Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

A forum for discussing boat or trailer repairs or modifications that you have made or are considering.
User avatar
Starscream
Admiral
Posts: 1388
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:08 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Montreal, Quebec. 2002 26X - Suzi DF90A

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by Starscream »

Raymarine warranty update:

2 weeks ago I submitted my claim online, and sent another email to the warranty department to ask that they send the replacement out before I send them the defective part back (as their standard warranty procedure requires), since the defective part was functional and I didn't want to be without the AutoPilot while waiting to find out if I would even GET a replacement part.

No answer other than the auto-generated confirmation email...EXCEPT...today I open the mailbox and a brand new cable with a nice, soft rubber boot is waiting for me in Raymarine packaging. No RMA, no questions, just a new cable.

So Kudos to Raymarine for the response, although it does kinda suggest that they know the cable boot is an issue, but still. They turned a negative customer experience into a semi-positive one, something that a lot of companies don't understand how to do.
User avatar
Starscream
Admiral
Posts: 1388
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:08 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Montreal, Quebec. 2002 26X - Suzi DF90A

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by Starscream »

We tried the autopilot under some interesting conditions this weekend.

With about a 10 knot wind, blowing 180 degrees over a 1/2 knot current creating some steep 2-ft waves with a wavelength just over half of the boat, we were in two waves at a time, creating some unusual motion.

Downwind (10 degrees off of directly downwind) with just the jib we were sailing at 3mph when falling off the waves and 5mph when surfing down the waves. I could watch the big ones catching up to us, lifting our butt, and spiking the speed. Wilson did a perfect job with rudders down and about 1/2 centerboard.

Coming home, we had to motor into the wind. I engaged the autopilot at 7.3mph, with all fins up, but he just lost it. He couldn't adjust for the wind or waves catching the nose and pushing it off to one side. Without the fins there just isn't enough authority for a small change in wheel position to have any effect at all. So he ended up steering a crazy S, totally out of control. I let him go for a long time to see if he could compensate over time, but nope. Found out that he has three speed "modes": whir, Whir, and WHIRR. Dropped the rudders and his steering was back to perfect.

Overall this is an awesome addition.
User avatar
ris
Captain
Posts: 676
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2015 4:27 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Frostproof Florida

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by ris »

My friend you are correct about the autopilot. Without the rudders down the Mac will not track with the auto pilot.
It will start an S Pattern in the water and then lose track and go in a circle. This is why if you are using a Mac as a trawler you must put a Skeg on the rear to make it track straight with an auto pilot. Without the rudders there is no way it will track straight. We put a 42“ x 6“ tall skeg on the last 42 inches of the boat bottom and she tracks just fine with no rudders. We hope Canada opens up next year as we want to come up and do the North channel Georgian bay, the Rideau Canal to Ottawa then on to Montreal up to St. Lawrence to Sorel Canada and then down to Lake Champlain. We will for sure call you if we were able to do this during the summer of 2022.
Richard
User avatar
Starscream
Admiral
Posts: 1388
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:08 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Montreal, Quebec. 2002 26X - Suzi DF90A

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by Starscream »

Just got back from what is likely our last trip of the year, once again through the Lachine Canal to spend the long weekend in the Port of Old Montreal and be tourists in our own city.

I got to spend some quality time with the Autopilot while the family was cozy down below:
Image

Did some experimenting. With the current settings, the Autopilot can hold +/- 2 degrees in calm conditions, and +/-4 degrees in 1.5mph swirly current with gusty winds. In calm conditions I can manage +/- 1 degree while driving manually, but it takes super concentration.

In combination with the navionics app, these low visibility conditions were a piece of cake. I will say that having the control head mounted on the bulkhead has its pros and cons. Pro: you can tuck in there and be relatively dry in the driving rain. Con: steering on Autopilot requires a lot of button pushing if the channel wanders a lot, and it would be much nicer to do that from the helm or from the cellphone (the Axiom 7 MFD is wi-fi enabled). Looking forward to the next step to add the MFD and sonar.

The chart-plotting function on Navionics is soooo easy. Give your starting and ending location, choose automatic routing, and it will lay out a perfect course through the channel markers. Would be nice to connect that to the MFD and have the Autopilot just follow the route.

In downtown Montreal all the slips were taken at the marina so we parked in the last lock on a public dock for $20/night. No water, power, or bathrooms, but Bear Hunt is self-sufficient for a few days. Son #2 had his 13th birthday on the boat, something which has become a bit of a tradition on labor day weekend. He loves it.
Image

The Canal has low bridges, with the minimum marked clearance being 2.44m. Well, even with the mast removed from the crutch and laid on the bimini, we still contacted the furler hound on the underside of the lowest bridge. No harm, no foul, but an extra 1/2" of water depth woulda been much worse. Coming back, we didn't touch.
Dguy
Chief Steward
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 8:24 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by Dguy »

The EV100 autopilot was one of my 26x’s best upgrades. Using the autobuddy (i3dgear) remote controller I can control the autopilot from anywhere on the boat or cabin (when it rains). Works flawlessly.
User avatar
panda
Deckhand
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:04 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
Contact:

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by panda »

Dguy wrote: Tue Sep 07, 2021 4:03 pm The EV100 autopilot was one of my 26x’s best upgrades. Using the autobuddy (i3dgear) remote controller I can control the autopilot from anywhere on the boat or cabin (when it rains). Works flawlessly.
How does autobuddy connects to the ap?
:macm: 26M 2008, New York
Dguy
Chief Steward
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 8:24 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by Dguy »

Sorry for the late reply. The remote control, I have one on a wristband and another one inside the cabin, sends a signal to a receiver which I have installed in the binacle. The install is simple…I did it in 1 hour and I am not handy at all.
Lokibuster
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2023 4:24 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Michigan

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by Lokibuster »

Just wanted to jump on this old (but incredibly useful!) thread, and mostly say thank you to Starscream, ris, Dguy, and others who contributed here.

I bought a 'new' 2002 26X last month and am upgrading it with The EV-100 Wheel Pilot and Axiom+ 7 with Realvision right now. This thread was an absolute shortcut to most of my installation worries (even that sweet tip about the M14x100 bolt). Thank you all!

Two full days of work and the installation is now 'complete'. I still have questions, but am hoping they shake themselves out when I can get it back into the water this week.
User avatar
Starscream
Admiral
Posts: 1388
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:08 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Montreal, Quebec. 2002 26X - Suzi DF90A

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by Starscream »

I don't know who needs to know this right now, but the EV-100 autopilot pack is currently on sale at Defender.com at $1200 US, which is the best price I've seen for a long, long time.

https://defender.com/en_us/raymarine-ev ... pilot-pack
User avatar
Russ
Admiral
Posts: 7543
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2007 12:01 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Bozeman, Montana "Luna Azul" 2008 M 70hp Suzi

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by Russ »

Dang that's a tempting price.
--Russ
User avatar
Starscream
Admiral
Posts: 1388
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:08 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Montreal, Quebec. 2002 26X - Suzi DF90A

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by Starscream »

Expanding the Raymarine network: added the AIS700 transmitter/receiver. I'm running out of real-estate to mount things :D

The control unit is mounted over the aft port berth, below and aft of the original fuse panel. I mounted the GPS antenna INSIDE the cabin, behind the roof liner of the aft port berth. Not sure if that's great, but the Mac doesn't have the thickest fiberglass to receive and transmit through. Hoping that the antenna is better than the onboard antenna on the Axiom7, which sometimes takes its sweet time to connect. I believe I can select the master GPS signal to use for the system amongst all the GPS-enabled elements on the network.

I added the ghost-mode switch: no need to let all the commercial traffic know that I'm anchored for lunch in a bay somewhere. I haven't been able to test it yet, as the new Seatalk Backbone cable and Tee that I ordered are still in transit, and I haven't made the power connections. That's going to require removing the fuse panel and working around the Axiom 7 in that compartment, which doesn't leave a lot of room to do anything. I really hope I won't have to remove the Axiom to complete the install.

In Canada, I'm allowed to program my own AIS using the ProAIS2 software to add my MMSI. In the USA it's required to be done by a dealer. It was an easy download, and an easy connection from the AIS to the laptop. 10 minutes total, with many re-checks of the MMSI number and dimensional values to make sure, because you only get one shot.

The network wiring is getting complicated.
Image
C Buchs
Captain
Posts: 562
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:49 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Camas, WA 98607

Re: Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot -Mac26X

Post by C Buchs »

Starscream wrote: Thu Feb 15, 2024 8:01 am I don't know who needs to know this right now, but the EV-100 autopilot pack is currently on sale at Defender.com at $1200 US, which is the best price I've seen for a long, long time.

https://defender.com/en_us/raymarine-ev ... pilot-pack
The price went back up for a few weeks, but now it's down to $1150!

Jeff
Post Reply