NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Modern autopilots.
From: Jeremy C
Date: 2011 Feb 16, 10:12 -0500
From: Jeremy C
Date: 2011 Feb 16, 10:12 -0500
Kermit wrote:
As regards new generation of equipment onboard, maybe some of you on
NavList have some experiences of this kind to share with us. Jeremy ? other
NavList Members ?
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A majority of US flagged tonnage is quite old. All of the ships
around me, including this one, are from the 1980's (with one from the 1970's),
and most companies will not buy upgrades unless the old one can't be fixed or
required by regulation.
My Autopilot is circa 1985 technology. It is the same Sperry steering
system that was used on the Exxon Valdez. I sadly cannot comment on the
new technology. Still, it maintains course quite well as long as we have
sufficient speed and the sea isn't too crazy. Of course depending on the
individual class of ship, YMMV with each kind of Autopilot.
Jeremy
