MacGregorSailors.com

I am thinking of installing a RayMarine EV100 autopilot on my M. I have been told I may need to buy a different wheel because the drive belt or mechanism won't fit on the standard Mac wheel. Is this true? Has anyone had to change their wheel to apply this device? Is the EV 100 appropriate or should I use the EV 200? Is there another product you would recomend? This is recomended by the person installing the autopilot and I have no reason to doubt him but wondered if there is an alternative. If I need to get another wheel what would you recommend, where do you get one and what would it cost? Thanks in advance for your help. Capt. Bob

The new ones must be different as all the old ones had no problem with the wheel, some here have put bigger wheels on for other reasons but think the standard one is perfect for the area and never had a problem even with the auto pilot installed.

I have an EV100 wheel pilot, and I think it's about perfect for the Mac. The "donut wheel" mechanism fits the Mac wheel just fine. Search EV100, I did a post about the install including where to mount everything for easy short runs. The installation was very easy and only took a few hours. Calibration is automatic and it works well both under sail and at speed.

Thanks for the reply to my questions. I did not recall ever hearing the need to change the wheel to install the auto pilot. The calibration is automatic so does that mean I could just launch after instalation and do it myself? My installer has offered to calibrate the AP by taking the boat out into the water (for a fee of course) and performing this task. Is this a necessary cost? I am not tech savy and want to be sure it will work properly.

I guess that I'm confused here (Not unheard of). Your profile indicates that you have a Mac 26S? That means that you have tiller steering, not wheel? Have you converted to a pedestal with a wheel? If so, it will depend upon the wheel that you have and I'm afraid that we can offer no cogent advice.

~Rich

You may want to look at the EV-200 sport. No donut required! Have not installed it myself but it was recommended by a dealer to a mac owner on another forum

Truth be told I upgraded last year and bought a new M. My 26s was trashed in a storm and I took the insurance money to buy the new boat. I am slowly modifying the new boat and will post pictures when I'm done. Naturally I bought just when Roger Macgregor closed shop so not sure who to go to if I have factory related problems. I guess the warrenty is no good.

I installed the Raymarine tiller pilot following Kadet's modification http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... er#p257274

It has worked out really well and because the drive is more direct to the rudders rather than through the wheel steering system there is more control with less slop.

Setup and calibration is straight forward and recommend trying it yourself rather than pay the installer. In fact the whole install is straight forward though it took me an entire day mostly spent routing cables and figuring things out

Where are the parts from your old ?

slugbug wrote:Truth be told I upgraded last year and bought a new M. My 26s was trashed in a storm and I took the insurance money to buy the new boat. I am slowly modifying the new boat and will post pictures when I'm done. Naturally I bought just when Roger Macgregor closed shop so not sure who to go to if I have factory related problems. I guess the warrenty is no good.

Will it word on the as well as the ?

mastreb wrote:I have an EV100 wheel pilot, and I think it's about perfect for the Mac. The "donut wheel" mechanism fits the Mac wheel just fine. Search EV100, I did a post about the install including where to mount everything for easy short runs. The installation was very easy and only took a few hours. Calibration is automatic and it works well both under sail and at speed.

slugbug wrote:Thanks for the reply to my questions. I did not recall ever hearing the need to change the wheel to install the auto pilot. The calibration is automatic so does that mean I could just launch after instalation and do it myself? My installer has offered to calibrate the AP by taking the boat out into the water (for a fee of course) and performing this task. Is this a necessary cost? I am not tech savy and want to be sure it will work properly.

Absolutely an unnecessary cost. Literally there's nothing to do but motor around a bit while the AP calibrates itself. Read my thread on the EV100 install, it lets you know everything that has to be done in detail. The installation was trivially simple--literally just drilling a few holes, screwing things down, and connecting wires. I'm not at all handy and I did it myself just fine in about four hours.

And yes, it'll work fine on an X. It does also come in a tiller version. The EV200 would be overkill on a Mac.

I would recommend checking in with Vic (vkmaynard) to see if you can wait for his autopilot to be ready--it's got much better mechanicals in-helm that are silent and will likely cost less.

Mastreb,
You stated the EV100 will fit on the MacX. Is this the same as the pre 2000 model with lower helm and 16 inch wheel?
Been waiting 4 years for Vic. to manufacture his unit, probably be another 4 years. Can't wait any longer.
I know his unit is the best of the best but doesn't do me any good waiting.
Vic's unit will not work on the pre 2000 macx and one would need a new consel that is higher and cost around $300 thru BWY.
Motor inside the consel is to long and need the higher (after 2000 helm)
Got a price of $1272 for the EV100.
Dave

mastreb wrote:

slugbug wrote:Thanks for the reply to my questions. I did not recall ever hearing the need to change the wheel to install the auto pilot. The calibration is automatic so does that mean I could just launch after instalation and do it myself? My installer has offered to calibrate the AP by taking the boat out into the water (for a fee of course) and performing this task. Is this a necessary cost? I am not tech savy and want to be sure it will work properly.

Absolutely an unnecessary cost. Literally there's nothing to do but motor around a bit while the AP calibrates itself. Read my thread on the EV100 install, it lets you know everything that has to be done in detail. The installation was trivially simple--literally just drilling a few holes, screwing things down, and connecting wires. I'm not at all handy and I did it myself just fine in about four hours.

And yes, it'll work fine on an X. It does also come in a tiller version. The EV200 would be overkill on a Mac.

I would recommend checking in with Vic (vkmaynard) to see if you can wait for his autopilot to be ready--it's got much better mechanicals in-helm that are silent and will likely cost less.

The outer diameter of the drive unit is 14.2".

With the stock M wheel, this leaves enough room for my fat fingers to grip the wheel without touching the wheel pilot, but only just barely. That said, I generally steer with my hands on both the wheel and the wheel pilot, which is not bothersome at all since I have the choice. Would bug me if I didn't.

With the earlier 16" X wheel it will fit for technical purposes, but it's almost certainly too small to allow fingers between the the wheel and wheel pilot.

Solutions are:

1) Don't worry about it. Depending on your preference, this may be no issue or it may really bug you. I would fall on the really bugged side.

2) Go to the larger wheel from BWY. I personally prefer smaller wheels for more cockpit room.

3) Use bushings to stand the wheel pilot farther back (closer to the helm) and allow finger space between the donut and the wheel. The way the wheel mounts to the drive it would be trivial to make some simple two-hole spacers that do the job. Chinook on this forum did similar to mount his donut to a 16" X wheel. One could simply use two round plastic bushings and longer screws to get the necessary spacing. There's enough room behind the wheel for this to work well. I think this is the best solution.

It is also possible to buy the EV-100 in a tiller-pilot version, where you would have to mount the tiller actuator underneath the cockpit to the steering assembly. This is a bit more of an adventure than I would take on.

Matt

So this unit is no different than the other Raymarine unit has for the wheel. That's why most MacX has gone to the 20inch wheel to able fingers around the wheel.
This unit also makes a lot of noise turning.
One of the main reason for waiting so long for the long forgotten autopilot.
I really waited so long for Vic to get his Autopilot on market.
I am going to do my original plan and put in a Raymarine Tiller 2000 With remote.
This is a cheap $485 setup and direct control of steering with less power drainage.
Simple Ipin on the steering arm will let me release/engauge autopilot with a small arm attached to the swing arm.
Simple yet primitive but sometime simple is less involved .
Dave

mastreb wrote:The outer diameter of the drive unit is 14.2".

With the stock M wheel, this leaves enough room for my fat fingers to grip the wheel without touching the wheel pilot, but only just barely. That said, I generally steer with my hands on both the wheel and the wheel pilot, which is not bothersome at all since I have the choice. Would bug me if I didn't.

With the earlier 16" X wheel it will fit for technical purposes, but it's almost certainly too small to allow fingers between the the wheel and wheel pilot.

Solutions are:

1) Don't worry about it. Depending on your preference, this may be no issue or it may really bug you. I would fall on the really bugged side.

2) Go to the larger wheel from BWY. I personally prefer smaller wheels for more cockpit room.

3) Use bushings to stand the wheel pilot farther back (closer to the helm) and allow finger space between the donut and the wheel. The way the wheel mounts to the drive it would be trivial to make some simple two-hole spacers that do the job. Chinook on this forum did similar to mount his donut to a 16" X wheel. One could simply use two round plastic bushings and longer screws to get the necessary spacing. There's enough room behind the wheel for this to work well. I think this is the best solution.

It is also possible to buy the EV-100 in a tiller-pilot version, where you would have to mount the tiller actuator underneath the cockpit to the steering assembly. This is a bit more of an adventure than I would take on.

Matt

It is the exact same wheel assembly--I believe the part is called ST4000 Mk II. And yes, it is rather noisy, although that bothers the Admiral more than it bothers me. No different than the S-100, SPX-5, etc. The only difference between the EV-100 and earlier Raymarine Autopilots is the 9-axis sensor and updated head unit electronics.