# Simrad Tiller Pilot



## Guest (Aug 24, 2001)

I am looking at a Simrad Tiller Pilot 10 for my Bristol 27 (6600 lbs). Anyone have any experience with this device?


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## Carebear562 (Apr 8, 2008)

Hi jerryr

I bought a CS27 last year (tiller steering) with an Autopilot 1000 which does not work and I can't get it fixed. So I am also in the market and am looking at Simrad.

You may have looked at other bulletin boards. On one, a person was critical of the Raymarine for not being weather tight. Another criticized the Raymarine ST2000 as not having as good a gear mechanism as the ST1000. Another said the Simrad was harder to use than a Raymarine tiller pilot.

I am with you on this one. Let's see what replies you get.

Cheers! John C


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## steki30 (Feb 25, 2004)

*No problems*

I've had the Simrad tiller pilot on an Alerion Express 28 for four years without any problems. I single-hand most of the time and the Simrad is invaluable assistance that I have come to rely upon. When I selected it over the Raymarine, I did so because of the slightly better specs it offers.


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## saltypat (Oct 8, 2006)

*Hope to see more feedback*

I am also looking at the Simrad for our Endeavour 33- it seems they are not actively marketed in the US anymore - I have read this is due to the dollar -Euro rates. But it is still possible to get one- I was looking at the Simrad 32.

I'll be watching the resonses- thanks, Saltypat


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I had the simrad tiller pilot on an O'Day 25. It worked fine the two years I owned it. Just got word it finally died 2 years after I sold the boat. Both of us solo most of the time and sail a lot, so it got a workout. Not bad life for $300. Sure beat my $1000 Raycrap S1 Wheelpilot that lasted 12 days


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## CS271409 (Mar 1, 2006)

JerryR (and Carebear562)
I have a CS27 that came with a non-functional autopilot (forgot the brand... something not made anymore). After some research, I bought a Simrad TP10 which was far more modestly priced that comparable Raymarine tiller pilots. It has done the job for us over three seasons. It's primary purpose is to hold our course on relatively long stretches from southern Lake Huron to Tobermory and beyond to the North Channel and the rest of Georgian Bay (aka God's Country). Also useful when I'm BBQing on relatively flat water as we motorsail. Last year we sailed home overnight and the TP10 ran for about 16 hours without a complaint. The stroke on most tiller pilots is limited so you won't be tacking on a dime using the autotack feature but for good basic inexpensive and accurate control where you don't want to interface with other instuments, I would give the TP10 a good grade. The seastate and gain features are useful. I can rarely wait for it to self detect the seastate and usually set it manually, mess it up, then revert back to auto-detect.  Time will tell how long it will last. Hopefully I will be successful attaching a picture of "Auto at Work" (Either that or a meaningless jumble of letters will appear below.)


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## CS271409 (Mar 1, 2006)

Holy cow... I just realized that we are responding to a 6 1/2 year old post. Surely some kind of a record. Presumably JerryR either has his TP or not. Carebear562... this one is for you.

Welcome to Sailnet! You will want to read this link to get the most out of Sailnet. 
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/general-discussion-sailing-related/39379-newcomers-get-more-out-sailnet.html#post240053

Another CS27! yeah. Here is my boat:
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cs-yachts/40551-lets-see-some-cs-yachts-4.html#post291913


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*simrad at work*

As long as we are posting pictures, here is a quick video I shot with a really obsolete digital camera, but it shows the TP10 holding a decent course in slop south of Charleston. Winds were 20-25 knots if my memory serves, and I was under double reef with a mule. That little solar panel (1.5Watts) was enough to keep me going for about 3 days running the TP10. At that time I only had a handheld VHF & GPS so no other power draw. I miss the simple life!

http://i58.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/bcatatonic/oday-DSCF0010.flv









look at that tiller arm bend!


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## bluetommy77 (Oct 5, 2007)

no, please keep the post up, i'm really interested in the conversation too... as far as i can see... just two companies for tiller pilots... simrad and raymarine?


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## CS271409 (Mar 1, 2006)

Bluetommy,
There may be others but I didn't come across them when I did my research a few years ago. You usally get what you pay for and in my case, I needed a simple and inexpensive tiller pilot to hold course, possibly for long periods of time. The TP10 is a screw drive type of mechanism as opposed to a more expensive but more efficient recirculating ball which is found in the TP32 and higher end Raymarine units. The "lock to lock" time is a function of it's power and the TP10 is fine for my purposes put won't turn the boat on a dime as some more expensive units will. If I recall correctly, the stroke is more or less the same between the high cost and low cost units... but the higher cost units will cover that stroke faster. Higher cost units can also be linked with other electronics. I'm not sure what I would do with that feature but if you want it, the TP10 is not for you.
Note that tiller pilots are no good in a sea following on the stern quarter where some "predictive" steering is required. "Sea state" features in the TP notwithstanding (can't believe I used that word in a sailing discussion!) , I don't know if any auto pilot would hold an adequate course in a 2.5 metre sea off the starboard quarter as we had for 6 or 8 hours last year on Lake Huron.
I assume you are in the market for a Tiller Pilot.


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## sonofasonofasailer456 (Feb 2, 2007)

I have the 1000 on my b27 works great the directions say that the unit is water proof and is sealed and not to open it at all says it is not neccessary to open at all missed out on the wind vane last year for the unit on the bay anyone got one and want to sell


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## bluetommy77 (Oct 5, 2007)

*tiller pilot*

Thanks CS27,

good info about the TP10, other simrad products. No, I don't intend to link the system with a GPS although I have a lowrance chart plotter I'm currently trying to get to work again (it came off one of the whale watching zodiacs).

We're sailing quite a lot and regularly in 6-12 foot seas, following or otherwise so I'll take your comments about the predictive course corrections and think on them. Looks like a "boat unit" ($500) either way for a decent set up, hey? And the 'screw type' mechanism is more expensive in terms of electricity than the 'recirculating ball'?

I also have some friends on an older ericson 37 which has an unbalanced spade rudder and at least a 6 foot beast of a tiller. I suppose their base is pretty hopeless until they build themselves a properly shaped and balanced spade rudder!


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## Carebear562 (Apr 8, 2008)

CS271409 and bluetommy
I too was fooled by jerryr's post, but it got you guys talking and I'm listening.

You seem to be having good success with the Simrad TP10 on Cs27's, which I also have. But you say you are not connecting it to other instruments. How can the tiller pilot sail the boat without being connected to a wind instrument? Are you only using it under power? I want to connect it to a Raymarine ST-40 wind instrument (so the tiller pilot can hold a set wind angle).

Our Raymarine dealer is checking into becoming a Simrad dealer as well, but advises me that there may be interface problems between a Raymarine wind instrument and a Simrad tiller pilot.

What do you suggest?

Cheers! Carebear562


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## artbyjody (Jan 4, 2008)

Carebear562 said:


> CS271409 and bluetommy
> I too was fooled by jerryr's post, but it got you guys talking and I'm listening.
> 
> You seem to be having good success with the Simrad TP10 on Cs27's, which I also have. But you say you are not connecting it to other instruments. How can the tiller pilot sail the boat without being connected to a wind instrument? Are you only using it under power? I want to connect it to a Raymarine ST-40 wind instrument (so the tiller pilot can hold a set wind angle).
> ...


MY C-27 had the Simrad wp30 - and I had the full complement of Raymarine C-80 and St-60 stuff... it all works under the NMEA standard. If you have a specific question on how to make it work I can give you the insight .... they work well together...


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Actually I believe Simrad owns Navico. 
I have a Simrad under deck autopilot and love it. In reviewing the tillerpilot options it appears there is little functional difference between the 10 and the 22 except for the ability to integrate other electronics...they are both screw driven and power and thrust specs are quite close. The 32 uses a recirculating design and is significantly more powerful so would be my choice for mediuum to larger size tiller steered vessels as you ALWAYS want more auto pilot capability than you think you need unless you are just using one as "crew" in protected waters.


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## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

I have used a Navico TP1800 for over 10 years on my 30 ft Cal with very good success. I believe this unit is the predecessor of the Simrad 10. I have found it is important to properly balance your boat with just a bit of weather helm to get the unit to work well. Unit is great on cruises when motoring for any length of time.


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## jgeissinger (Feb 25, 2002)

*Simrad TP10*

I have had a TP10 on my Catalina 27 for several years. It works fine under sail with no interface, but you may need to make periodic adjustments to your course. I use it mostly when motoring, but since I am almost always shorthanded, it gets used a lot under sail as well. I have done a couple of overnight races doublehanded, where you are allowed an autopilot. It was used almost all the time, including a 9 hour stretch under chute, until the wind and following seas got to a point where no autopilot would have steered. It's not perfect, but it is well worth the money, and I would buy the same thing again.


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## TomandKarens34 (Dec 4, 2007)

I have the TP-10. I don't use it often but it works great when conditions are stable. I think I have to adjust the gain as it makes too many tiny adjustments responding to wave action.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I don't obtain success in connecting my tp32 with the garmin 276C using nmea 0183. Did anybody already manage to do that?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Capita- You really shouldn't post multiple threads on the exact same topic.

As I said in the other thread you asked this same question in:



> Two things to check.
> 
> First, the Garmin 276C is set to the Garmin protocol, not NMEA 0183 by default. You need to change the serial port setup to NMEA and check the settings. They should be 4800 baud, 8 bits, No parity, 1 stop bit.
> 
> ...


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Hello from New Zealand, Thanks for keeping this thread alive. I'm just making a purchasing decission between a TP 10 or an Raymarine ST1000. The TP 10 seems to win based on price (and it would seem reliability). I'm planning on using it on a Noelex 25.

Cheers

Kevin.


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## okawbow (Feb 15, 2007)

ARMADILLOkev said:


> Hello from New Zealand, Thanks for keeping this thread alive. I'm just making a purchasing decission between a TP 10 or an Raymarine ST1000. The TP 10 seems to win based on price (and it would seem reliability). I'm planning on using it on a Noelex 25.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Kevin.


I use the Simrad 10 on a Bristol 24, 5800# displacement. It handles the boat nicely in most conditions. You need to learn when to adjust the units 1-10 settings for the sea state and wind direction. If you get the sails balanced, it always does a good job. Mine has been very reliable. I slide a long, clear plastic bag over the unit in rain and spray conditions.


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