2020-01-27, 09:13 PM
Hi,
This afterthought of an "electronic" sheet-to-tiller system stayed with me. Wouldn't it be a worthwhile idea to effectively explore?
It wont overall compete with a GPS based autopilot, but it would react faster, giving quite an edge in gusty or otherwise unstable conditions. Besides, it would cost a lot less than a windvane and way simpler to install and maintain.
Hardware seems readily available. Tension load cells are simple enough to read and not that expensive. This one is less than $40 : 2Kkg should do it for starters. Then an amplifier/converter ($15), or this other one with an integrated USB port ($32).
After proper conversion and calibration, quite reliable data could be achieved and sent to Pypilot, where it could be made into a "sheet-to-tiller" mode, or even something always-on to provide a contributing vector for calculating the output to the actuator. And, since the data is there to be used, along with wind, SOW/SOG and heeling data, it could even be made to throw some advice (or warning) on sail trimming.
This afterthought of an "electronic" sheet-to-tiller system stayed with me. Wouldn't it be a worthwhile idea to effectively explore?
It wont overall compete with a GPS based autopilot, but it would react faster, giving quite an edge in gusty or otherwise unstable conditions. Besides, it would cost a lot less than a windvane and way simpler to install and maintain.
Hardware seems readily available. Tension load cells are simple enough to read and not that expensive. This one is less than $40 : 2Kkg should do it for starters. Then an amplifier/converter ($15), or this other one with an integrated USB port ($32).
After proper conversion and calibration, quite reliable data could be achieved and sent to Pypilot, where it could be made into a "sheet-to-tiller" mode, or even something always-on to provide a contributing vector for calculating the output to the actuator. And, since the data is there to be used, along with wind, SOW/SOG and heeling data, it could even be made to throw some advice (or warning) on sail trimming.
"Overthinking, I try very hard not to do that."