Autopilot is in and working

[jleonard]

Over the past 3 wekends I installed a new autopilot, a Sitex SP-70.
Did a quick check out cruise saturday. I couldn't get the fluxgate compass to calibrate itself, which means I have to relocate it and try again. I installed it very close to where the compass was for the antique I pulled out, but I guess this one is more sensitive. I moved it a foot afrther away from the fridge, , I'll try it out again next weekend. If that doesn do the trick I have a plan C.
But it stays on a heading, it follows the GPS, and I can steer with the remote in manual mode.

We are naming our autopilot "Abe" because Abe freed the slaves.

Now I'll be able to hold my margehita with both hands.

[jcollins]

We named ours "Otto"

[jleonard]

Here's an update.
Weekend of June 12 the compass calibrated properly once moved aft by about 18 inches.
The autopilot ran the boat perfectly on the way to Three Mile Harbor from Mystic. Righ on the money, I had to actually dodge the 1GI buoy off Grdner's I
Then on the return trip I figured how to follow a track and again the autopilot did a absolutely perfect job....
until it died. Totally MORT about halfway back. Would not power up.

So..after cussing a storm then doing all the suggested checks shown in the manual I sent the CPU back to Si-Tex on Long Island.
They tested it and found it faulty.
Yesterday the new CPU arrived.
So I'll install this weekend and report results.

I must say that this autopilot (assuming it won't crap out again) runs this boat 10 times better than the Autohelm (Raymarine) ST 5000+ ran my Mainship.

[jleonard]

Installed and appears to be working. I'll know friday on my trip to Block I.

If I post from France it didn't work.