Wireless Auto Pilot Remote

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pmeyers's picture
pmeyers
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Joined: 9/26/10
Posts: 117
Wireless Auto Pilot Remote

Was just reading on Sailing Anarchy about a wireless autopilot remote being developed and sold by a small company in Australia. Apparently will work with most Raymarine wheel auto pilots and below decks. Appears to be using customers as beta testers.
There is a discussion on Sailing Anarchy:
[url]http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=144689#entry4150990...
The website is http:[url]www.madmanmarine.com[/url]
Owner responds rapidly to emails: a good sign.
I'm not promoting it, just sharing information; although I think that I might buy one. Price is good at $180

Paul Meyers
1986 Catalina 36
Hull #615
Ventura, California

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Chachere
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Joined: 10/27/10
Posts: 825

Intriguing product. We've got the older remote with the 30' long wire, which tends to be a PITA (just another long stringy thing to get tangles up with all the other lines). I just corresponded with the maker; standard shipping to the US would be about A$20, so the whole thing comes to A$200, which is about US$190.

Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY

Chachere's picture
Chachere
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Joined: 10/27/10
Posts: 825

We did purchase the wireless remote in June, and used it during a long cruise this summer.

Although we ran into some occasional gremlins with it at first, the manufacturer quickly sent us his replacement, second generation improved version, and it works very well.

Its quite nice to be able to make minor -- and major -- course adjustments from anywhere onboard; if I'm short-handed and have to be up forward for raising the main or cruising spinnaker I don't have to dash back to the helm to put the boat into or off the wind. Its also helpful for tacking single-handed -- it frees me up to be by the bulkhead pulling the traveler over and handling the jib sheets. And I've found that even while on a steady tack, its nice to be freed from having to go back to the helm to do small course adjustments; this summer while cruising in Maine, it was almost like a video game dodging all the lobster pots by just clicking the remote.... (I know, it sounds like being a couch potato, but we're cruisers, not racers).

Excellent support from the manufacturer, Neil Finlayson, he very much stands by his product, and quick to respond to my emails.
Thanks for giving us the heads up on this, Paul.

Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY

BudStreet
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Joined: 9/4/09
Posts: 1127

Thanks Matthew for reporting back your results on this. A very interesting product indeed.

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