great addition to the wiki.  If you need help, I'm here.

[markr]

Hi, my apologies, i haven't been on the site for a while....
So....the edson tiller arm/quadrant extension thingy points aft when the rudder is centered. It swings in an arc left and right of center aft of the rudder post.
When I put it on, I was concerned at clearance of the "collar' of the extension between the rudder post and the aft water tank, but it turned out not to be a problem. Catalina sent me some pictures of an installation on a MK11 where they had removed the water tank - but in this case the arm was going out to starboard of the rudder post and the sutopilot ram arm went aft and was attached below the MK11 swim step.
My installation is on a MK1, I should be clear about that. We removed the wooden cover on top of the quadrant and put in a new piece of wood that goes on top of the quadrant and extends out to the starboard hull, where it is glassed in. To the underside of this piece of wood is attached the motor/ram arm of the autopilot, screwed in to the underside of the wooden plank and attaching to the starboard side of the tiller extension thingy.
SO: tiller/quadrant extension attached to rudder post going aft, ram arm attached to end of quadrant extension going out right angles to starboard and attached under the piece of wood to starboard.
I will attempt to get some photos...I hope this makes sense.....?

[SeaFever]

Thanks Mark. It does. Some pics will make it clearer. On my Pearson 10M, I only have about 6-7" aft of the rudder post. The Raymarine installation manual for Type 1 linear drive unit asks for about 10" for Tiller arm so going aft in my case is not going to work. Neither is going STA or to PORT. So I will need to keep the tiller arm pointing FWD and figure out a way to mount the drive unit. Your pics will provide some very useful data. Once I have all the ST7000 parts including the linear drive unit, I will have a better understanding of what I need to do. I have to find a type 1 linear drive unit as that is what I am missing at this time.

Cheers.