About the structure of the wind gyropilot, design and installation
Reliable autopilot frees you from the tedious and monotonous work to hold the yacht on course. This option is especially important for night time. There is more time to shift sails and their settings, as well as repair; you can be distracted and look around, engage in plotting or a quick stop at the mess in wet weather and to make hot coffee.
According to the principle of avtoruliv divided into electronic (autopilot) and wind. Discussion on what type of autopilot is better remains important for many boaters. Most agree on the idea that each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses that complement each other. If it is possible to use both variants, the combination of a universal solution.
If you need to choose one or the other, then most likely, it will wind autopilot.
Wind autorului not depend on the source of electricity, are not part of a long chain of supply of the yacht, where there are many elements that could break at any moment, by themselves and of them are not.
Wind avtoruliv are many brands and designs, but they all share reliability. Hydraulic force on the pendulum, the pen, needed to control the rudder, is quite large. Add to that the reliability of the design and printing fluency, and agree that this fellow is not afraid to leave one in stormy weather when the autopilot needed the most.
“Apparently, he’s still going to outlive me, says the author of the article “Sailing with the wind wing” Alvah Simon (Alvah Simon) on his bought over 30 years ago used the autopilot Aries, who wandered with him from the boat to the yacht and participated in many long voyages. — At the same time, I have filled the crate of spare parts that I collected from all e-gyropilot, broken during the same period.”
However, the old woman is proruha.
Very well possible problems with wind autorelease shows the experience of participants in a single non-stop voyage around the world Golden Globe Race, the rules of which the use of modern electronics on Board is prohibited.
By mid-race of the 18 participants, ten out of the race, one of them on their own, four were due to breakage of the mast and five because of problems with autorelease. At the moment this is the main reason for the withdrawal from the race.
A total of six people fought c idle autorelease without sleep and rest right in the middle of the ocean, in hurricane winds. Five have gone the distance, one is Istvan Kopar (Istvan Kopar) — still holds, periodically repairing his assistant.
Aboard Puffin Istvan installed autopilot Windpilot c of the pendulum servo. Because of the failure of the autopilot he had to go to the Islands of Cape Verde for its repair. The organizers had to remove him from his struggle for the main prize, but was limited to a 24-hour penalty, taking into account that Kopar during the stop did not go ashore and did not accept outside help (although he called the representatives of the Windpilot and received from them the instructions on how to revive the autopilot).
Representatives of the Windpilot in his blog wrote that in the case of Stephen, the failure of the autopilot occurred because of installation errors and incomplete understanding of the principles of the system.
But not all participants GGR using the Windpilot products, the problems with autorelease have arisen through their own fault. Have Cuso of Antoine (Antoine Cousot) weakened the bolt to wind the pen. He pursed his, but later lost the sling bracket and the bolts on the Foundation that holds the pendulum angle of the pen. Antoine went into the Marina for repair for a few hours and replaced the bolts, but was transferred to Chichester class, and then finished the race, moored in Rio. The design of the autopilot of Antoine Kuso can be explored here.
Autopilot Windpilot company is also on the yacht Igor Zaretskiy — the only Russian in the race — and we hope that he will not let him down.
In addition to the Windpilot, participants in the Golden Globe Race is also used autorului Beaufort and Hydrovane. Hydrovane is one of the sponsors of this voyage.
Autorului from Hydrovane installed from race leader Jean-Luc van den Heede (Jean-Luc van den Heede), Beskardes Ertan (Ertan Beskardes), Makhalina Gregor (Gregor McGuckin), Loïc Lepage (Loïc Lepage), UCF, Randmaa (Uku Randmaa), but the race due to problems with autorului Hydrovane left only Kevin Fairbrother (Kevin Farebrother). Yes, and with him an ambiguous situation — after completion of the regatta Fairbrother said that sailing is not for him that he will return to his beloved rock climbing, and the boat put up for sale. So probably the root of the problem Fairbrother, in his little sailing experience. At the same time, the experienced Jean-Luc van den Heede also reported problems with autorenewal when walking in stormy conditions with winds of 45-50 knots. However, he was able to cope with them and still leading in the race.
But autorului Beaufort was not so reliable. First AMR Nabil (Nabil Amra) has reported a crack in the weld in the design of the autopilot. He tied the cracked part to hold out a little longer, but knew that to go that in storm conditions with wind speeds of over 30 knots, to put it mildly, not comfortable. 18th July Nabil left the race.
Hiking Filip (Philippe Péché) until August 10, was among the leaders in the race. Surely his plan was to continue in the same spirit, but the autopilot decided otherwise. His Beaufort broke in the same place that Stuffed. Sailor repaired the autopilot, using the pipe made of stainless steel, which has been on Board in the event of failure of the rudder actuator. But then came another setback — August 11, he had a broken actuator rudder and he was left practically without control. In the end, Hiking managed to make uncomfortable a three foot actuator, through which he was able to control the boat, but left without the autopilot. Realizing the situation, he went to Cape town for repairs. 25 Aug Philip were Hiking out of the race, as the repaired autopilot was too flimsy to go with him to the southern ocean.
On August 31 the message of failure of the autopilot came from Francesco Cappelletti. The situation was completely analogous to the situation with Nabila.
Analyzing the experience of participants in GGR, it is possible to draw the following conclusions — wind autorului reliable enough (because they were used 24/7 — to the limit in tough conditions), but before their set, we must thoroughly understand the product and the installation. What we try to do in this article.
Historical note
History gyropilot began before the first world war. The progenitor of the autopilot system proposed for use on racing yachts George Brain (with George Braine). System brain consisted of blocks, ropes and rubber bands that bound the sails and the special actuator on the rudder the rudder. Due to this construction, when a gust of wind or roll the yacht was offered, and dumped the wind from the sails and back on the course. But every time you change tack system had to be reinstalled. This required the efforts of coastal command.
The first semblance of a modern autorola was the Frenchman Marin Marie (Marin Marie) and applied it not sailing, and on a 14-metre motor yacht Arielle during a single 18-day crossing from new York to Le Havre in 1936. The device was a huge wind wing, United with a feather rope. Now it can be seen in the Maritime Museum in Port Louis.
In 1955, British sailor Ian major (Major Ian) went to a single journey from Europe to the Caribbean, using a small front wing, which controlled flaps on the rudder. This system was most prevalent. On the same principle worked on autopilot and 17-footer Mick the Miller, owned by Englishman Michael Henderson (Michael Henderson), and the sailor called him “Harriet, the third hand.”
The beginning of a new era in the development of gyropilot was the first race OSTAR (Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Race), which started from Plymouth on 11 June 1960. Without using the autopilot to the finish line alone hardly anyone came, so this device was a necessity.
The race took five skippers: Francis Chichester (Chichester Frances), Blondie Hasler (Blondie Hasler), David Lewis (David Lewis), Valentine Howells over (Valentine Howells) and Jean of Lacombe (Jean Lacombe).
Francis Chichester took part in the race in the yacht Gipsy Moth III with installed on it by autorului, called Miranda. Miranda consisted of a wing with an area of 4 sq. m. and 12-pound counterweight, connected to the tiller by ropes through the blocks. But this design was unstable and Francis wondered how to balance the ratio of the area of the pen and the wind of the wing.
On Board Blondie Hasler Jester used the first autopilot with servomation drive.
On Board the yacht of David Lewis and Valentine of Howells used the flap on the feather, developed jointly with Marcel Gianoli (Marcel Gianoli). Blondie Hasler Marcel Gianoli made the largest contribution to the development of gyropilot.
In 1970 appeared the first electronic autopilot, and originally he was intended for small fishing vessels. It began producing company Tillermaster.
Design
At the heart of most wind gyropilot is based on two fundamental design is siromyatnikov and drive system with auxiliary pen. Both of these systems are driven from the front wing with counterweight and horizontal or vertical axis, and this is where the similarity ends.
System servomation drive brands are well represented Aries, Cape Horn, Fleming, Monitor and Sailomat. Windshield wing, especially with a vertical axis of rotation, creates insufficient force to control the rudder of the yacht. To increase the effort, the wing is connected to the pen servo. The pen is shifted from one side to another like a pendulum. Hydraulic force produced by the clash of water on a tilted feather, much more than the aerodynamic force during rotation of the wind wing. Through the blocks, the pendulum rotates the linkage or the wheel of the yacht. It should be noted that the pendulum itself does not control the boat, and this is reflected in its name.
The main drawback of this system is to limit the arc of the stroke of the pendulum, which depends on the dimensions of the frame of the autopilot. Normally, the pendulum and the rope about 30 cm Is almost imperceptible, if the rope attached to the tiller, because you can mount it in the optimal place. At the helm you can also wear the cable on the drum with large diameter for greater steering angle, or less — to give greater effort. The farther the wheel is from the stern, the longer will be the rope. They will be more stretched, sagging, which will adversely affect handling.
System with auxiliary pen on the market largely represented by Hydrovane. The system is attached to the stern additional feather driven by the wind of the wing with a vertical or horizontal axis of rotation.
When using this system, the main rudder is fixed in position along the vertical median plane or slightly at an angle to compensate for the actuator or Uval, depending on the situation.
A huge plus of the system with additional pen is that it can be used as an emergency rudder.
Given the experience of boaters, one of the most common serious damage on Board is the failure of steering control. They are caused by the loads, which continuously tests the rudder to work. Therefore, the node steering wheel should be securely fixed in the hull design and made of durable materials and properly selected shape of the pen and its size will help to maneuver without effort and will reduce the load on the steering. No one would be left without control at sea.
With regard to the operation, here, as in any relationship with autorenewal, takes practice and patience.
Make sure that the boat ran well. To balance it, align the waterline, placing the load closer to the midsection, saritha sails to the optimum size, appropriate for the weather. Excessive roll of the yacht not only slows, but the waterline is not the one expected by the designer. Make sure that the front wing was not in the wind shadow from the add-ins, or came upon him turbulent flow due to the solar panels or rail racks. Experiment with the angle of the wing, the tension of the cables in different weather conditions and record the results.
Advantages and disadvantages
On the Internet there have been disputes between the key producers and sellers gyropilot. As always, everyone advertises their product, losing the benefits of others. Because of this there are doubts, what system is better and why.
In his article Alvah Simon says that he was used as siromyatnikov system, and system with auxiliary pen. And advises to choose depending on the boat type for which the system is to be mounted, and the type of steering, sailing conditions and the budget purchase. In his view, the auxiliary stylus is more sensitive in light wind and is more suitable for exploring under sail. The servo in turn can steadily hold the boat on course in the harshest of weather, while people get tired in one hour.
Features servomation drive and extra pen
Auxiliary feather
Servo
The rise of pen
Cannot be lifted to clear it from debris and algae.
You need to pay attention to the design of the lift, can fly off the mount too easy.
Emergency cases
No “weak points” and any collision causes serious damage to your system.
In a collision rises and comes back with a delay, can be raised when not in use.
The habitability of the cockpit after installation
Needs no heap aft cockpit and Utah. The whole structure remains behind.Because strop wiring from the servo to the drive wheel or the cockpit is not so inhabited, they constantly have to cross.
Setting of course
Cables going to the rudder, no. There is only a small transaction from the device in a convenient place in the cockpit for remote selection of the desired course.
When you use to fix the main feather.The cables need to adjust and stretch. When used with the actuator on the rudder is usually associated circuit cables and fixed between the screws or in the stopper. Alvah Simon is a convenience to use two-way retainer (stopper-crocodile), and for rumple to fasten the eyelet to thread the rope. Thus you can quickly adjust the tension and reduce slippage, and in difficult situations instantly weaker them and take control.
Bracing
Square auxiliary of the pen is much smaller than the main one, but thanks to fixing the basic of the pen, increasing lateral resistance and thereby decreases the chance bracing.Self-withdrawal of the yacht from bracing. Sometimes, the boat suddenly hits a wave and leads immediately to the wind, but at the same time a change of direction fulfills the windshield and wing, which, through the servo turns the rudder in the opposite direction and returns the boat to the course.
Installation
According to the statement Hydrovane,
auxiliary feather can be mounted not on a diametrical plane without any loss of driveability. But I do not like this solution, because if you take out the stylus too far on the rolls it will be out of the water.Needs a lot of space for installation of the frame.
Multihull yachts
The use of catamarans is difficult because of the large gap between the bridge and deck by two feathers, but also can be found in the world.Can be used on mnogotochechnykh.
As for pricing, it is impossible to deny that the basic model with auxiliary pen cost 25-40 percent more than the model with the servo. This is due to the cost of the materials used in the manufacture of auxiliary pen.
Some types of transoms require an individual approach in the design. Below shows an example of installation of the autopilot on the step section of the frame platform. Also pay attention to the raised feather servo, it will not create resistance on the go and it’s easier to maneuver in narrow places and under the motor.
For fans of the system with the servo Monitor is proposed to place such a system at opening the gate, and called this method of installation SwingGate. SwingGate looks like a huge frame in the stern of the ship, which is attached directly to the servo. The frame can be opened and, for example, to throw the ladder.
Summing up
When choosing between autorului, the original data must be type of your boat and the conditions in which you walk most of the time. If it’s long-term transitions, you definitely will use mechanical drive, perhaps sometimes turning on the autopilot.
The purchase and installation of the autopilot are probably the most expensive venture on your yacht.
“I have not seen any yachtsman-a loner who was given the name the twist of the headsail, but all the polls give the name of the autopilot. Believe me, in the middle of the ocean, you would be with him heart-to-heart talk with each other,” said Alvah Simon.
The modern market gyropilot is represented by the following companies: Aries, Beaufort, Capehorn, Fleming, Hydrovane, Monitor, Neptune, Sailomat, Sea Feather, Voyager, Windpilot, Scanmar, Holland, Mister Vee, Norvane, South Atlantic, Vectavane, Windgear.
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What do you think?