"Sub $600 Autopilot" Progress

[FishyFabs]

I am certainly in the market for one!

[Erik Hardtle]

Ok, there is no way this is going for $600. I would be looking at $1200. We need to have the Administrator rename this thread to:

A Quiet Autopilot for the Mac

OR

A better AP, no matter what the price.

OR

KnotShore is donating $1200 to AP Mac Fund.

[DaveB]

Raymarine and others couldn't put it out for $600 five years ago.
Victor went thru all the complications and if his unit does operate much more silent and less draw on batteries with better fitting without wheel housing.
Able to outperform all the autopilots out there.
Is it worth $1200?
I would think so.
For $550 you can get a tiller Autopilot.
I have been bluffing to give up and go for Raymarine for 5 years on that $600 Autopilot.
Hasn't worked yet!
Victor, Crank your Tractor and give us what we want!!!!
Dave

[Cris]

Eric H., jesting aside, an AP Mac Fund seems to make some sense. For some it takes a village. For others a flotilla.

[mrron_tx]

Fantastic news Victor This is indeed what I have been looking forward to seeing. Keep Me on Your list please Ron.

[RGF]

maybe I'm just dumb or old or both, but what "fantastic news" in this thread did I miss? that the price may be going up?! maybe it's just a posting time lapse

[vkmaynard]

Just got off the lake with the data collection setup.

I was not happy with the high speed performance degradation maybe caused by the new pulley's and new electronics.

Bottom line the gain curved moved up due to the higher pulley ratio. So I cranked up the gain at 25 knts. Rock solid tracking including 180 turns.

Now removing the lower gain settings that are useless and adding higher gain settings.

Victor

[dlandersson]

From little acorns mighty oak trees grow.

Just got off the lake with the data collection setup.

I was not happy with the high speed performance degradation maybe caused by the new pulley's and new electronics.

Bottom line the gain curved moved up due to the higher pulley ratio. So I cranked up the gain at 25 knts. Rock solid tracking including 180 turns.

Now removing the lower gain settings that are useless and adding higher gain settings.

Victor

[mrron_tx]

Rgf..... Personally I think Victor & Co have done a great job and also a great service to those of Us that will buy/use the a.p. "when it's ready for Us" They could have put out a bugged out version , but They chose to make it right before a release. As far as price goes, I always have found that if something is out of My price range , or not what I want.....I don't buy it....Having said that.....It is fantastic to hear it's getting closer,and yes...I want to be on the list Ron. Dauntless.

[kurz]

As far as price goes, I always have found that if something is out of My price range , or not what I want.....I don't buy it...

Yes of course, this is commen sense.

But one of the very interesting aspects was that the new AP should be under 600 Dollars. I think the price and the featers were a very important reason that we all are so interested.
And it was the inventer of the product himself that had the idea to make it in this price low.

When now we are talking about the double ore more of the price price... then the origin project has changed dramaticully. Even if the builder has made great job etc.

[RGF]

I reiterate mrron - what "fantastic news"? Having followed this whole thread, I am just wondering which news was "fantastic".
As to the price , I feel the man can charge whatever as a manufacturer he feels he needs to charge. Free enterprise etc. It really doesn't matter to me, I already have a functioning autopilot. When mine goes out, if his is out by then, I will certainly consider Victors unit as I'm sure it will be a great unit.

[vkmaynard]

Thought I would post an insight into our project from yesterday's test.

The picture is from our data analysis tool we wrote that post-processes the data then imports into an SQL server for data recall and manipulation. Any data element can be plotted on the fly.

The top chart shows Current Heading vs Target Heading (most important). The steps in the Target Heading are the commanded course changes. The odd looking Current Heading drop at time 199984.999 is caused when the compass swings thru 360 deg to 1+ deg. The chart demonstrates how quickly and accurately the AP tracks, usually within 3 deg or less. Wind gusts and wave action will cause some error which will correct out. These errors are not visible looking over the bow. Target Heading is not displayed on a Raymarine. They only display the current Heading so no way to see how it is performing. We collected data on a Wheel Pilot using our machine and used this same tool to analyze the data. It did not do as well. Our unit displays the Target Heading with a Bulls-eye showing on course or left/right arrows for desired course correction. Super helpful when sailing close into the wind to know if the wind shifted requiring turning down on the Target Heading.

The Middle chart shows what the unit is calculating for the PID terms. Check out Wikipedia for an explanation. A lot of thought, coding and testing has gone into making this work well. There are many “corner cases” to consider.

The bottom chart shows the Rate of Turn. Very important to know for slowing down (dampening) the turn to smoothly approach the Target Heading without overshoot.

Off the water and back to work

Victor

Click to enlarge

[mrron_tx]

Wow... I guess some people don't share My enthusiasm ...oh well , damn the bad luck..LOL. Having been a small business owner for a long time , I tend to try to stick with and support other small businesses as often as I can.....kinda like buying locally grown food rather than shipped in food. It's just a good thing in My opinion. As far as the price.... I will wait and see. As far as Y'all's opinions... I respect them as well. Ron Dauntless.

[Seapup]

The chart demonstrates how quickly and accurately the AP tracks, usually within 3 deg or less. Wind gusts and wave action will cause some error which will correct out. These errors are not visible looking over the bow. Target Heading is not displayed on a Raymarine. They only display the current Heading so no way to see how it is performing.

Sounds like it is turning out as promised. My old style autohelm works, but is not nearly that accurate, you can definitely see it correcting as it reacts slowly to changes.

[DaveB]

Victor,
Why would you tell anyone on line your research development.
You need to copyright it first.
Dave