Lost Steering

[JLuvisi]

I have a 28' Carver Mariner that came with a Raymarine Sport + auto pilot when I bought the boat a year ago. It worked fine but I recently lost manual steering at the helm. The wheel just turns freely either way. Does anyone know anything about this auto pilot. I know it's not an expensive unit but it seems to serve it's purpose. Is there a clutch or some sort of mechanizm that is worn or loose within the auto pilot? I'll take it apart this week to see if I can figure out what is going on. Thanks
Joe

 

[Family Time II]

The lack of responce by the wheel is usually because the auto pilot is locked onto a course. Make sure you have the unit on stand by or turned off. This will turn the hydralic pump off which should give you full control of your steering.

 

[thataway4]

The sport pilot bolts onto the steering shaft. Most likely your boat has Sea Star Hyraulic steering (not agood mix for the Sport pilot because of hyraulic creep). There is a clutch which engages the sport pilot to the shaft--the wheel is attatched over the sport pilot hub attatchement. I suspect that you have lost hyraulic fluid. If it is hyraulic as I expect and a Sea Star, there will be a place for fluid check on the top of the hub of the wheel. If it is a Haunatic (also used on this size Carvers, a bit of time ago) there will be a cylinder, probably fairly near the tiller arms, or in the engine room, which should have both a pressure guage on the top, and fluid visiable in a series of bubbles on its side. Be sure that the fluid is full, no leaks and pump the pressure up to 15 to 20 PSI and bleed the system--steering should return.

 

[JLuvisi]

I LUCKED OUT!!! I have mechanical "cable" steering. I removed my steering wheel and that key in the key way looked fine. Next I removed my auto pilot and when I slipped it off I noticed that they key and that key way was flush "no key extuding" beyond the steering rod so it would not grab. I replaced it with the next key size up, put everything back in place and I am back in business. Not sure why such a small key was put in there in the 1st place.