very good units On Sat, Oct 5, 2019 at 12:53 PM Dennis C. via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote:
> The Navico WP30 hasn't been made in 15 years or so. It is/was an > excellent wheel pilot for boats under 15,000 lbs or so. Wish they still > made them. > > The big advantage of the WP30 is that it is a self contained unit. The > compass was built into the unit mounted on the pedestal. It did not > require an external compass. In its simplest form, all you had to do was > supply 12 vdc power and press one button and it was steering to course. > Add NMEA 0183 input and it steers to wind and waypoint. > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOopONhR-uQ > > In my opinion, the algorithms it used to steer were superior to other > wheel pilots. It compensated well for sea state, etc. and did not require > rudder position indicator data. > > I've logged many, many miles on Touche' with the WP30 and still love it. > So much so that I bought a second unit off eBay for a spare. > > Used it this week in steer to course, steer to waypoint and steer to wind > mode. Worked great. > > Dennis C. > Touche' 35-1 #83 > Mandeville, LA > > On Sat, Oct 5, 2019 at 9:34 AM Shawn Wright via CnC-List < > cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > >> Interesting idea. I was also an IT guy (retired), but prefer to keep >> things simple and manageable. >> >> I'm not familiar with the WP30 (is there an earlier thread on this?), but >> I also have an older autopilot controller, a ComNav 1420, currently driving >> a Raymarine wheel pilot motor. I don't have any other electronics (have >> used Navionics so far), but will need to get radar and a chartplotter soon >> for a planned trip to Haida Gwai and around Vancouver Island. I don't use >> the AP much, usually in calm weather motoring only, as the drive motor/belt >> system is pretty weak. The ComNav 1420 does support NEMA 0183, so it might >> be worth keeping. >> >> What I'd really like to find is a more open system like Maretron with a >> SI-Tex TCP/IP radar, but I understand those radomes are no longer made. I'm >> not a fan of spending $$$ on vendor locked in electronics with a limited >> lifespan. This SV Delos video on YT shows a very nice system that allows >> for managing all functions from a tablet or PC, which appeals to me, but I >> haven't located a source for a network radar at a reasonable cost yet: >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJUSrbKS1-A >> -- >> Shawn Wright >> shawngwri...@gmail.com >> S/V Callisto, 1974 C&C 35 >> https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto >> >> >> On Fri, Oct 4, 2019 at 9:16 PM Francois Rivard via CnC-List < >> cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: >> >>> Hi Bill, >>> >>> There are a few ways to skin that cat. I'm also an IT guy, we live for >>> workarounds :-) >>> >>> Skin the cat #1 To Navico's point: It would probably be somewhat of a >>> feat to get the Zeus2 to recognize a 20 + year old WP 30 as a bonafide >>> NMEA2000 modern day autopilot. Someone could spend months researching >>> , write some fancy code to fool the Zeus, build that into an Arduino board, >>> plug it in between, spend quite a few $$$ on ancillary stuff, and fool with >>> it for untold hours to make it work. --- > not my speed. >>> >>> Skin the cat #2: Spend about $2,800 - $3,200 to get a proper controller >>> CPU / hydraulic or $$ mechanical under the deck steering quadrant driving >>> system, build the fiberglass mounts needed, drop the rudder to fit, etc, >>> etc. For all that you get to use the cool Zeus autopilot functions / >>> screens and have a robust blue water ready autopilot system. Most likely >>> the thing to do for serious offshore work / not necessary for land locked >>> Lake Lanier Georgia. >>> >>> Skin the cat # 3: Play it safe and spend 200 bucks / buy the Actisense >>> NMEA Buffer SBF-3-BAS to make sure you don't fry your 1,000 bucks + >>> chartplotter, ( >>> http://www.allgadgets.co.uk/marine/pc/Actisense-NMEA-Buffer-NBF-3-BAS-p532.htm) >>> and hook-up the Autopilot to use it's own Steer to wind function or follow >>> waypoints dictated by your routes in Zeus. >>> >>> You don't necessarily have to use the Zeus autopilot functions. Using >>> the video / NMEA0183 cable connected to Zeus and running it as designed it >>> will broadcast all the necessary wind / depth / speed / heading / cross >>> track / waypoint information to NMEA0183. The old WP30 is actually >>> designed to listen to that broadcast info and react accordingly (It's >>> supposed to do it quite well). You just make sure your Zeus is on and >>> configured to broadcast then you hold the "Standby" WP30 button for a few >>> seconds, and click both left and right arrows (On the WP 30 controller) at >>> the same time. Done! Now the WP30 is a slave tho whatever Zeus is >>> broadcasting and everything is working as designed by Navico 20+ years >>> ago. >>> >>> Option #3 Works for me. >>> >>> Best of luck with the project. >>> >>> Francois Rivard >>> 1990 34+ "Take Five" >>> Lake Lanier, GA >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> >>> Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each >>> and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - >>> use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >> >> Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each >> and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - >> use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray >> >> _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each > and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - > use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > > -- Sent from Gmail Mobile
_______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
