Hi all
I have a fisher 32 motor sailer in Tassy and love the boat, but am having problems with steering. has octopus cable steering connected to TMQ AP4 autopilot. has always had to much slack in the steering and now when using the Autopilot has started to get very noisy and clunky on any corrections. My question is should I switch to Hydraulic as I feel the boat is to heavy for a cable system or replace the existing drive. any advice much appreciated.
Cheers Phil.

I had the same TMQ autopilot on my fishing vessel. I used plastic hydraulic lines and a Hydrive ram. You will still have the octopus pump noise though.

hydrive.com.au/
hydrive.com.au/australia/
hydrive.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/data-sheet-HD-HELMS.pdf < I used one of these a 105 was not new nor the cylinder

hydrive.com.au/admiral-hd-series-datasheets/

every thing is serviceable

Thanks for that.

my cylinder was a HD 150-9
9 inch stroke you would need to work out what your rudder travel is
I am sure you need a tiller length of 8 inches
and when making the cylinder mount bake it bloody strong as just like your fisher
it's sort of recommended to use copper tube as much as possible but it's your choice

I fitted a B&G T1 electric hydraulic ram and it is good for an Adams 35

how's the B&G working out Whiteout
I'm sort of looking towards b and g chart plotter

I used to have a linear drive unit installed but it did not function very well the unit could not drive the rudder in a seaway funny since the coral sea is not as rough as the open ocean the rudder heading was lost and an alarm came up. The gyro compass had its problems with tropical cyclones and leaked.

B&G came good with a replacement compass and exchanged the linear drive with a electro-hydraulic unit under warranty and charged the difference in cost for the unit all up $1500.

I am going back to the boat to do the sea trial of the new unit in June long weekend for 5 days in the Whitsundays and cannot wait.

I will keep you informed on the progress.

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whiteout said..
I used to have a linear drive unit installed but it did not function very well the unit could not drive the rudder in a seaway funny since the coral sea is not as rough as the open ocean the rudder heading was lost and an alarm came up. The gyro compass had its problems with tropical cyclones and leaked.

B&G came good with a replacement compass and exchanged the linear drive with a electro-hydraulic unit under warranty and charged the difference in cost for the unit all up $1500.

I am going back to the boat to do the sea trial of the new unit in June long weekend for 5 days in the Whitsundays and cannot wait.

I will keep you informed on the progress.

I see simrad have just released a solid state compass . Precision-9 Compass
http://www.simrad-yachting.com/en-au/Products/Compasses/Simrad-Precision-9-Compass-en-au.aspx

Whiteout if you can't be bothered going to the "Whits" I could fly up for You Ha Ha I'd need my glasses

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HG02 said..
my cylinder was a HD 150-9
9 inch stroke you would need to work out what your rudder travel is
I am sure you need a tiller length of 8 inches
and when making the cylinder mount bake it bloody strong as just like your fisher
it's sort of recommended to use copper tube as much as possible but it's your choice

The Nylon tubing is easier to route through and is less likely to leak. Quieter too if you have some bubbles. It's a long time ago now since I installed mine but I think the copper pipes were frowned upon from NSW MSB surveyors.
The TMQ AP 4 is the standard pilot here in the fishing fleet and with hydraulic drive ram direct to your tiller the response is instant with a steering wheel bypass.

Years ago we had this enormous gin palace here with 4 sterndrives. It had no steering wheel. It was driven by the power steering knob on a AP 4.

I'm using 316 stainless tube as much as I can
it's all individual choices mine was free so that had a directive aswell

Thanks for all the info guys
Tell me if I go to Hydraulic steering can I use 1 ram for both wheel steering and Autopilot or do you have to have 2 systems.
Cheers.

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sagdito said..
Thanks for all the info guys
Tell me if I go to Hydraulic steering can I use 1 ram for both wheel steering and Autopilot or do you have to have 2 systems.
Cheers.

One ram is all that is required. Mine had an old unreliable raymarine autopilot system when I bought it, since replaced with simrad pilot, though still using the raymarine hydraulic pump. Like the simrad pilot
BTW your boat is the same colour as mine, though mine has leisure furl boom furling main.
Cheers, Bob.

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sagdito said..
Thanks for all the info guys
Tell me if I go to Hydraulic steering can I use 1 ram for both wheel steering and Autopilot or do you have to have 2 systems.
Cheers.

The normal routine is to install a bypass valve so the pilot drives the ram direct and the wheel does not rotate.

Im using one cylinder and as Ramona said a valve set up


here an example of a basic set up the one on the left is single wheel and right a second helm station
Ill find a sketch with an auto pilot and add it later on
if you open this link below it will give you a few different options on adding auto pilots and dual helms so in the fisher 32you could have a extra helm inside the cabin and one in the cockpit around page 6 in this pdf
www.hydrive.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/HD-SERIES-MANUAL.pdf

I'm fitting a 12 volt actuator valve when I engage the autopilot you can add simple ball valves so you manually turn them open and shut.
In the Hydrive web site there also a page where they will assist you in the design for your fisher and work out the cylinder size and helm unit that would work well on your boat.
My system is a over kill much larger than needed but it was the shortest cylinder stroke in the HD series which I wanted 9 inches and its bronze not aluminium.
It up to you how many turns lock to lock you want on your wheel I chose the 105 helm as it ends up giving me 2 turns lock to lock and as it over size an for my boat it will be very easy wheel to turn. I have no check valve fitted to the helm unit so the wheel will not stay still unless I am holding it it will also give me rudder feel. In theory ha ha
I will be fitting a couple of T's in the line and blanking them off till I buy a autopilot but Ill probably buy the pump soon any way and complete all the hydraulic then just leaving the the control unit and compass .
Simrad have just released a solid state compass which Raymarine have had for awhile in there evo autopilots
The autopilot pump you purchase must match in with the capacity of the cylinder ( ram)that's important)
If yopu have lots of spare boat dollar have a look at the Garmin
buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/on-the-water/ghp-20-marine-autopilot-system-with-smartpump/prod118877.html


in the video below there's a few connecting vids that will help you understand the hydraulic system the garmin has a nice feature as well as there brushless pump motor its in the second vid a couple of in line valves that as soon as you grab the wheel while it in autopilot and you turn it the autopilot disconnects giving you the wheel

This video will give you a bit more info its not the product you would use on your boat but it explain a few things


Oh yes make sure you fit a rudder feed back unit

and if you ever get sick of your boat and looking to find some one to look after it PM me
Price wise
Course master are fairly sharp and I think they are part of the Hydrive group
The only thing in my choice is the solid state compasses
www.chsmith.com.au/Products/Precision-9-Solid-State-Compass.html
The above is a Simrad but Raymarine also use one in there evos autopilots

and don't forget your electric consumption will increase = more solar or wind gen or run your diesel motor to keep your batteries topped up

Thank's again guys great forum, now have to work out what size ram will do the job and whether I can fit it in.

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sagdito said..
Thank's again guys great forum, now have to work out what size ram will do the job and whether I can fit it in.

you can contact Hydrive they will work out what size you need they will ask you for your rudder size displacement and a few other things whether you use them or not
hydrive.com.au/manual-steering-quotation/