Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
I'm thinking about buying the Raymarine ST1000 and would like to learn from your experiences what extra accessories I will need to order with the tiller pilot, to get it properly mounted.
There are two installation methods I've seen. One uses a flat mount and a screw-in bar from the coaming that supports the wide end of the ST1000. The other end slips over a stainless pin that screws into the tiller. This pin is supplied with the unit. Someone else can probably tell you what length bar to order.
The other mounting technique is what I (and I believe Val) used. This method uses a brass socket (it comes with the unit) that is installed in the seat area of the cockpit and accepts the pin on the "fat" end of the ST1000. The other end connects to a bracket that bolts under the tiller. That bracket is about $30 as I recall.
You need some miscellaneous wire and epoxy to complete the installation, but most of what you need will come with the unit. If you are considering buying the remote control unit, I'd advise not to. I've found little use for it myself. It was free with the unit when I purchased it.
I have the Raymarine ST2000 Plus, but I believe the installation procedure is the same. I have a bronze bushing which comes with the unit installed in the top of my coaming. I also ordered the long threaded tiller pin, but that's probably overkill. A short glue-in pin is included free. If you go with the top of the coaming mount, you will need about a 5" ram extension. I also ordered about 15' or 20' of the Raymarine ST-series 6-wire cable -- it's custom made for this, not expensive, and real handy.
I also wired the Raymarine autopilot through its own circuit breaker instead of using a fuse and/or sharing a circuit. That way, if the autopilot stalls from oversteering and draws too much current, the circuit breaker will trip. That's a lot easier to get going again than a blown fuse, and being on its own circuit it won't shut off any thing else. (Can you imagine someone wiring one of these into their fused cabin light circuit, and then having the thing stall hard over at night while single handing in rough weather? No thanks!)
As was stated, there are a few different mounting methods. I chose the cantilever mount ($60.00?) which is attached to the seat back in the cockpit. This allows my full length cockpit cushions to slide underneath the autopilot.
I agree with Eric's assessment of the remote control. I've never "used" the free remote on my autopilot and I've only "played" with it maybe two or three times in the first month after installing it. It has remained holstered for the last year and a half.
A few ideas to ponder....
Consider mounting the autopilot on the opposite side of the cockpit from your outboard. With this arrangement you can have the autopilot engaged yet still be able to get to the motor.
Mount the autopilot's connector inside the aft end of the coaming box to keep it out of the weather.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.