Poor Man's Autopilot

[pokerrick1]

I had a wheel brake on my Hunter. Used it all the time. Works great at anchor to keep the waves from bouncing the steering gear around. I used it constantly to keep the boat on course while I ran down below for 20 seconds to grab something.For $50 bucks, it's one of the cheapest boat mods and in my opinion very useful.

For 7 cents, two foot piece of rope does same thing. Did I mention I'm cheap?

Rick

[Rick Westlake]

FYI, some of our old 'Antarctic Airways-Adventure Network' pilots wounld't even know what FAA stands for!

MM

FAA?

Living in the Washington, DC ADIZ ... commuting home past a six-pack of Sea Sparrow missiles in a parking lot at an undisclosed location ... My current opinion is that you can guess what the "F" stands for in "F... All Aviators."

[robbarnes1965]

Found this on the Kelly-Hanson website:

Poor Man's Autopilot

Does anybody have one of these? How well does it work...while sailing?...while motoring?

I realize it is just locks up the steering and does not truly hold a course...but it seems like it would be very handy for a single-hander. And the price seems reasonable enough...after all I am a "poor man"

Any feedback on this?

I just looked at the KH website for the first time. They have several goodies that I might just buy myself for Christmas...

Poor Man's Autopilot
New Macgregor logo for the boat + maybe 1 for the office
stay covers
winch covers
engine cover
cam cleats for sail tracks
standard cleats for sail tracks
18" destroyer wheel (if it would work with the Poor Man's Autopilot)
stick-on AAA LED lights

Thanks,
Jim

Thanks for this post! I have looking for solo sailing solutions and they are easily solved here.

I ordered the track mounted swivel cam cleats instead of installing new winches aft like I was considering. Cheaper and easier. Also, for the 10 seconds I need to furl my head or mainsail(I have a cdi mainsail furler), the wheel lock they sell(a.k.a. poor man's autopilot) will do just fine without restricting movement and more precise than the bungee I have been using.

Happy sailing,

rob

[Kelly Hanson East]

while I ran down below for 20 seconds to grab something

Wait until you are over 50 and have to go below for 'only 20 seconds'

[beene]

Remember Steph

You are only as old as you feel...........

G

[Inquisitor]

Poor Man's Autopilot...

I got the poor man's autopilot from KH with some other stuff. It took nearly a month to fill the order with many unanswered emails and phone calls.

It does work. However, it didn't work well with unbalanced rudders and the engine on the connection. It would slip even when synching it down really tight. I later got the disconnect from BWY... http://www.bwyachts.com/web%20catalog%2 ... eering.htm ...which works very well relieving the weight off the wheel.

This, along with balancing the rudders with the adjustment screws (on the M) and the inherent friction of the cable has made the PMA unnecessary even without a bungee. If I were to do it again, I’d balance the rudders better and use the bungee.

[opie]

At to the ultimate "poor man's autopilot" may I refer to the best story of sailing ever written (IMHO), that of Joshua Slocum, who wrote his tale, Sailing Alone Around The World after his circumnavigation in his sailboat, the SPRAY begun on APRIL 24, 1895 and finishing JULY 3, 1898. The story is a classic that can be read over and over (for free, with above link...) with pleasure.

As for Slocum's autopilot, listen to this, from CHAPTER XVI, 4th paragraph:

July 17,1897, twenty-three days from Thursday Island. The
distance run was twenty-seven hundred miles as the crow flies. This
would have been a fair Atlantic voyage. It was a delightful sail!
During those twenty-three days I had not spent altogether more than
three hours at the helm, including the time occupied in beating into
Keeling harbor. I just lashed the helm and let her go; whether the
wind was abeam or dead aft, it was all the same: she always sailed on
her course.


As he related in his story, he read many books, caught fish, slept and relaxed the rest of the time.
..............................

[c130king]

To be honest, I bought the "Poor Man's Autopilot" in December to install during my Christmas trip back to Florida. But I was unsuccessful in getting my steering wheel off so I never installed it during the two weeks I was back. Broke one wheel puller trying to get it off...but it was a cheap puller.

And now I have an S1 Wheel Pilot and 18" Steering Wheel sitting at my Dad's house waiting for my September trip back to Florida. I will still have to figure out how to get my current wheel off but I guess I won't install the PMAP. $49.99 down the drain I guess.

Cheers,
Jim

[Hamin' X]

I'm sure that someone here on the board would be interested in it, Jim. You cannot sell it directly on the forum, as that is against the rules, but you might place an ad in the Classifieds. Better yet, auction it off here and donate the proceeds to Heath's website.

~Rich

[c130king]

Rich,

Good idea. Thanks.

Jim