new Autohelm

[rpoe]

I was struck by lightening last Aug and had to install new electronics. The old Autohelm was great on my 1994 Cat 34 with fin keel. I have tried to adjust the new autohelm 4000 with all the advanced adjustments but cannot get the boat to stay on track. I have been sailing since my early teens and the sail balance is not the issue. Way back I seem to recall on our old format someone listed the settings for their boat. I would appreciate any input on this as I have been in the water here on the Chesapeake since April and have been "playing" with different setting since then and the boat is still sailing like a drunk sailor.

Rich
Enchantress 1284

[rbeecham]

I found this recently on the C36 email group.  It may solve your problem.

"During this past winter, the thread regarding the "flukiness" of the Raytheon St4000 Autopilot was "once again" explored.  There was much conversation about the system's tendency to "wag" back and forth across its intended line.
 
I wrote my concerns to Raytheon and got an email with suggested settings which might help the problem.  Winter, being what winter is in Michigan, I did not get much of a chance to enter and test the proposed setting changes.  A couple of weeks ago, I entered the changes but it was not until this past week, that I was able to test the changes.  It appears that the changes have worked some kind of magic and the st4000 seems to be working perfectly.  The crucial settings are as follows:
 
Set Rudder Gain to 2
Set Auto Trim to 3
Set Drive Type to 2
Set Response to 2
 
When I earlier would describe our operational inconsistencies to other st4000 owners, they would ask, "are your sails balanced?"  I took this to mean that the 4000 would only work with no weather-helm and little heal.  After the setting changes, we went 5-miles directly west into Lake Michigan in a 17-knot southerly.  We set the Autopilot to steer 60-degrees off the wind.  After some initial settling, the 4000 kept us exactly at 60-degrees and with a light to moderate weather helm and 6-8 degrees of heal.
 
If any of you C36ers have had similar problems, I hope that this helps.
 

The Manchester Company / Michigan

John W. Manchester
(810) 632-5409   Fax (810) 632-6786
john@manchesterbag.com"

Dick Beecham

Refuge
C34 - #1430
Rock Hall, MD

[This message was edited by rbeecham on June 30, 2002 at 07:51 AM.]

[Ken Juul]

Have you tried the search function at the top of the page?  Just type in autohelm, will bring up several threads on the 4000.  Easier than retyping all the info and you can choose the settings that match your needs best.

[rpoe]

Yes i have looked tru the c-34 info and it doesnt give the settings. Did Raytheon give you the damper setting also? Any one else with settings for a 34 would be of help as I will be leaving on the 3rd for 5 days on the chesapeake and will have time to test (play)!!  

Thx
Rich
Enchantress 1284

[Ken Juul]

I found the broken wire that kept me from using the autopilot most of last season.  So I have very little experience with it.  The settings from the installation bood and my current settings are: book/mine
1. Rudder Gain 5/5
2. Rudder Offset 0/0
3. Limit 30/30
4. turn Rate 20/20
5. Average Cruise 8/8
6. off course  20/20
7. Trim 1/1
8. Steering type 1/1
9.  mag var  off
10. N/S  off
13.  Rudder Damping 1/1

I have not played with the settings, this is how the previous owner had it set up.  Curious that everything matches the book. Also some of the terms mentioned in the earlier post do not match the terms in my manual.  From what I can tell I have an early/mid 90 unit, so the set up instructions/terms might have changed.  

There was also a thread on www.catalinaowners.com that delt with autopilots.  Think it was mid winter.  I'm sure it is archived, if you haven't checked there may be worth your time.  Good luck, Weather/kids permitting will be on the water near Solomons over the holiday weekend.

[chudave]

Rich:

I had the older 4000 Unit but Rudder Gain set to 2 was my secret.  It stopped the pilot from over-driving the boat.

How was your magnetic deviation?  Perhaps you are getting some interference with the fluxgate compass.  If the settings don't work, try moving the compass.

Dave Chu