Despite you infrequent Uploads Josh, I stay with you because you speak well, you edit your Videos brilliantly, and you are to me a very genuine Person. Well done, and thank you for the Journey.
Love your honesty too. Don't worry - your stresses will gradually dissolve as your experience level increases. Bahamas was probably my favourite sailing grounds. Your boat will track better if you always have both the main and jib up. if you put your main up your jury rigged self steering will hold course better. having a balanced sail plan will also reduce the amount of work your autopilot needs to do so it will last longer.
Bahamas is really fantastic. I'm always amazed that if you look down from Google Earth, the Bahamas easily has the most spectacular blue waters of anywhere in the world. Thanks for the comment.
Josh, First of all thanks for the video and the "no glitter" style you have. I single hand my 38 quite a bit and have as you have, come to rely heavily on my AP. It took a little while to determine that , depending on point of sail, it was much easier to use just one sail. My boat sails downwind best on the Main. When going upwind, the headsail is my "Go To". After a lot of practice, reading and good advice.. I did 3 things that helped a great deal and gave me more time under both sails at once. 1. Practicing without the AP is a good idea.. It'll give you the opportunity to adjust the perfect amount of sail to balance the boat when going upwind so that the boat will practically steer itself. (aka "Bungee Steering") If she develops weather helm with just the headsail, try reducing down. On the other hand, Lee helm would be just the opposite. On your boat, with the Fractional rig that you have, Your Mainsail is your most powerful engine. Same goes for balance when working upwind. When conditions dictate that both sails would be useful, Always center the traveler and raise the Mainsail first. You have much more control of the sail and the boat doing it this way. 2. In watching your videos, I didn't notice your boat to be fitted with Lazy Jacks. If not, they would be a good and small investment to keep that doused main under control. Use care when installing. Locating the upper point of the LJ's out a little on the spreaders will help a great deal toward keeping full battens from getting entangled when raising the sail. Simply pulling them forward on a small cleat attached to the mast works too. It adds an extra step or two but don't forget to re tension them into position before striking sail. 3. I fitted my boat which is nearly the same as yours, with a Tides Track system for the Main. When I now dump the Mainsail Halyard Clutch now, it'll fall completely down into the LJ's so fast you won't believe it and the LJ's will contain the bundle until you have time to further straighten things out. This has turned out to be a great safety addition as well when needing to stop the boat in it's tracks. One more thing. I 've learned a lot by watching Kevin Boothby on his YT Channel "How to Sail Oceans". This guy is a singlehanded guru and he does it all on a motorless vessel. Sorry for the length of the comment but felt that it might help.
Glad you're back on the radar Josh! As a rookie solo sailor myself, I can appreciate first hand your pains and frustrations while navigating your adventures. Keep creating and I look forward to your next vid.
Two things may cause the autopilot problem, given that you have already replaced the belt. Assume this is a Raymarine ST400. 1) Clutch has worn- a clutch kit costs $23-$31 depending on where you buy it Mfg # A18084 Fisheries Supply has for $23 2) worm pinion gear on the motor - runs around $50-$70 depending on store. Saw one on Ebay. However if the teeth are just rounded, you may be able to get some more usage from current gear by filing the teeth deeper and sharper. This filing works best if the gear is made of aluminum. Getting things shipped to Bahamas is difficult but doable. Possible marine store in GeorgeTown may have something Good luck...
An out of adjustment belt tensioner wheel can also cause this slipping. If you take the wheel apart, like you must have done to replace the belt, you will see two wheels under a small removable plate. One wheel is attached to the clutch handle post. The other wheel is the belt tensioner; it is asymmetrically mounted on its past so that you can adjust the belt tension by changing the orientation of the post that the wheel sits on. It is really hard hard to adjust correctly (i.e., tight enough that the clutch can engage completely but not so tight that the belt rubs when the clutch is disengaged), but this may solve your problem. The only other thing I can think of is that the pin that attaches the plastic clutch handle to its metal post may have sheared off or slipped out of position, resulting in the clutch handle slipping on its post and not actually turning the post. If you have to replace the pin, be careful not to damage the plastic clutch handle. Anyway, good luck and may the sea gods smile upon you!
We newby sailors need this honesty and sticking to the facts . Thanks Josh. We're still building the dam boat ( a stripped down 27 ' Bayliner which will be the inside hull to a 32' Serious 320DS ... with apologies to Torstun Schmidt!!) We are Alberta ranchers with a dream!! LOL But we need to stay focussed on REALITY.. it's gonna be a stretch going from horse back to cockpit!! Stay with us Josh!! Maggie
The hell no's cracked me up.Any way.Thanks for the honesty.It won't always be smooth sailing.The info is good,especially for us people who want to get into sailing.Thank you.
Hey! my father and I have just started sailing and your videos have been awesome! I've really learned a ton of stuff from you so far. I really enjoy your honesty and insight and you really showing off the hard lessons that are uncomfortable to learn. thanks for the awesome videos!!
I would need a hat like that, socks and sandals, jeans, long sleeves, gloves, a scarf and a welder's mask. Then I would stucco on some SPF 1000 on any exposed bits!
Welcome to solo sailing josh we all have our ways of anchoring , make a long anchor pole strong ,, and put a lanyard on it to act as a spare arm about a mtr away from the hook that works a treat hook the ball wich is usually out of reach ,, haul it to the boat hook the lanyard spare arm , give you time to hook and you can reach the ball presto
Integrity! We all constantly search for and imagine paradise, but doing so is not without some risk or challenges. Keep doing what you're doing. These types of videos are better than the early SV Delos videos. I can't wait for the next adventure!
Hey Josh, I'm pretty much a beginner sailor down here in Sydney, we've got a 23 ft sail boat and i am in the process of maybe getting something around the 30ft mark. I really enjoy your videos, especially when you go into sailing detail, please keep those coming as they are great instructional tools for blokes like me. fair winds, Neil.
Great vlog Josh, I can see why a swing keel boat would be an advantage in the Bahamas. I also see a water temperature instrument on many boat, can you explain why it is used ? Thanks and stay safe
Did you try re indexing the wheel portion? basically taking it loose from the steering wheel , rotate 180* and re attach so its not gripping on the same teeth that are likely worn? Its not a permenant solution but may give you a bit more life out of it in easy seas where the rudder isnt required to deviate from "center" too much.
Josh, I have the same auto pilot, read again the post by Douglas Robbie, he is right. I had the same sounding problem. Take that wheel apart and you will see the problem. Easy fix with 6-32 screws and nuts. I did it two years ago still works great. Maybe 8-32 screws, I don't remember exactly.
There is a section of gear teeth that sound like are broken, like on a flywheel for a cars transmission. Probably inside the stepper motor used to actually steer. Just use sheet to tiller/wheel steering. Works great.
Hey Josh, adding to Douglas’comment, there is a possibility that the 7 planetary wheels inside the ring might be worn, causing the belt to not sit properly on the rest of the assembly. I personally would replace them anyways since they are not expensive.
Unfortunately, you're in a bit of a catch-22 with that autopilot... in order to reduce load on the autopilot, or to even make the bungee steering more effective-- you need to have a good balanced sailplan with headsail and mainsail on most points of sail... but as you pointed out, raising/reefing/lowering the main is extremely difficult without a reliable autopilot!
Keep in mind that depths on charts are the mean low water mark - so what your tide table, there should be whole sections of the month where you are above that depth.
I think the clutch eccentric is in the wrong position or you don’t have it adjusted properly. I love your videos I wish you were able to produce one a week good luck with that I know it’s a ton of work hope all is well with you.
I do not have ANY experience in sailing or electronics however i am a machinist mechanic i would be curious to know if it perfectly centered "concentric" with the center of the wheel.. Does it do the same at 180° from where the problem is apparent
A possible 3'rd cause (depends on year your ST4000 was made). The plastic studs with brass inserts molded in the 1/2 circle side of the autopilot that the motor is attached to,to which the metal plate is attached, may have broken/cracked. Plastic studs that hold the 2 parts of the clutch may have broken as well. A metal plate fits over the studs with screws going into the studs. The metal plate stabilizes the aft pointing ends of the 2 parts of the clutches. If any have broken you can try to epoxy repair them, however they are subject to lateral force and may not hold up. A more permanent fix would be to use a lot more epoxy and then, where possible, use a SS philips head bolt , washer and nut instead of the screw. The hole drilled for the bolt goes all the way thru the brass insert and the 1/2 circle plastic. Bolt with washer to distribute pressure goes thru hole from inside and secured with nut on outside of 1/2 plastic circle, making the clutches and metal plate well secured. Yes, you can now see SS nuts on outside of 1/2 plastic circle, but the autopilot will be more robust
Sounds like the gears are not meshing correctly internally. They may be damaged. Probably plastic crap made in CHYY-NAA! Per T.O. Remove fastening devices and perform visual inspection when NOT underway. One other thing: You are making Barry Perrins look like a really good sailor. Just kidding. Stay safe. That is all!
The chart soundings are supposed to be for the lowest low tide. So you have to really pay attention to tide levels. I will mention this in my next video. Thanks for the comment.
Josh, great to see you again! Re. wind vanes see this short 11 min. video by Sam Holmes. He says a new one is $4000 but he found a used one for $850. He explains the features and shows his self-install. ruclips.net/video/T6Bt_UAwElk/видео.html
I like your videos. Regarding your tiller. Have you tried to remove the Electric motor to see if it runs smoth without the belt housing. Maybe the clutch is not correct adjusted. Just an idea. I am not an expert. Do you have an owners manual. Maybe there is some help to get there.
CNC Gear Thanks for this info, mate! Dang that’s a lot of money. A necessity if you are going solo for weeks at a time without stopping but not sure if I can afford it or if it’s necessary for my situation. You see only a small percentage of boats with wind vanes. That price explains why. Thanks again.
i use two bunge cords from two eyes on the combing when i go down for lunch. what did sailors do before AP? And you definitely want to sharpen your anchor handling skills off bow AND stern before the SHTF.
Despite you infrequent Uploads Josh, I stay with you because you speak well, you edit your Videos brilliantly, and you are to me a very genuine Person. Well done, and thank you for the Journey.
Well said!
Love your honesty too. Don't worry - your stresses will gradually dissolve as your experience level increases. Bahamas was probably my favourite sailing grounds.
Your boat will track better if you always have both the main and jib up. if you put your main up your jury rigged self steering will hold course better. having a balanced sail plan will also reduce the amount of work your autopilot needs to do so it will last longer.
Bahamas is really fantastic. I'm always amazed that if you look down from Google Earth, the Bahamas easily has the most spectacular blue waters of anywhere in the world. Thanks for the comment.
Josh,
First of all thanks for the video and the "no glitter" style you have. I single hand my 38 quite a bit and have as you have, come to rely heavily on my AP. It took a little while to determine that , depending on point of sail, it was much easier to use just one sail. My boat sails downwind best on the Main. When going upwind, the headsail is my "Go To".
After a lot of practice, reading and good advice.. I did 3 things that helped a great deal and gave me more time under both sails at once.
1. Practicing without the AP is a good idea.. It'll give you the opportunity to adjust the perfect amount of sail to balance the boat when going upwind so that the boat will practically steer itself. (aka "Bungee Steering") If she develops weather helm with just the headsail, try reducing down. On the other hand, Lee helm would be just the opposite. On your boat, with the Fractional rig that you have, Your Mainsail is your most powerful engine. Same goes for balance when working upwind. When conditions dictate that both sails would be useful, Always center the traveler and raise the Mainsail first. You have much more control of the sail and the boat doing it this way.
2. In watching your videos, I didn't notice your boat to be fitted with Lazy Jacks. If not, they would be a good and small investment to keep that doused main under control. Use care when installing. Locating the upper point of the LJ's out a little on the spreaders will help a great deal toward keeping full battens from getting entangled when raising the sail. Simply pulling them forward on a small cleat attached to the mast works too. It adds an extra step or two but don't forget to re tension them into position before striking sail.
3. I fitted my boat which is nearly the same as yours, with a Tides Track system for the Main. When I now dump the Mainsail Halyard Clutch now, it'll fall completely down into the LJ's so fast you won't believe it and the LJ's will contain the bundle until you have time to further straighten things out. This has turned out to be a great safety addition as well when needing to stop the boat in it's tracks.
One more thing. I 've learned a lot by watching Kevin Boothby on his YT Channel "How to Sail Oceans". This guy is a singlehanded guru and he does it all on a motorless vessel.
Sorry for the length of the comment but felt that it might help.
Thank you for introducing me to Kevin’s RUclips channel. Such a gem!! Love his advice on sailing.
Glad you're back on the radar Josh! As a rookie solo sailor myself, I can appreciate first hand your pains and frustrations while navigating your adventures. Keep creating and I look forward to your next vid.
Way to go Josh! Once again you saved the day, you truly are a MacGyver. 😝
Haha Thank you. Other people call me MacGyver as well. Thanks for the comment.
Two things may cause the autopilot problem, given that you have already replaced the belt. Assume this is a Raymarine ST400.
1) Clutch has worn- a clutch kit costs $23-$31 depending on where you buy it Mfg # A18084 Fisheries Supply has for $23
2) worm pinion gear on the motor - runs around $50-$70 depending on store. Saw one on Ebay. However if the teeth are just rounded, you may be able to get some more usage from current gear by filing the teeth deeper and sharper. This filing works best if the gear is made of aluminum.
Getting things shipped to Bahamas is difficult but doable. Possible marine store in GeorgeTown may have something Good luck...
Excellent advice. Thank you!
An out of adjustment belt tensioner wheel can also cause this slipping. If you take the wheel apart, like you must have done to replace the belt, you will see two wheels under a small removable plate. One wheel is attached to the clutch handle post. The other wheel is the belt tensioner; it is asymmetrically mounted on its past so that you can adjust the belt tension by changing the orientation of the post that the wheel sits on. It is really hard hard to adjust correctly (i.e., tight enough that the clutch can engage completely but not so tight that the belt rubs when the clutch is disengaged), but this may solve your problem. The only other thing I can think of is that the pin that attaches the plastic clutch handle to its metal post may have sheared off or slipped out of position, resulting in the clutch handle slipping on its post and not actually turning the post. If you have to replace the pin, be careful not to damage the plastic clutch handle. Anyway, good luck and may the sea gods smile upon you!
We newby sailors need this honesty and sticking to the facts . Thanks Josh. We're still building the dam boat ( a stripped down 27 ' Bayliner which will be the inside hull to a 32' Serious 320DS ... with apologies to Torstun Schmidt!!) We are Alberta ranchers with a dream!! LOL But we need to stay focussed on REALITY.. it's gonna be a stretch going from horse back to cockpit!! Stay with us Josh!! Maggie
The hell no's cracked me up.Any way.Thanks for the honesty.It won't always be smooth sailing.The info is good,especially for us people who want to get into sailing.Thank you.
lol...Josh, it looks like you’ve definitely gotten a lot more grays topside Mate! ⛵️
Greetings to Carlos! I hope some day I'll be able to come back to Fuerteventura 😃
Great video. Keep doing the detailed navigation on your trips it’s great info, and I think a lot of people want to see that.
Truly enjoy your videos, keep up the good job captain 🤙👌👍
Thanks 👍
Its stressful man. At least you are keeping it real, real.🙌🏼😬
Good to see you back chap!
Hey! my father and I have just started sailing and your videos have been awesome! I've really learned a ton of stuff from you so far. I really enjoy your honesty and insight and you really showing off the hard lessons that are uncomfortable to learn. thanks for the awesome videos!!
Love the videos ... I have learned alot from you ...Thanks make me want to get a boat faster and out on the water sooner !!!
Been following for a while.. thanks for the honest truth.... I hope one day to be free to sail...
Miss you mate, Glad you are back
Stay safe with this pandemic. All the sailor out there are quarantined on their sail boat. SV Delos is down as well. Stake care Shipmate
I would need a hat like that, socks and sandals, jeans, long sleeves, gloves, a scarf and a welder's mask. Then I would stucco on some SPF 1000 on any exposed bits!
Welcome to solo sailing josh we all have our ways of anchoring , make a long anchor pole strong ,, and put a lanyard on it to act as a spare arm about a mtr away from the hook that works a treat hook the ball wich is usually out of reach ,, haul it to the boat hook the lanyard spare arm , give you time to hook and you can reach the ball presto
Integrity! We all constantly search for and imagine paradise, but doing so is not without some risk or challenges. Keep doing what you're doing. These types of videos are better than the early SV Delos videos. I can't wait for the next adventure!
Thank you, Michael! I appreciate the complement regarding SV Delos. I love their stuff.
Hey Josh, I'm pretty much a beginner sailor down here in Sydney, we've got a 23 ft sail boat and i am in the process of maybe getting something around the 30ft mark. I really enjoy your videos, especially when you go into sailing detail, please keep those coming as they are great instructional tools for blokes like me.
fair winds, Neil.
Great to have you back we watched your first video how to sail and we caught the bug bought a 405 Beneteau Looks almost like yours
Very cool and congrats on your boat! Thanks for the comment.
Sağolun! Thank you for sharing!
Tiller steer (like my 27’) demands even more constant attention. Thank goodness for auto-tiller
Great advises as usual, thx. Stay safe.
Glad to see you return. Learned a lot watching your videos.
On your beautiful beneteau?...excellent video...excellent editing
Great vlog Josh, I can see why a swing keel boat would be an advantage in the Bahamas. I also see a water temperature instrument on many boat, can you explain why it is used ? Thanks and stay safe
Brad, your cinematography is exceptional. Do you like your current solar panel, what brand is it, and if you got another one, watt would it be..? 👍⛵🦀
Did you try re indexing the wheel portion? basically taking it loose from the steering wheel , rotate 180* and re attach so its not gripping on the same teeth that are likely worn? Its not a permenant solution but may give you a bit more life out of it in easy seas where the rudder isnt required to deviate from "center" too much.
Josh, keep up the good work. I'm seriously considering buying a southerly Yacht and not having to be so concerned with depth!
How is a backwinded jib dangerous? That's called heaving to and it's widely used for pauses, reefing or even as a storm tactic.
Josh, I have the same auto pilot, read again the post by Douglas Robbie, he is right. I had the same sounding problem. Take that wheel apart and you will see the problem. Easy fix with 6-32 screws and nuts. I did it two years ago still works great. Maybe 8-32 screws, I don't remember exactly.
Thank you!
Tropical Paradise yes, stressful I bet. Still looks better than here where I am! Can you see out front pretty good for single pilot!
I prishiate that you talkig about ,,Oh Shit...ake !!" moments and obstacles. Fair winds !!P
It looks like you need to get a catamaran. We have one and love it for the shallow Bahama waters.
Yes. That would be ideal for the Bahamas.
There is a section of gear teeth that sound like are broken, like on a flywheel for a cars transmission. Probably inside the stepper motor used to actually steer. Just use sheet to tiller/wheel steering. Works great.
Thanks for this info. 👍
Yeah buddy that Carib sun will burn a face clean off! At light speed too D:
Hey Josh, adding to Douglas’comment, there is a possibility that the 7 planetary wheels inside the ring might be worn, causing the belt to not sit properly on the rest of the assembly. I personally would replace them anyways since they are not expensive.
Thanks for this info!
Unfortunately, you're in a bit of a catch-22 with that autopilot... in order to reduce load on the autopilot, or to even make the bungee steering more effective-- you need to have a good balanced sailplan with headsail and mainsail on most points of sail... but as you pointed out, raising/reefing/lowering the main is extremely difficult without a reliable autopilot!
Keep in mind that depths on charts are the mean low water mark - so what your tide table, there should be whole sections of the month where you are above that depth.
Thanks. After editing the video I realized I should have mentioned this detail. Important to check tides in addition to the charts. 👍
I think the clutch eccentric is in the wrong position or you don’t have it adjusted properly. I love your videos I wish you were able to produce one a week good luck with that I know it’s a ton of work hope all is well with you.
I do not have ANY experience in sailing or electronics however i am a machinist mechanic i would be curious to know if it perfectly centered "concentric" with the center of the wheel..
Does it do the same at 180° from where the problem is apparent
A possible 3'rd cause (depends on year your ST4000 was made). The plastic studs with brass inserts molded in the 1/2 circle side of the autopilot that the motor is attached to,to which the metal plate is attached, may have broken/cracked. Plastic studs that hold the 2 parts of the clutch may have broken as well. A metal plate fits over the studs with screws going into the studs. The metal plate stabilizes the aft pointing ends of the 2 parts of the clutches. If any have broken you can try to epoxy repair them, however they are subject to lateral force and may not hold up. A more permanent fix would be to use a lot more epoxy and then, where possible, use a SS philips head bolt , washer and nut instead of the screw. The hole drilled for the bolt goes all the way thru the brass insert and the 1/2 circle plastic. Bolt with washer to distribute pressure goes thru hole from inside and secured with nut on outside of 1/2 plastic circle, making the clutches and metal plate well secured. Yes, you can now see SS nuts on outside of 1/2 plastic circle, but the autopilot will be more robust
Thank you for this info!
New video, like, comment. Watch Awesome show
Sounds like the gears are not meshing correctly internally. They may be damaged. Probably plastic crap made in CHYY-NAA! Per T.O. Remove fastening devices and perform visual inspection when NOT underway. One other thing: You are making Barry Perrins look like a really good sailor. Just kidding. Stay safe. That is all!
Slipping throughout bearing?
6 foot draft in the Bahamas is the source of much stress. The end.....
Bungee pilot,,,,,lol. Are you trolling for Dorado? Diving for lobster?
I can’t wait to be doing this!!!!! And good to know about autopiloting!!!
Thanks for the comment!
Gear is loose or broke its mount, maybe.
How much tide at low can you add to the soundings?
The chart soundings are supposed to be for the lowest low tide. So you have to really pay attention to tide levels. I will mention this in my next video. Thanks for the comment.
Josh, great to see you again! Re. wind vanes see this short 11 min. video by Sam Holmes. He says a new one is $4000 but he found a used one for $850. He explains the features and shows his self-install. ruclips.net/video/T6Bt_UAwElk/видео.html
gd video
I like your videos.
Regarding your tiller. Have you tried to remove the Electric motor to see if it runs smoth without the belt housing. Maybe the clutch is not correct adjusted. Just an idea. I am not an expert. Do you have an owners manual. Maybe there is some help to get there.
That's a good point,,,,maybe there is an adjustment screw like on the steering box of a car
With that noise im pretty sure its drive gears clutch or belt alignment keep us posted on this Josh I have that same system
Like your hat. Get a windvane and stop complaining.
How much do windvanes cost? Just curious.
I have been looking up Hydrovane windvanes.. if bought new they will set you back 4000 to 6000 dollars depending on boat type..
CNC Gear Thanks for this info, mate! Dang that’s a lot of money. A necessity if you are going solo for weeks at a time without stopping but not sure if I can afford it or if it’s necessary for my situation. You see only a small percentage of boats with wind vanes. That price explains why. Thanks again.
i use two bunge cords from two eyes on the combing when i go down for lunch. what did sailors do before AP? And you definitely want to sharpen your anchor handling skills off bow AND stern before the SHTF.
I think My autopilot is a 5000 looks the same but gray and it has a belt adjustment which consists of an eccentric with a screw in the middle