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S&S Swan General - Auto pilot for Swan 43'
05 August 2016 - 09:16
#1
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david samuelson
Join Date: 25 July 2012
Posts: 30

Auto pilot for Swan 43'

Hi All,

 

I would like advice on which auto pilot works well on a Swan 43’, please.  If you have a photo of your installation, that too would be of interest.

Thanks very much in advance,

 

 

David on SWAN II, hull #12
07 August 2016 - 00:32
#2
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hnakajima
Join Date: 20 February 2007
Posts: 119

Hi David:

I have a Whitlock electric direct drive system acting directly to steering quadrant.  The motor is controlled by a Simrad brain.  The system has worked very well for the past 14 years.

Look under Swan 43 Maintenance (Electronics) http://www.classicswan.org/swan_43_maint_08.php  this web site for the install.

I believe Whitlock has been subsequently purchased by Lewmar.

I elected this system to eliminate any hydraulic system aboard my boat. Therefore no hydraulic ram, pump, hydraulic lines, etc.

Fair winds,

Hiro Nakajima

Swan43/46
07 August 2016 - 22:28
#3
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TeemuP
Join Date: 06 January 2011
Posts: 11

Hi David,

I installed JEFA DD2 and Raymarine EVO electronics (ACU-400) two years ago. Combination has worked as good as one could wish. Wasn't easy to install though. Bedding JEFA strongly enough in a very narrow stern compartment took some time, effort and imagination. I did choose direct drive over hydraulic solutions based on the same resoning than Hiro.

Teemu (Eleanor 43/014)
11 August 2016 - 12:19
#4
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david samuelson
Join Date: 25 July 2012
Posts: 30

Thank you both Hiro and Teemu very much for your information.  If you have photos of the installation I would be very interested to see them to find out what space I shall lose.

Neither do I want hydraulics so I seem to be off to a good start here.

 

Happy sailing, David
18 August 2016 - 15:32
#5
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TeemuP
Join Date: 06 January 2011
Posts: 11

Hi David,

three pics taken during installation of JEFA DD2.

Cheers,

 

Teemu (Eleanor 43/014)
22 August 2016 - 12:55
#6
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david samuelson
Join Date: 25 July 2012
Posts: 30

Thank you so much Teemu, I really do appreciate your taking the time to send those photos.   I can see you put a lot of work into the installation - good on you.

David 43/12
29 September 2016 - 17:41
#7
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ccolton
Join Date: 15 April 2011
Posts: 393

Dear David,

Excellent job, Teemu!  Looks strong and clean!  I love to see such exceptionally good work on our old girls!

David, have you installed your autopilot yet?  If not, I have a different set-up that was installed before I bought my boat.  It seems robust and worked well for the brief time I sailed the boat.  From the former owner, it was a successful arrangement.

I can get pictures if yoou need them.  

Fir Winds

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete  43/003

 
06 October 2016 - 13:00
#8
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david samuelson
Join Date: 25 July 2012
Posts: 30

Hi Chris,

Thanks for posting and no, I have made no progress; I have been sailing too much !

If you could give me more ideas, and photos, I would really appreciate it as it is time to begin work on this project .

Thanks very much in advance

David 43/12

 
06 October 2016 - 15:45
#9
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ccolton
Join Date: 15 April 2011
Posts: 393

Dear David,

I should be able to provide pics this weekend.

Glad you're sailing!

Fair Winds,

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/003
11 October 2016 - 17:10
#10
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ccolton
Join Date: 15 April 2011
Posts: 393

Dear David,

My pictures must be in a "safe" place!  I looked and could not find them.  Currently, the pilot is out so I cannot even go to the boat for new ones.

I'll keep looking and will, with luck, be able to send them to you before your project.

My ram is mounted, with SS spacers, to the starboard aft bulkhead on the backside. No additional strength was added to this bulkhead but in additon to the spacers there is a SS backing plate.  The drive is attached to the quadrant.  

Chris  mabel's Casse Tete  43/003
12 October 2016 - 08:27
#11
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hnakajima
Join Date: 20 February 2007
Posts: 119

Thank you both Hiro and Teemu very much for your information.  If you have photos of the installation I would be very interested to see them to find out what space I shall lose.

Neither do I want hydraulics so I seem to be off to a good start here.

 

Happy sailing, David

Hi David:

This is the link to the install of the direct drive aboard my Swan 43.

http://www.classicswan.org/swan_43_maint_08.php

Regards,

Hiro
19 October 2016 - 14:58
#12
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ccolton
Join Date: 15 April 2011
Posts: 393

Dear David,

Attached please find pictures of my autopilot setup.  They are not great but I think they will give you an idea about how it is installed on my boat.

Fair winds,

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete  43/003
19 October 2016 - 15:00
#13
Post Reply
ccolton
Join Date: 15 April 2011
Posts: 393

 

More pictures

 
26 October 2016 - 12:41
#14
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david samuelson
Join Date: 25 July 2012
Posts: 30

Hi Chris,

Thank you very much for taking the time to find and post your photos; I really do appreciate the trouble you and others have gone to to help us.  Now I must stop procrastinating and do something.  

We in the latitudes of little to no wind and are getting fed up with steering every inch of the way!

Happy sailing

David       43/12 SWAN II
27 October 2016 - 14:13
#15
Post Reply
ccolton
Join Date: 15 April 2011
Posts: 393

Dear David,

You're quite welcome!  I have received so much good advice and help here that posting a few pictures, with Matteo's help, is the least I can do.

Please let me know if I can help in any other way.

Fair winds,

Chris  mabel's Casse Tete  43/003
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