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Simrad(Robertson) AP11 Autopilot

C

captgeorge

George Graves
<div>I am looking to add this piece of equipment to my M-383 and
would appreciate any feedback as to prior experiences with this
unit. Also, I am looking at the SL72 Raytheon Radar. We are
trying to get "High Spirits" ready for more offshore duty and I
know this is the place for great information.Thanks,
David Green
S/V High Spirits
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<div>David,I don't have any specific information on the Simrad autopilot, but I work in the area of oceanographic hydrography/bathymetry and we have received excellent customer support from Simrad. Whether or not this will translate to individual private customers could be another matter, although many people speak highly of the Robertson product.Now the radar. I have eight years worth of experience operating military radar. Raytheon is another fine company and puts out a good product. This is just my opinion, but I would much rather work on a CRT screen as opposed to an LCD. Resolution is noticeably better on a CRT and this translates into better target definition and easier interpretation of visual information and data. Again, this is just my opinion and you must factor in other variables such as the location of the unit. If it's going in the cockpit then an LCD is going to be the better choice because its screen can be seen better in brighter ambient light. Take a look at the JRC set. JRC has been in the electronics business a good while and its CRT radar is priced just a little higher than the Raytheon or Faruno LCD models. I'm in the market for a radar also and I'm going to give the JRC set a hard look. Good luck.Eric
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<div>Thanks for the feedback. I too have heard good things about the Robertson. Regarding radar, in 1998 Practical Sailor recommended the Raytheon LCD over the JRC and Simrad. Of course this may not be a relevant test due to changes in the products. I will mounting the display at the helm station so LCD is the way to go for me. Thanks
David Green
S/V High Spirits
M-383

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One & All
Any opinion's about the Simrad LCD Anritsu RA772 '3D' Radar, also the Simrad CE32 DGPS Chart Plotter and Sounder with the B/W display. I plan on a gimbled mast mount, just above the spreaders, for the radome enclosed antenne. In the cockpit, using the binnacle guard rail to mount both radar and chart plotter display's; main sheet travler clearance considered. Anyone out there familiar with either unit? I would much appreciate your views.
Rob McCabe
S/V Cha-wa-kee.
382 Hull# 169
 
I'm a Marine Electronics technician and I install far more Simrad-Robertson A/P than any other brand. They are not inexpensive but are well built and what service help I've needed (I really have very few problems) has been good. I think it's one of Simrad's best products.
 
I've installed a few of these units and they are small, compact and pretty good units and the 3D is interesting. LCD radar displays have come a long way although they still don't quite match a good Furuno CRT. The biges draw back with the Simrad is it's display of interfaced data. The displayed info is so small in size that unless you're very close to the display you can't read it. I did have one failure in the radome antenna on one.
Good luck, it's a hard choice. I have the Furuno LCD & have been pretty happy with it and no real problems.
 
<div>Ron,I currently have an old autohelm 3000 (doesn't work, turns to starboard and keeps going in circles).I am considering replaceing it with a Navico WP5000 (now Simrad)for a couple of reasons. 1. It's cheap and I could carry a backup system for the price of the next best model (two for the price of one so to speak). 2. It's powerful fairly responsive. Have you had any experience with this unit? Thoughts?Thanks,Vic Copelan
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I have a Raytheon 20XX ( I think that is the designator) radar, CRT style. About 7 years old, I think. It is a fine unit, although I understand the LCD's use less juice, which may be of some concern under sail for a long time. Anyway, I have mine mounted at the nav station and the nice thing about the CRT is that you can make it bright enough that you can keep an eye on it from the cockpit--gazing through the companionway hatch. For closer approaches, of course, I go below, but at night we often can keep a good watch on it while huddled under the dodger. I can't believe I used to go up and down the coast and through the Juan de Fuca shipping lanes without it. So, I agree with the other posting that suggested checking out CRT as well as LCDs.
 
Vic--I am sort of in your situation, although the 3000 is still alive. See the postings on CPT units. My alternative to that is the Navico. If you go that route, please post your impressions--especially power and speed, which is what I need when I sail single-handled. Thanks.
 
<div>Just prior to my trip across the pond, I installed a Furuno 1621 LCD after much research of what was on the market. I've been extremely pleased. For what it's worth, I have mine installed on the windgen pole on the aft deck. The head is plenty high enough - 2 ft higher than the min specs.
I bought it over the others for the following reasons:
-what do you see more on the fishing fleets?
-smaller/lighter radome
-better night vision (green screen - doesn't blind you)
-price is lower than other units.
-lots of them on the market means that it's a good product that hasn't needed marketing upgrades to make it sell. It just keeps selling.
-the radar controller is small and fits nicely on a swing-out arm in the companionway. I used it almost every night during my crossing and is a great feature.
-the unit has standby power consumption so low, it's almost not noticeable (.25 amps)
-the unit's wake-up scan mode is too cool. I set mine to 15 mins so that every 15mins, it activates for about 1 min and returns to stand-by. This is a great feature. It has smaller and larger increments.
-It's very simple to operate and understandLike mentioned elsewhere with other equipment, everybody is going to buy what suits them and their pockets best.
For it's defense, sailing down the Chesapeake before heading out and also on the other side of the pond, the Furuno tunes down far enough to see crab pots and other floatsam. I investigated a floating 55 gal drum during my crossing that I saw on the radar at night. I'm sold.Enough said.

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