The difference in steering response and accuracy between the previous ST4000 and the current SPX-5 is very substantial on my 30-1. I did make sure there was negligible play in the steering system and installed the rudder feedback sensor, but combinations of wind and waves challenged the ST4000 to the point of being a safety concern. Particularly downwind.
The SPX-5 does hold a steady course, smooth and minimal overshoot. I have come up tight to the wind at 28 kts with a #3, and downwind at ~ 20 kts under spinnaker. The trick, as you say, is to balance the sail plan so the steering is easy. On another topic - yes the Course Computer and the P70 / SeaTalkNG bus need to be both powered. I noticed in the P70 installation manual the diagram shows the Course Computer powering the SeaTalkNG bus. With my SPX-5 that is not the case. Also, the SeaTalkNG does not power the Course Computer. Michael Brown Windburn C&C 30-1 Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2014 12:24:47 -0400 From: "Della Barba, Joe" <joe.della.ba...@ssa.gov> To: "cnc-list@cnc-list.com" <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Subject: Re: Stus-List ActiveCaptain/Defender AutoPilot Special Message-ID: <1073606396712942aee54d9a960e45a71e1f089...@hq-mb-07.ba.ad.ssa.gov> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Some advice from someone that used to be a Raytheon dealer: 1. The X5 and other wheel-pilots are all fair weather devices. They work fine for motoring or sailing in easy conditions. If you can steer without too much trouble, so can they. Going downwind with any kind of sea is usually hopeless for them. OTOH at least in my case they can go to windward in about any kind of weather. 2. The "max displacement" is only slightly helpful. What they are trying to do is very roughly correspond steering forces with boat size. For an obvious counter-example, a wheel-pilot will work fine on a freighter, seeing as how they have power-steering. For a C&C example, a Landfall 38 is likely easier on the helm and more stable than my 35, despite being longer and heavier. 3. Below decks hydraulic drives rule over all other types for heavy duty use. 4. For real low power consumption steering, you can adapt a tiller pilot to control some types of windvanes. The windvane itself supplies all the grunt. Joe Della Barba Coquina C&C 35 MK I Autohelm 4000 wheel pilot serving for 26 years now :)
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