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Tiller auto pilots
Mikey:
IMHO,it might be better to try to balance the boat with sail trim to reduce the weather helm rather than to provide excessive capacity in either an autopilot or helmsman. Our 30-ft Mercator of 9700-lbs has a cutaway forefoot and attached rudder. Since the rudder is only about 8-ft aft of the axis of rotation it is large, about 27 by 38-inches and while effective,causes considerable drag when angulated more than a couple degrees. Under these circumstances we try to keep the boat fairly well balanced by flattening and/or reefing the main. For short periods or puffs we will ease the traveller and carry a 3 to 4-ft long bubble in its luff just behind the mast. In the extreme we will temporarily let the entire full-battened main luff. Even so our AutoHelm 2000 is much more useful under power than sail.
Cheers, George
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