E-38 Wheel Pilot

Has anyone installed the new Raymarine EV-100 Wheel pilot on a 38?

I know it is borderline, but thinking I would mostly use for motoring, bay/coastal cruising.
Since the boats sail pretty well when the sail plan is balanced, hoping it may not get overpowered?

Just don't want to invest time/money required for a below deck install.
Would much rather adjust sails myself than ask the person under the dodger to help!

I have come to see wheel pilots as much more effective than generally assumed, and after my own initial year of figuring the thing was just overpowered easily and turning it off whenever the wind came up.

I can now use my Ray in quite wild conditions, simply by balancing and reducing the sail area. This means reefing and especially reducing heel more than usual. But in heavier conditions, you're still going almost as fast as usual--just with less drama. The more you eliminate weather helm, or lots of helm movement, the more electricity you save. I learned this from a wind vane. It applies to wheel pilots, too, and greatly increases their utility.

Ericsean said:

Has anyone installed the new Raymarine EV-100 Wheel pilot on a 38?

I know it is borderline, but thinking I would mostly use for motoring, bay/coastal cruising.
Since the boats sail pretty well when the sail plan is balanced, hoping it may not get overpowered?

Just don't want to invest time/money required for a below deck install.
Would much rather adjust sails myself than ask the person under the dodger to help!

Click to expand...

We have a 38-200 and used to have a wheel pilot. It worked ok (but loudly) in calm conditions but self destructed beyond repair running in 25 knots with 4-5' following seas. We ended up having to hand steer for 26 hours. Now we have an Octopus Linear Drive controlled by a Simrad brain. Much quieter, drives much better, MUCH more reliable, but also more expensive. I guess it depends what you need it for. If you're planning anything other than easy short local passages I'd avoid the wheel pilot on a 38... Another interesting option is to put wind vane steering and connect a tiller pilot.

Ours is not a 38 but we do have an EV100 on our 32-200. It's great for motoring however, I'm not yet completely satisfied with it under sail. Probably more my ineptitude with balancing the rig than the AP.