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The first thing I did when we got the wheel-pilot home. Before we put it on the boat is to take it apart and work out how to replace belts and such. I then took the fresh new belt I pulled out and took it down to the local industrial drive belt maker. And I got them to make up five matching belts in reinforced new materials that are considerably stronger then the basic rubber stuff that Simrad supplies.
Then I mounted one of the new belts back ont he unit before fitting it to the boat. The Simrad belt gets to sit ina drawer as a guide for the next time I need the factory to make me some new belts.
I am already wishing I had bit the bullet and ordered 8.
Never had a problem and the belts cost me around $35AUD each (that works out to about $23US each).
I was still on the first belt three years alater when the boat went up on the hard for a major refit.
It is just a matter of understanding that NOTHING on a boat is really plug-and-play. It is all componentry, whether the brochure claims different or not.
Sasha
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