{"id":12101,"date":"2016-09-28T12:06:04","date_gmt":"2016-09-28T16:06:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/raritaneng.com\/?p=11928"},"modified":"2016-09-28T12:06:04","modified_gmt":"2016-09-28T16:06:04","slug":"boat-toilets-professionals-discuss-autopilot-effectiveness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.raritaneng.com\/blog\/boat-toilets-professionals-discuss-autopilot-effectiveness\/","title":{"rendered":"Boat Toilets Professionals Discuss Autopilot Effectiveness"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Your Boat Toilets Experts Keep You On Course With Autopilot Benefits<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Raritan Engineering Company your boat toilets<\/a>\u00a0specialists would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding autopilot effectiveness.<\/p>\n

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Your boat toilets analysts and initiatives-Coeur skipper Tanguy de Lamotte trims his sails while his B&G H3000 autopilot keeps him on course.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In IMOCA 60 racing, singlehanded sailors often rely on their autopilots to drive, and in the Vend\u00e9e Globe, they can be the singlehander\u2019s best friend or worst enemy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pilot needs to drive the boat reliably through a full range of conditions,\u201d says naval architect Jesse Naimark-Rowse, electronics engineer for Osprey Technical, which outfits Vend\u00e9e Globe contenders such as Alex Thomson\u2019s Hugo Boss.<\/p>\n

Cutting-edge systems such as NKE\u2019s Processor HR autopilot rely on wind sensors with fast sample rates and solid-state 3-D sensors, in addition to conventional inputs, such as rudder angle. \u201cOur processor samples heel, pitch and roll at 25 hertz,\u201d says Bob Congdon, NKE\u2019s technical consultant.<\/p>\n

However, autopilots can\u2019t see or anticipate windshifts or off-\u00adkilter waves and react ahead of time like a human helmsman. \u201cFrom my experience in waves, particularly upwind slamming, the pilot struggles to match a good helmsman,\u201d says Naimark-Rowse.<\/p>\n

Congdon agrees. \u201cAny condition that\u2019s difficult for a human is hard for a computer,\u201d he says, noting that NKE incorporated two new modes \u2014 Gust mode and Surf mode \u2014 in the Processor HR to help the autopilot compensate.<\/p>\n

Congdon says modern autopilots \u201cuse less power because their steering algorithms are so sophisticated, [they] don\u2019t have to overcorrect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Any Vend\u00e9e veteran will confirm the critical role the autopilot plays in the race. \u201cMost Vend\u00e9e skippers are hardly hand-steering these days,\u201d says Naimark-Rowse. \u201cThe reliability of the pilots has come a long way in the past 10 years, and it only continues to improve.\u201d \u00a0ven with the best autopilot or the best helmsman driving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Go to http:\/\/raritaneng.com\/raritan-product-line\/marine-toilets\/marine-elegance\/ <\/a>and see how you can find more information as well as get assistance on boat toilets and on autopilot effectiveness at Raritan Engineering.<\/p>\n

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Like a brain and its neurons, the nke marine autopilot functions through a series of connected parts.<\/p>\n

What autopilots do best<\/p>\n

Autopilots do a great job of holding a steady course in light to moderate conditions with minimal helm movements. They don\u2019t get tired like their human counterparts and have an infinite attention span.<\/p>\n

How they work<\/p>\n

Autopilots all include three main components: a heading sensor<\/strong> that is usually a fluxgate compass, a central processing unit (aCourse Computer<\/strong>) that is the \u201cbrain\u201d of the autopilot, and a drive unit<\/strong>, a motor or hydraulic pump that applies force to your boat\u2019s rudder.<\/p>\n

Operation is simple: <\/strong>you put the vessel on the desired heading, hold the course for a few seconds, press AUTO, and release the helm. The autopilot will lock the course in memory, and will respond with helm corrections to keep your boat on this course.<\/p>\n

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Lowrance Outboard Pilot for a boat with rotary mechanical steering. Shown are the course computer, GPS receiver and drive unit, which replaces the boat\u2019s rotary helm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When autopilots have trouble steering<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a basic rule: If you have a hard time holding a course, your autopilot will too. Unlike a windvane (a stern-mounted mechanical self-steerer used on cruising sailboats), autopilots work harder as seas build and wind gets stronger. Eventually, the limits of the pilot\u2019s power output are reached, and the device gets overwhelmed.<\/p>\n

When cockpit autopilots fail<\/p>\n

Over the years we\u2019ve learned quite a bit about what works and why things fail. By sharing this information with you, we hope you can avoid the inconvenience of autopilot failure.<\/p>\n

When their autopilots need repair, and they will need repair eventually, our customers find themselves in a location where it is difficult or impossible to get the unit serviced.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Click here<\/a>\u00a0and see how Raritan Engineering always has more information on boat toilets and on autopilot effectiveness.<\/p>\n