Replacing autopilot on B36

[Lyra]

I Have a B36 2004 equipped with a Raymarine ST4000+ autopilot (motor driven connected to the wheel), which I would like to replace with an under the deck electric system.
I would like to get recommendations for a setup (components, readily available kits) and suppliers?

[Ziffius]

After the trials and tribulations getting an AP fitted to my Bav 39 which ended up with a Raymarine linear pilot in the transom I would say get the steering system fully checked to see what your options are - the system on mine was non standard!!!

[Wayne]

Hi Lyra,

I have just gone through the research on APs for my boat, bavaria 37' 2007 model. Much as I would have liked to put the cheaper wheel mounted AP on, like a lot of respondents, it is not worth the money. While I am in Australia, the latest Raymarine Evo-200 linear drive pack, with P 70 control head and rudder ref unit should be available in GB.

I have had to have a shipwrights do some work so that part of the set up will take the strain and I have had to have a bronze tiller made to clamp onto the rudder. Mind you, haven't had the unit installed yet as I was held up with parts given that the unit is just on the market in Australia.

On my previous yacht I had the ST 4000 and it was always operating at the top of the range. More trouble than what it was worth.

Installing unit next Monday, can give you an update if you wish.

Devocean

[Lyra]

Well, it seems that if I replace the AP I will have to stick to Raymarine or Jeffa - seems that they are the only manufacturers supplying a full kit and I prefer having a single supplier to address if things do not work properly (and not having one put the blame on the other).
Is there a "standard" tiller to fit on the rudder stock or is it always a custom made piece?

[Wayne]

I wasn't given a choice with regard to purchasing a standard tiller. The Raymarine installation technician said that I needed a "one off" because each model of yacht has a different configuration in the stern section. Some of the previous "threads" seem to support this idea.

Devocean

[paulemeier1]

Hi Wayne,
I am the new Owner of an Bav 37.2 build 2006. I also want to build in an AP. In the after Cabin is lying a complete evo 200 linear pack with an original rudder arm from lewmar for Bav 37.  Have you installed yours in the meantime? Have you pictures from the installation?
I will install it in the next week. I have seen some pictures from SY Jalin, he has made just the same. Maybe you have some other good idea?
Sorry for my bad english, but I am only a poor german ;-)
Regards an happy christmas
Heiko

[Wayne]

Hello Heiko,

I apologise for not getting back to you sooner but I have been away on holidays and have only just opened this site's emails etc since returning. Have you installed the autopilot yet? I am going out on my boat this weekend and can take photos of anything you require. The autopilot is working well although, as I don't have a map card for my autopilot , I can't comment on whether the GPS and autopilot will behave as they should.

Wayne

[paulemeier1]

Hello Wayne,

yes I have installed it successfully and everything is working well. The wire for the gps from my vdo plotter to the AP (NMEA) I have forgotten. But I will make it on one of the following weekends.

Regards
Heiko

[Lyra]

Hello again.

It has been almost 2 years since I originally posted my question.
I never got to do anything with this until about a month ago when the wheel mounted AP literally broke apart (ball bearings and plastic fragments all over the cockpit).
I purchased a Raymarine Linear Drive type 1 and intend to install it.
I have some questions:
1. Is it important on which side the drive is installed? In the manual it show a top view in which I assume the tiller lever points to the bow and the drive is on starboard (push = turn right). Is this obligatory or can the drive be mounted either side and behave correctly (switch power polarity? it works according to actual angle sensed by feedback sensor?)
2. Is there anybody who installed it on a boat which may be close enough to B36/2004 and is willing to share information/photos?
3. Where can I purchase a suitable tiller lever?

[paulemeier1]

Hi Lyra,

I have done exactly what you like to do on my Bav 37 CR 2006.
It was now problem at all, but still a lot of work. I have a couple of pictures.
But I am german native speaker, my english is poor. Are you able to read a german report?
regards

[Lyra]

Hi paulemeier1,

I will be glad to see your report and pictures - I guess with the help of google translate most will be understood.
Regards

[Spirit of Mary]

I have recently purchased second hand a ST6002 control unit and a S1 smartcontroller. I have now fitted on my BAV 38 2003 a ST4000+ wheel drive with rudder sensor. Because I still looking for a below deck linear drive I want to use the ST6002 and smartcontroller on my ST4000 wheel drive till I have found one. Anyone knows if this will work or do I need to fit a extra fuse in the feed to the wheel drive to protect against too high Amp? I think the ST4000 is too small for the BAV 38.
Ger

[ZhuHai]

I have a B36 (2002) with a ST6002 AP and the Raymarine Linear Drive.

I bought it like that but as far as I know it is a 4 to 5 years old installation made for an Atlantic crossing by the previous owner. I still have the previous AP (wheel mounted) as a backup.

Le LD is installed on the starboard side because I guess it can't fit on the other side, maybe too close from the water heater/boiler in my case.

Unfortunately I don't have photos of the setup and I won't go to the boat before months. You are lucky I found a photo from the day I visited the boat!

[Lyra]

Thank you ZhuHai,

Your boat seems to have a single aft bedroom and the LD is next to the aft bulkhead of the starboard cockpit locker? Is that right? My boat has two bedrooms so it seems that where your LD is located I do not have a solid bulkhead, but the entry from the bedroom to the rudder compartment, but I have to check this again.
It seems that the LD uses no tiller arm and is connected directly to the quadrant from the top - is this the way it is connected? When I looked in my boat it seemed to me that it is nearly impossible to fit the arm between the quadrant and the roof of the compartment.
Can't see in the photo how the baseplate of the LD motor box is attached to the boat - is it to the bulkhead 90 degrees to the motor box or to something else behind the motor box ?

Regards

[ZhuHai]

Hi Lyra,

The photo is distorting a bit the perspective. 

This is a double aft bedroom version like yours.  The panel on the left side of the LD is the starboard entry door.

Don't remember well how the LD is fixed but I think this is by the top with a piece of epoxied plywood in between.

The LD arm is connected directly to the quadrant.

There is not much room between the roof and the quadrant may be 10/15cm but the LD arm doesn't require much.

[Lyra]

Thanks, this information is very helpful and encouraging -I plan on going today to the boat to take some measurements and photos.

[Lyra]

Looked in the boat yesterday - I think I will stick to a tiller arm for two reasons:
The quadrant radius is 200 mm while the installation manual specifies 250 arm - this means that if directly connected to the quadrant the drive needs to work harder to deliver the same momentum (maybe no problem for this boat size but still harder than needed).
A tiller arm can be installed pointing to the aft (actually required since towards the bow there is a bulkhead at 200 mm distance from the shaft), this is a much more open space for installing the drive, which can be placed on a platform that will be epoxied to the hull.

I will report on completion.

[Lyra]

Well, eventually I installed the Raymarine liner drive shortly after the last message.
The process is documented here : http://www.sylyra.com/linear_drive_installation_e.php

[Stockie]

Late entry to the thread, but hello guys!  I am fitting a EVO200 system to my B37 Cruiser 2006
I checked the steering system on my boat, chain drive from wheel to a bevel gear set up that transmits to a radial rack gear under the helm binnacle.  This rack is joined to the actual rudder shaft by a single rose jointed steering rod.  Now my chain drive, wheel to lower shaft has an extra sprocket forward of the one occupied by the chain, at the wheel shaft.  This sprocket is 15 tooth, the one used by the chain is 13 teeth.  My research shows that Lewmar make a rotary drive kit the fits to the 15 tooth sprocket, via a chain, same as the steering wheel.  On my set up there are four studs on the lower base to directly mount lewmars rotary drive.  I'm curious, do your boats have this set up also?
Cheers Richard