© 2014 CPT Autopilot Inc.
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Page 10 of 17
8.
Toggle to STANDBY, turn the rudder control to off to turn off pilot. Disengage clutch by pulling
outward on the clutch.
Warning: If left in HOLD-HEADING mode, the pilot will operate from boat movement at the dock: do not
leave unattended, always flip to standby and turn the rudder to OFF. Do not allow the wheel to rotate
to its stops. Flip to Standby, disengage & turn off.
THIS COMPLETES THE DOCKSIDE CHECKOUT
5. Keeping Watch
The CPT is a helmsman who only sees the compass and not the surrounding sea and traffic. The skipper is
responsible for keeping a good watch at all times. Even so, there is a great difference between being on the
helm continuously and being on watch. The freedom afforded by the CPT must be experienced to be
appreciated.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THE CPT IN TRAFFIC OR IN WATERS WHERE NAVIGATION IS
RESTRICTED! ALWAYS MAINTAIN A PERMANENT WATCH!
WARNING! KEEP SMALL CHILDREN AND PETS A WAY FROM THE CPT BELT!
6. Sea Trials
1.
Choose a day with light winds and calm water. Initial trials should be at a speed of three to five knots
under power. After performing trials under power and becoming familiar with the unit, perform trials
under sail, maintaining a balanced sail plan - no excessive weather or lee helm.
2.
Be sure there is plenty of room and no other traffic. The CPT should be off, clutch disengaged.
Flip the toggle to STANDBY, Rudder to 4 or 5, Deadband to lowest setting, allow 60 second warm-
up.
Steer the boat on a steady heading for 30 seconds, engage the clutch, & toggle to HOLD HEADING.
(Slightly turn the wheel to operate the clutch
.)
The autopilot should make corrections to port and starboard to keep the boat on a straight heading.
The rudder-control must be set high enough so that only one or two pulses or wheel corrections are
needed to keep the boat on heading. Keep the deadband set low until you find the best rudder setting,
and only raise the setting to lower the pilot’s sensitivity in seas; a lower deadband setting provides
higher sensitivity to heading changes, and also from heading adjustments from the 1° and 10° buttons.
3.
Rudder/Deadband
: The
Rudder setting
determines how much the rudder needs to turn to make a
correction, the
Deadband setting
determines how far the vessel can stray before a correction is made
(dead range).
*
Rudder set too low
: If the CPT makes
repeated small corrections
in one direction, raise the
Rudder setting. The wheel will not turn enough to keep heading, and the boat may gradually fall-off.
Raise Rudder setting until the boat responds to both port and starboard corrections
with only one or
two corrections or pulses.
INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS AT SEA, 1972 (72 COLREGS)
Part B - Steering and Sailing Rules , Section 1 - Conduct of Vessels in any Condition of Visibility
Rule 5 - Lookout
Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate
in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and risk of collision.
