T&T: autopilot

[Bucks2 at aol.com]

I have a WH autopilot on my 40 Puget Trawler. I've had/used  several other 
"name brand" units and I would check with WH first. WH will make  your 
system work right with the other equipment you have installed. 
They are a semi-custom unit with a reasonable price. My unit  is 29 years 
old. A few years ago I called to get a remote unit for my, new  to me boat. A 
fellow named Wil Helm (Maybe the W H in the company name????)  called me on 
the phone, knew the model I had, and talked me thru the  process to decide 
what I needed. My unit is not integrated to the chart plotter  or any other 
devise, it simply holds me on a compass course which is  exactly what I 
want.  
As the world turns, an older couple was on my boat at a  rendezvous and 
mentioned that he had gone to school with Wil and talked at  length about how 
they would have no other auto pilot on their boat either.  Another world 
cruising couple has two of WH's systems on their boat. I wish I  remembered the 
web site, but I was impressed with their recommendation also. 
 
As always, your mileage may vary, but for me, WH is the cat's  meow.
 
Ken 
 
 
 
In a message dated 7/25/2009 9:00:45 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
trawlers-and-trawlering-request at lists.samurai.com writes:

So I'm  shopping for an autopilot for my boat that already has a hydraulic 
steering  system, pump and cylinder and toggle switch. What I think I need 
is the  screen, computerized controller, and the compass in a system that 
will talk to  my directional valve, 12v double solenoid left or right. I'm 
looking for  something simple, as I don't want to do figure 8s fishing or 
sailing but all  the units I see for vessels my size, 63', 65 ton, are really 
expensive and  elaborate. Will a simple unit designed for a smaller boat do fine 
keeping me  on course? I know that if the seas get rough I'll have to steer 
 manually.




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