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Old 09-30-2009
brak brak is offline
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It's true - everything depends on use. I practically never steer - hydraulic steering is best left to professionals .

On a few offshore crossings (caribbean mostly, not on my boat, though) I found autopilot to be a much better helmsman. In somewhat significant gale conditions (waves of 10-15 feet) where human helmsman was exhausted in minutes trying to keep the boat even relatively on course, the mechanical one worked day and night, non-stop keeping course as well as I never could even in better conditions.
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