Jeff,
This is pretty exciting, actually. I've been uneasy with
instrumentation for a long time, not having a good option for
finding a way to switch directions with a single set of instruments.
I suppose I could get my own raspberry pi and program it, but
that's a big black-box mystery to me at the moment. I'm sure the
code would make sense after seeing a few examples (I develop
software for a living), but since I haven't actually rolled up my
sleeved and started playing with a unit, I can't yet view it as a
viable option.
But a unit that already has it's sensors and autopilot programming
in place should be very simple to modify.
- Mike
(I wrote this on a plane a few days ago
but looks like it didn't go through, sorry if this
ends up being a double post)
I've been giving the overall subject a
bit of thought myself, though mostly thinking of
tiller pilots and wind vanes. HP's are still abstract
to me, but I've read several notions of setting the
rear rudder for balance and steering with the front.
With that in mind, a tiller pilot on
each rudder seems feasible, even if only the front
one is active for either direction. Of course
tiller pilots arent known to be as reliable and
sturdy as a good hydraulic system, but hydraulics
seem a bit overkill for a 40ish footer I'd be
interested in. Dual windvanes would be both
expensive and busy. Not to mention clumsy if you
had to switch on each shunt. So its good to hear
the 18er works fine steering either rudder.
Since I will be building my HP, I
quickly fell down the rabbit hole of self built wind
vane designs which could be feasible for either or
both rudders. Looking at simple self built designs
made me embarrassed to see what hydrovane charges.
In the true spirit of DIY, the pypilot
project comes to mind. Its all open sourced
hardware and software for autopilot via openplotter
on a raspberry pi, so theoretically someone (not me
anytime soon!) could sort out the software side of
bidirectional autopiloting. The logic at least
doesnt seem too difficult to put into human words..
Having a little experience with Raspberry Pis and
home automation I can actually imagine several proa
applications, such as automated nav light switching.
Whatever I end up with it will be DIY
and/or used and steeply discounted. With the
economy built into HP's you could spend as much on
all the modern gizmos as you do on structure.
Yachting is predominantly a rich man's game, but the
underlying tech need not be.
The
18m proa was fitted with hydraulic steering
two years ago. That enables fitting an
autopilot with hydraulic pump to the system.
The system operates one rudder and that works
fine for steering in either direction. We
have only played around with the autopilot
twice. The incorporated GPS and radar have
been more useful to date than the autopilot.
We are yet to resolve how the autopilot can be
set to work in reverse without recalibrating
each shunt or have a reversing switch on the
pump motor. There may be a simple software
switch for the reversing function but that has
not yet been found if it exists. Generally
manufacturers of autopilots have not
contemplated their use on a proa.
Setting the pump up was a simple
exercise with the existing hydraulic
steering. The pump has in-built check
valves so it does not need to be isolated
to steer by hand but the helm needs to be
isolated so the rudder turns in preference
to the helm spinning. The helm could be
locked in place but it is simpler to use
an isolating valve.
The hydraulic steering was quite simple
to set up and not particularly expensive
using the same orbital pump/motor for the
rudder and helm. The steering design
would be a bit different if done again but
the system has proven reliable.
Rick
Has anyone solved the autopilot
problem with an HP?
As much as I'm a fan of tiller
steering, handling two tillers far
apart adds a challenge. Some purists
may disagree, but I believe an
autopilot is as mandatory as GPS on
a bluewater sail, especially if
single handed.
Curious if anyone has managed to get
a reversible autopilot working well
with the daggerboard rudders on an
HP?
Thinking two hydraulic arms for
steering both ridders simultaneously
connected to something like a
seastar helm and autopilot pump...
flip the heading sensor 180 after a
shunt? And the pump wires? Or use an
open center hydraulic valve to
reverse the hydraulics (advantage of
valve is having a neural gear to
free the tilers for hand use)
Have had hydraulic steering and
autopilot pump before and it worked
flawlessly.. so pretty confident in
the reliability and maintenance of
it.