Instruction manual

6 APPENDIX

6.1 Advice on operation

When used correctly, your Wheelpilot can maintain as good a

course, on most points of sail, as a skilled helmsman, with the

advantage that it never gets distracted, whereas a human can

start showing lapses of concentration after as little as 10 mins.

However, there are certain circumstances where a human has

the advantage in being able to anticipate events, which no

autopilot can sense, typically in a heavy following sea. The

following advice should improve efficiency when sailing using

your Wheelpilot:

1. When sailing close to the wind, it is easy to forget to trim

the mainsail, allowing excessive weather helm to build up.

Where a human helmsman would quickly complain, the

autopilot will struggle on and the boat will be sailed less effi-

ciently. Whereas a human normally likes to feel some weather

helm, this is not necessary for the functioning of the

Wheelpilot. Power consumption, wear and drag will be great-

ly reduced if the mainsail is freed or reefed a little sooner than

normal when sailing manually.

2. It is also advisable, when sailing close hauled, to set a

course a few degrees free of that normally sailed under manual

control, to avoid luffing into the wind.

3. When running dead downwind, a human pilot can see

visual signs warning him if the boat is about to gybe, which

the Wheelpilot cannot sense – it is advisable not to sail as close

to the gybe as you may do when sailing manually.

4. When broad reaching or running fast, particularly with

quartering waves, a helmsman will naturally apply periodic

larger angles of helm than when beating or sailing slowly.

This is the equivalent of increasing rudder Gain, and it may be

a good idea to adjust the Gain on the Wheelpilot. Many people

prefer to find a compromise setting which is used for all sail-

ing, but with practice it can be optimised for different condi-

tions, e.g. low for motoring in a calm sea or high for running

fast. If the Gain is set too low, the boat will go off course,

because insufficient rudder is applied in time; if the Gain is too

high, the boat will overcorrect, increasing power consumption.

5. The Wheelpilot is a highly advanced piece of equipment.

However, it would be a mistake to become complacent. As

with all electronic navigational equipment, it is an aid to navi-

gation and should not be used as a substitute for conventional

navigational practice. Remember – Maritime Law requires that

you keep a good look out at all times.

WP32 Wheelpilot

E04596