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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Do the Tiller Pilots hook up to my GPS

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/08/2006 : 20:40:41

Hi All, I have been looking at the simrad and raymarine tillerpilots and nowhere does it say that it will take the a signal from my GPS. Can anyone help? Cheers.

Dennis
No Boat
S.E. Michigan

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ajski1000
1st Mate

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USA
52 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2006 : 21:23:46

Denis,

I was wondering the same let me know how you make out, I imagine that only some units communicate between each other.
But Im also curious if a new tiller pilot is purchased can you set a course such as 255 degrees and have it maintain course without the GPS intergration?

Thanks in Advance

AJ

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2006 : 05:42:00

I have the Simrad TP10 which does not integrate with a GPS. I believe the next model up (TP20?) does, and will maintain a GPS course. Raymarine also makes a model that will do this but I don't know the model number. I will be getting the TP20 next year and using the TP10 as a spare.

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2006 : 07:36:33

Look for specifications that say something about NMEA input. The Raymarine 1000 will accept NMEA (which I think is a signal format from the GPS), as will the larger models. I don't know about the Simrad.

AJ, all tillerpilots have a built in fluxgate compass that holds any set heading (within limits of weather, seas, etc.). You don't need GPS linkage for that -- the most basic function of a tillerpilot is to hold a course.

I understand the usefulness of GPS linkage in a bigger boat in which I might be doing long distance cruising. I'm not sure I appreciate the need for GPS connection in a boat like ours -- given that every ten minutes we should stick our head out of the hatch and look around for traffic and check course. I've cruised the Chesapeake for eight years now with the most basic Raymarine tillerpilot, including some 50 mile days. I've never needed GPS linkage.

Brooke

Edited by - Brooke Willson on 09/09/2006 07:37:14

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2006 : 08:57:59

Hi Al, does the TP10 seem powerful enough? I am looking at one on ebay.

Hi Brooke, the reason I am looking for that linkage is that I am starting to do solo races of more than 24 hours and in talking with some of the old hands, they all go below and take 30 minute naps through out a race. I am not sure I'll even get use to doing that, but I am willing to give it a try. Cheers.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2006 : 09:12:37

Dennis <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">do solo races of more than 24 hours and in talking with some of the old hands, they all go below and take 30 minute naps <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
That's scary! But then again, the folks that do single handed atlantic crossings and ATW trips must get some naps in somewhere. It's just that where we sail there are plenty of GFB's (GoFastBoats) as well as cruise ships, tankers, etc. Certainly if sailing 24 hours we would be near something.
Do you have radar? that would identify anything bigish within a 12 mile radius and that's 2 hours at 6kts. 30 mins is only 3NMiles. So where are you doing your singlehanded racing?

Paul.

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2006 : 09:32:10

Hi Paul, lakes Huron and Erie mainly. I'd like to do the Superior race but it would take too much time to get there and back. I don't have radar but rules say I have to fly two radar reflecting balls at all times. Cheers.

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2006 : 09:55:52

I don't think you will need the GPS function for single handed racing. I've been doing a lot of single and double handed racing with my tiller pilot, including offshore, overnight races. You put the boat on course, trim sails, push a button. The tiller pilot holds that course. You can't set something like 255 degrees. My tiller pilot will hold course for hours, but usually requires some sail tweaking every few minutes in race conditions. The TP will not sail upwind nearly as effectively as you can.

Holding the boat to a course headed towards a GPS point would be useful under power. Under sail I think it is almost useless. Much more effective would be a tiller pilot that would hold a course to the relative wind.

Just think about it, holding course to some distant point is almost surely to pull you out of sail trim unless you are going downwind, no wind shifts, and no spinnaker.

Of course I have a GPS and set waypoints, also watch the VMG like a hawk, tweak the TP and the sails constantly, sleep sometimes, but have the boat steer to a distant point in a sail race? Not necessary.

Your TP will certainly hold a compass course long enough for a nap.

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2006 : 10:16:24

Another thing to consider is that not all manufacturers NMEA outputs communicate with other manufacturers NMEA outputs. There was a recent article in SAIL magazine regarding this. A new NMEA standard has been agreed upon that overcomes this problem and future electronics will all speak the same language. If this feature is important to you, you will want to make sure your existing GPS will comunicate with it or buy both with the new standard NMEA outputs. Sorry, I don't have all the details at hand but a Google should turn up something on it.

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2006 : 10:36:45

Dennis, one of the hard lessons I've learned on the Chesapeake is that in ten minutes a giant container ship can go from hull down on the horizon to almost on top of me. That's in clear weather, not haze or fog or night. I have a ten minute timer that I use if I'm down below to remind me just to stick my head up and do a 360. Many of the long distance solo sailing stories I've read have talked about sleeping in ten minute snatches. Obviously, if you have sophisticated radar with a collision alarm that would help, but C25s seldom have that level of electronic armor. I would be worried less about you getting off course than running into something or someone. It seems like a lot of water out there, but it's amazing how many collisions and near misses there are in the middle of nowhere.

There's a Navy joke around here that aircraft carriers used to paint on their islands the warships they had sunk; now, they paint sailboats. Merchant ships are probably less confessional.

Brooke

Edited by - Brooke Willson on 09/09/2006 10:46:19

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