RE: autopilot question

Bill & Gary,

Great to hear from you guys and thank goodness you are still hanging on this
line to keep us faithful to Baba, et al. My planned one-year overhaul has
now stretched to over four years with writing for three books and now one
movie interrupting a fine and prime pastime-cruising, of course. The supply
of used and never assigned boat parts, long stored in the shed on the back
forty-leftovers from the past half dozen boats, is nearing the vanishing
point as they go into the new MOONSHADOW. The latest to be uncovered in the
dwindling pile was this never before used autopilot. And since there are so
many true experts here at our beckon, I'm now seeking the best of all the
knowledge. And, of course, up pops you two! My heroes.

I believe you did say something in the past about the hookup of the
Simrad/Robertson controller. I think I might even have one of these
somewhere in the shed (we call this shed, West Marine North). There is still
some teak lumber in the shed I bought from a Florida boat builder 32 years
ago, though the supply is sorely limited now after supporting five or six
teak-clad boats since. This controller hookup might make this solution even
better if it works-and apparently, it does. Can you clue me in?

I don't know if we can ever catch up with your wake again, but it is worth a
try! I still cherish my dawn photo of Amadon with Mt. Kinabalu in the
background. I'll have to dig it out and maybe post it when I get a chance.

Tom & Carolyn
MOONSHADOW

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-baba-l@ballreich.net [mailto:owner-baba-l@ballreich.net] On
Behalf Of Gary Walls & Bill Healy
Sent: Sunday, April 09, 2006 5:40 PM
To: baba-l@ballreich.net
Subject: Re: [Baba-L] autopilot question

Hello Tom,

We had the Alpha 4044 (?) for many years, and still run the Alpha
linear drive unit with a
new Simrad/Robertson control system. I believe the drive units on
both models were the same.
And, the drive unit is the most bullet-proof part of the system.

The weak part of the 4404 was/is the main electronics control box. We
had two and one was
always off for repair. Also, Alpha is not user friendly.

Ta Shing installed our drive unit and it was very well located and
installed. It uses the
18 inch tiller arm mounted just above the quadrant. The drive unit is
immediately in front
of the half bulkhead and just above the aft port turning sheave for
the steering cable. A small shelf is
glassed to the half bulkhead and to the hull. The outboard end of the
drive unit bolts through it.

If you will use the 18 inch tiller arm I will (try) to send some
photos when back on board.

I have heard that people had better luck with the manual 3000 Alpha
control box than
the 4404.

Ciao,
Bill




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Received on Mon Apr 10 07:14:01 2006