[worldcruising] auto pilot
Subject: [worldcruising] auto pilot
From: Robert Knight (rcknight@XXX.XXX)
Date: Fri Jan 19 2001 - 10:37:42 EST
I've been reading about tiller autopilots in this group and just couldn't let it pass without throwing in my experiences within Raytheon.
I have owned two 800 models(the first got lost in a storm, but that is another story). Admittedly, they are smaller than the ones that have been mentioned but the service difficulties will carry over to all of their products.
Before Raytheon, Autohelm gave good service. I had a pulley, in the drive system, break. It had broken, mainly because it was plastic and worth about .50. They just mailed me one, no questions asked and at no charge.
On the second unit, (it's now Raytheon),it began to wander 10 to 15 degrees either side of the course. I sent it to them and they sent it back, saying it was uneconomically repairable, and that I should by another. Said something about because it was a couple of years old, the motor was slowing down. Huh? When it got back it became obvious that they had not even opened it up. I heard a rattle that I hadn't noticed before and when I opened it up to investigate, I discovered that a lead counterweight had fallen off of the fluxgate compass. I reattached and it functioned perfectly, until the pulley broke. Raytheon doesn't sell the pulley anymore unless you buy a new motor for 60 bucks!
I made one from brass and it works great, but for some reason, I just can't bring myself to buy any more Ratheon products.
Sorry if this was too long winded, but I get carried away, every time I talk about it. Now I'm pissed.
Robert Knight
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