Not in my experience. The panel on Ragtime! was quite exposed in the back of her dinghy-style cockpit. On the third key switch I installed a cover on the panel and never had to replace another switch.
Not in my experience. The panel on Ragtime! was quite exposed in the back of her dinghy-style cockpit. On the third key switch I installed a cover on the panel and never had to replace another switch.
With apologies to Will Smith.
Old and Busted:
The New Hotness:
Sea trial tomorrow.
Last edited by BobJ; 08-10-2019 at 10:40 PM.
Even the “old and busted” one looks good to me. Shiny bronze=ooh pretty.
It was working pretty well, after I put hydraulic fluid in it! I almost postponed the project until after Drake's Bay. But all my dock mates are off in the Delta or something and I needed a weekend project.
DM and I will be here at Dagmar’s Landing for another hour or so, then under the bridge and up to Steamboat Slough. Come on up for a drifter sail. Maybe you can drive here, get an Uber ride back to your car? I think they need the business.
It’s an open invitation: first five guests ride free.
Last edited by Philpott; 08-11-2019 at 09:40 AM.
You have more confidence in my mechanical skills than I do. No, I need to go thrash around the central Bay and wring out this new drive.
Bob,
I too am looking at an AP upgrade. I would like to hear more about your thinking around electromechanical (e.g. Simrad DD15) vs. hydraulic (e.g. B&G T2), boat-specific installation issues aside. I assumed that you were through with hydraulics...
Tom
Hydraulics, AP installations, so much cerebral consideration poured into your boats. Hmmm. I have another hour and a half of daylight. Anchored out here in Steamboat Slough I’m wondering whether to have another swim or dig into the food treats bag, the chocolate having been all melted then eaten up. My own Pelagic has worked flawlessly.
Last edited by Philpott; 08-11-2019 at 06:29 PM.
The seatrial yesterday went well. The new drive is smooth and quiet but it does pull the amps - always 2-3 when engaged, with spikes up to 8-9 when pushing the tiller in longer arcs. I left it hard-over for a little too long at the dock and tripped its 15A circuit breaker. I'm not sure it will work for a Hawaii race unless I take more fuel than I'd like to. One possibility that could help is this gadget, since the clutch/solenoid pulls almost an amp by itself:
https://store.pyiinc.com/collections...topilot-Drives
So between the two drives (assuming a Pelagic isn't suitable) I'd go with the DD15, which is a Jefa DU-DD1 with rudder sensor added. The DD15 is heavier than the hydraulic drives and due to its shape it can be harder to install, but having studied the specs I'm confident it would be more economical. I'm told it doesn't like to get wet so I'd install it higher in the boat or build some protection around it. Hanse Yachts often mounts them upside-down on the underside of the cockpit sole.
Like Ragnar, I'm waiting to see what the new, more powerful Pelagic actuator looks like. Brian says the current actuator should steer my boat so I'll work on that next. My old Simrad AC42N will control it, and I'll get a H5000 AP to run the B&G T2. With two sockets and plugs on deck, I could use the Pelagic for a backup and move it aft to drive the e-rudder if necessary.
I needed something else to do besides watching the tiller swing back and forth, so I played with the new code sail yesterday. It looks good and will fill a hole in the boat's performance:
Last edited by BobJ; 08-12-2019 at 10:27 AM.
And not ignoring Philpott's post and photo - I would have rather been "up the Delta." I also could have used the swimming. Spending two days in the lazarette left me kinda stiff.