[n0w0rries]

I bought a tiller pilot (ST2000+) for my 27' Catalina. The boat had a little pin on the tiller already, and the donut on the gun'l that takes the cantilever mount. So I bought the cantilever mount thinking it would be an easy install, since that was the way it was setup before.

I fitted the cantilever and pilot and I just wasn't happy with the setup. I can see some cracks around the donut where it flexes. The angle of the cantilever mount isn't straight, it's angled slightly up, which makes the connection to the tiller more of stretch. I'm just not confident it's a good solution.

So now I'm thinking about mounting it to the seat, but then I have to get a bracket to put under the tiller to attach the pilot to. Is that a good solution? It seems like it would be difficult to get the pilot to stay attached to the boat and tiller--do you typically lash the pilot to the tiller somehow? Any tips?

 

[fendertweed]

hard to say for your setup... on my P26 I had to construct a hump out of teak that epoxied & screwed into the top of the tiller to give me the mounting point at the right height for the pin.

The body of the ST2000 & the pin on th eother end rest on top of the seat (not coaming), where I drilled a hole through for the brass cup, which is set into a 4" x 4" x 2" block that I expoxied to the underside of the seat (so no flexing at the "donut" end to crack FG as you describe). You do want it to be a level mount for the tillerpilot.

Good luck, it took me (and a friend who is very handy) some time with measurements & angles to figure out how to line everything up as best we could.

Jon

 

[pegasus1457]

I did exactly that on my previous boat (a C&C25). It worked flawlessly.
If you drill a hole in the seat be sure to epoxy a piece of 1/2 inch or thicker plywood underneath to give you the rigidity you need.

I never had to lash the tiller to the autopilot -- I had bought the right size bracket and it never caused me any problems.

I bought a tiller pilot (ST2000+) for my 27' Catalina.

So now I'm thinking about mounting it to the seat, but then I have to get a bracket to put under the tiller to attach the pilot to. Is that a good solution? It seems like it would be difficult to get the pilot to stay attached to the boat and tiller--do you typically lash the pilot to the tiller somehow? Any tips?

 

[captbillc]

my navco tiller pilot is mounted with the pin in the bottom of the unit inserted in a sleeve on the top of the coaming. the shaft end snaps on to a rounded pin in the top of the tiller. the tiller pilot is horizontal. the 1 1/2" SS rudder shaft is high enough so this works very well.

 

[mitiempo]

Here is a page from the manual for the Navico 1800 but they all attach in a similar fashion. On my previous boat I had the tiller mount that hangs down below the tiller but they are available for above or below in various increments. I agree the cockpit seat should be reinforced with a piece of ply glassed under to eliminate flexing.
Hope this helps.
Brian

 

[n0w0rries]

Decided to shelve the project until after buccaneer days... 35nm with tiller in hand... wish me luck!