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I'm having a Raymarine S1000 wireless autopilot installed, but I like to understand the process too. When I watched the installation videos I thought the pump and course computer were being installed at the transom. But it didn't make sense when they talked about connecting the computer to the GPS via a data cable. So I watched the video twice more and now I have to ask...

...are the hoses and pump right behind the steering wheel? In the helm? Is that where the AP pump and computer will go?

Edit: I just went to a how to site and yes the "helm" pump is located at.....the helm! Brilliant!!!

Frank,
When I do AP installs, I try to mount everything behind the helm except for the fluxgate compass. This keeps your steering hose runs nice and short (saves you money!), plus keeps the pump and computer in a more protected area. There are still only 2 hoses that run back to the cylinder, but a third hose has to be run between the AP pump and the helm pump. Pretty simple stuff. Just make sure the installer mounts the fluxgate compass as close to the centerline of the boat as possible and parallel with the keel...

Bob,

Thanks for the reply. Great stuff as always.

The great thing about the Raymarine S1000 is it doesn't require the compass, or the feedback stuff. The AP pump has three ports: one each for the starboard and port hoses, and one to the helm pump. The helm pump gets a couple of T-connectors for the RAM hoses and the port and starboard hoses on the AP pump. That's it. The rest is connecting the wires from the course computer to the pump and the battery, and attaching the data cable.

Pretty nice, huh?

Frank,
Just perused the install manual on the S1000. Very interesting as it no longer utilizes a rudder position indicator (the cylindrical piece that attached to the steering cylinder), so it must sense the position of the engine in a different, probably through the position of the reversing valve in the AP pump. I always hated those old RPIs, Raymarine had a shitty attachment method! Obviously, APs have evolved considerably over the tears...

That is actually one easy install! Have fun!

Bob

Bob C wrote:.... I always hated those old RPIs, Raymarine had a shitty attachment method! Obviously, APs have evolved considerably over the tears...Bob

Ya gotta love a good pun like this one. Sure the "T" is right next to the "Y" on the qwerty keyboard. But Bob's a sharp guy. My money says he meant what he wrote.

Pro251WA wrote:

Bob C wrote:.... I always hated those old RPIs, Raymarine had a shitty attachment method! Obviously, APs have evolved considerably over the tears...Bob

Ya gotta love a good pun like this one. Sure the "T" is right next to the "Y" on the qwerty keyboard. But Bob's a sharp guy. My money says he meant what he wrote.

Smart ass!

Hey I've been meaning to comment on your signature photo. The wake signature of my boat tells me as much as any indicator how I'm trimmed. And I have to say your wake signature is about as perfect as I've ever seen, Bob. I mean damn...look at that thing!

Frank,
That's looking aft on an '08 32 Express, twin 250 Verados, about 27-28MPH cruise, on a cool morn in the ICW in between Dunedin and Honeymoon Island. The guy who owns it, George Lorenzo, was driving and his son was along. We managed to get 47.1 out of her after I introduced the concept of "trim" to him...believe it or not, he never knew that by trimming the motors, he would get the speed he always said he lacked! I think with a little prop tweaking, he'll get 50.

To show you how bad the boat buy/sell industry is, he picked that 32 up, with all our options and FULL electronics including radar and AP, almost new triple axle trailer, 250 hrs. on the motors, for $75K cash! He has since had all new cockpit upholstery done as well as a brand new enclosure. George and his wife are personal injury attorney's in Tampa...they have a lot of money...

Bob,

I totally believe it.

During the checkout ride on my boat, I asked the previous owner to drive first so I could see how the boat handled, listen to the motor, etc. I noticed he didn't trim the motor out when underway. He understood the tabs. So when I took the helm and started to trim the motor out he said don't do that, the motor is supposed to be all the way down. Lol, well that wasn't the time to male a point so I let it go and lowered the motor back down. But I couldn't help thinking that this guy had owned the boat for ten years since new, and never trimmed the motor.

Too much money, not enough brains...