Auto pilot install?

[sharkwaters]

Hi Guys. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
I want to replace my Benmar Course Setter with a new model that has two station capabilities. My Blackman is an 87 Express and I steer from up top too much not to have the controll up there. The new AP's are expensive. I'm considering the Sitex SP70 or SP80. I still have the Hynautic pressurized hydraulic steering. Its a three hose system. The boat is a straight shaft inboard with a non-balanced K-11 hynautic ram. I think I can still use all this. I want to install the AP myself, all new lines ETC. Has anyone gone this route before? I plan to call Steve for his advice, but the shop is closed untill after the Holidays. IF I get this done, I will have the old system for sale if anyone wants good parts. The Course Setter works great, I need two stations

[Honeygirl]

Sharkwaters, I have the sitex sp70 in my 2003 outerbanks and to say the least I hate it. The unit was recommended by Blackman. It is not user friendly and the instructions are hard to understand. I am very mechanical and do all my own work on my boats. After reading the instructions on the AP I had Blackman do the insulation. The time it would have taken me was not worth it. I should of done my homework more on the AP's before I bought the SP-70. Since then I have used both the furuno and simrad AP's and although they are almost the same, I would of picked the furuno, only because 2/3 of my electronics are furuno. I found both to be user friendly and the instructions were easy to read.

[sharkwaters]

Hi Honeygirl.
Thanks for the honest info. There is a new (06) Blackman on B dock in Dana West Marina (DP) and he has the SP70. That is one reason I considered that unit, along with the price. I don't want to waste money on the wrong unit. Simrad has a new system, the AP16, but the coin is higher than I want to spend. I looked at Furuno and Raymarine. I may need to reconsider my options. How long did it take Steve to install your AP? Does the Sitex steer a straight course or are there other problems? Is your outerbanks a I/O or inboard? Do you have pressurized hydraulic steering? Any info you can share would be appreciated. Having two stations is the most important feature for me, but the unit has to perform.
Thanks for the help.
Bob

[Time Out]

Hay Bob

I have an inboard we installed the sp70 in 2003 like you say the other units are double the price. The thing you should make sure of is this unit multy station capable it was not in 2003. It works fine on my boat my system is the pressurized hydraulic same as yours we installed it ourseves finding the fittings took longer than the install. I think the Simrad is a better unit I just didnt want to pay the price.

I know of two other boats with the sp70. I have heard of problems with the control head we have not had any problems yet.It stears fine the install and control direction are weak we played with the settings for a few trips until we got it. If you decide to use it let me know I will tell you my settings. I think we paid 1100.00 for the unit and another 100 or so for fittings. we mounted the motor next to the pressur can on the transom the compas under the starboard V berth bunk and the computer head on the bridge under the dashboard. Hope this helps

Russ

[Honeygirl]

Sharkwaters. I don't know the exact install time since we had the boat at Blackman for some warranty work so they did the install at the same time. I have an I/O and I think that has a lot to do with my problems. The steering is a pressurized hydraulic system. I do find the outdrive has some play in it and the AP has to keep readjusting for the course I set. The problem is it over-steers and the boat starts to swing back and forth until I have to shut the unit down. I also found unless the water is flat calm the unit will not steer straight. I find you really have to readjust for the conditions you are in. I fish at the Catalina Island 99% of the time. If I sit over night and run my batteries low the the AP will not work until I have almost a full charge the unit takes too much power. It also causes a surge in my lights even under full power. The latest problem I am having is the control head keeps freezing up. I use my boat once a week so it takes a lot of abuse and water tends to get in the bilge in rough conditions which causes moisture to build up in the head.

[sharkwaters]

Hi Russ. Thanks for the reply. Our systems are a close match, if not as close to identicle as possible. The SP80 can be used as the primary and the SP70 as the secondary. Did you run new hose? The fittings for the Hynautic system is a little wierd going together. I had to fix one that had a slow weep. Do you know which steering ram you have? Mine is a K11 or K13, I think. The label is faded. I had to put a kit in it last season. I had some wierd steering issues and found the retaining Nylock nut was loose on the steering ram banjo fitting. I snugged it up and the steering improved.

Honeygirl. Sorry to hear of your problems with your AP. Having a Blackman zig zagging is not good, especially downswell. Thanks for the irea for the amp draw of the motor, that is an important consideration.

I guess I still have some thinking before I make up my mind.

Bob

[NoSlack]

Bob

Back in the day benmar sold a remote for the Course Setter 21 that plugs into the 1/4" jack below the sea state knob. I don't have one but it looks real simple to make.

Nothing more than an auto/manual switch and two push button for steering port or starboard. If something like that would get you by until you pull the plug on the old unit, I'll see what I can do about making one. I probably should have made one years ago for my lower station.

It's suppose to rain all weekend so maybe I'll make myself one.

Mike

[Wizard]

I have the same unit, tied into my hydraulic steering system with pump and electronics under front V-berth. I'm not too impressed with it either. Due to steering slop issues with outboard design, and electronics that oversteers in some conditions, it can be one zig zag of a trip as well.

Just chiming in with my experience.

[sharkwaters]

Hi Mike.

My course setter is the 20R. I can't remember if it has a plug on the front or not. My brother had tracked down a shop that could install another unit in parallel, but the head unit is too large to mount in the electronic bucket that Blackman mounted on the tower. That would have been the cheapest route by far. Your idea to make a plug-in remote is good. I may make a trip to the boat and see if I have the same output jack.

Wizard: I have heard from a lot of people that are unhappy with their AP performance, Bummer. Too expensive to not work right. My course setter would freak out occasionally. I opened up the binnacle to do a service as suggested here. I found that it had a round cable going into a square hole. The cable had a frayed end that prevented the square cable end to fully seat in its hub. I clipped the frayed end and presto, all is good. It runs a very straight course in any sea condition.

Has anyone had experience with the Furuno or Ray marine Ap. Their prices are a little less than the Simrad AP16.
Thanks for all the good ideas and feed back.
Bob

[Malu Lani]

I have the sitex too you need to adjust your rudder speed to stop the zig zag.Set your rudder to fast and it will steer staight at slow speed it don't corrrect fast enought.

Rob