MacGregorSailors.com

Russ, BOAT - thank you for comments . I did see another less fancy version of the "autopilot under the bed" version and of cause the "classic" donut on wheel before I made my choice. I had 3 reasons for finally going for what I did...in order.
1. Price - this has cost me only 60$ for an old autohelm1000 and a steel pipe from the scrap yard.
2. Emergency steering - have had a few discussions with myself how to get home if the steering cable should fail.
3. Tiller steering - although the wheel steering is nice, sometimes I miss the direct feel of tiller steering.

I am still working on finalizing the setup above deck - will post pictures when finished

madsroesen wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:34 pm Russ, BOAT - thank you for comments . I did see another less fancy version of the "autopilot under the bed" version and of cause the "classic" donut on wheel before I made my choice. I had 3 reasons for finally going for what I did...in order.
1. Price - this has cost me only 60$ for an old autohelm1000 and a steel pipe from the scrap yard.
2. Emergency steering - have had a few discussions with myself how to get home if the steering cable should fail.
3. Tiller steering - although the wheel steering is nice, sometimes I miss the direct feel of tiller steering.

I am still working on finalizing the setup above deck - will post pictures when finished

And I agree with all of your reasons - for one thing using a standard tiller portable unit is good because of the price but also because they are easy to replace and as technology progresses you can get improved units. It's less complicated removing the AP from the rudders too.
Emergency steering is ALWAYS a good idea for a sailboat that has a wheel - wheel steering is prone to failure - tillers always work. (And I agree - they feel better too).

So I finally got to the live test on a two day trip. Works wonders. Used the auto for some 6 hours. Mostly with the motor and steering wheel disengaged, but For trst also ran it with motor and wheel and it worked as well - but probably wears more on the Autohelm.

Dang! I wish I could really see those pictures enlarged but Russes hosting site does not seem to have an updated certificate or somthing - when I click on the pictures all I get is this:

Postimage has a secure certificate.

Where are you trying to view this from? A work computer?
It appears to be a block message from Sonepar
They seem to have blacklisted the host. Probably because it contains images.

Can you see this direct link?

BOAT wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 7:11 am Dang! I wish I could really see those pictures enlarged but Russes hosting site does not seem to have an updated certificate or somthing - when I click on the pictures all I get is this:

I have no trouble opening/enlarging them.

You sure the site doesn't mean "suspicious viewer"?

Just in case it could help someone, I've just bought a 26M and it has this mod installed. Haven't tried it out yet though.
Richard

Russ wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 10:15 am Postimage has a secure certificate.

Where are you trying to view this from? A work computer?
It appears to be a block message from Sonepar
They seem to have blacklisted the host. Probably because it contains images.

Can you see this direct link?

Yes, on this one if I click on it and open in a new tab I get the picture on the others if I do that I only get a thumbnail

oh wait . .

now if i click on the SECOND thumbnail I get the picture! But the first little on does not work.

Hi, My name is Mal and I’m new to this Forum but am interested in installing this great idea in “ AMIINIT”. My 2011 26 M , however, does not have the exactly the same set up as shown, in that the plastic tube for the rudder rope is not exactly over the metal tube on the tiller linkage but is offset slightly ( 1 to 1 and a half inches). Can any one suggest a solution please ?

You will likely have to demo anything that's in the way; then line up the hole in the deck to match the rudder post. Once the deck hole is made in proper alignment, you can re-install the rope tube.

Then, you have to figure out what to do with your rudder downhaul. In the early pics, it shows the downhaul running over the jagged edge of the pipe - which would be bad. If you look closely, the final version appears to include a plate mounted to the top of the rudder tube with an anti-chafe transition and cam cleat - very similar to the version Kurz posted. Appears he left the uphaul on the existing deck cleat.

This is not a mod for the faint of heart (or those with a notion of maintaining resale value). But it does give a handy spot to mount a tiller pilot. I'd be curious to know how many have actually experienced catastrophic failure of the steering system. Is an emergency tiller a justifiable mod?

Thanks Jimmyt
I was initially wondering if there might be a flexible type of drive shaft that could connect the two tubes but on reflection I think that your idea makes more sense and is probably what I will go ahead with. I have already purchased the Raymarine ST 2000+ to use with the emergency tiller and it is mainly the ability to install an autopilot that I am interested in. I agree regarding your comments on the aesthetics of the rudder downhaul rope and was thinking of maybe using something like the DL fender attachment, which has an inbuilt cleat, on top of the post but I have not figured that part out yet. Still got to figure out how to neatly and user friendly do the electrics, which has never been my forte, but thanks again for your suggestion.

Just a quick update. After a few nights sleeping on the problem I realised that I do not have to demolish very much at all. I don’t think there will be any need to remove the PVC piping and relocate it but instead I will drill a hole directly above the stainless rudder tube and using a plumb bob through the external rudder up haul hole calculate the precise place to drill through the external hull for the placement of the tiller post, which will be outside the pvc pipe which will then substitute for the pvc pipe and make it redundant. Fingers crossed and will start soon.

interesting idea.

Show our progress here.
https://www.profi-werkzeuge.ch/images/large/sa/s85.jpg
Maybe using a cardan might do the job also:

I may have missed it, but what is the position sensor? Brand, supplier? I love this mod.