The next step is to build and install a mount for the end of the linear drive. In the picture the linear drive is mounted to a 1/2 inch aluminum plate that is in turn mounted to two black walnut blocks epoxied to the hull. The blocks are epoxied with west system and two layers of 28 oz fiberglass cloth. After this set up cured, the Corepack and control head were mounted on the boat and all the wires were connected to the terminal strip on the corepack. The compass also was mounted next to the water tank on the port side of the boat and its wires connected to the corepack. Then I wired the the Garmin 545 GPS NEMA output to the Corepack. After all the equipment was connected and powered up, I went through the dockside commissioning.
SEA TRIALS
The next day 6/17 I took Changes out on Lake Erie for her sea trials. This included setting the compass deviation and rudder gain. After this set up I raised the sails and went for a sail in a 12 knot wind. The ST6001 autopilot system performed well and seemed to require minimum movement of the helm to keep the boat on course. Once the sails were put away and we were motoring up the river the autopilot drove the boat with occasional input from me, the on watch person.
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