CPT Autopilot Operation Manual
© 2018 CPT AUTOPILOT INC.
VERSION 22
PAGE 13 OF 21
7.
Toggle to STANDBY. Turn the Rudder dial 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 or turn autopilot off. Do not allow the wheel to rotate to its
stops.
THIS COMPLETES THE DOCKSIDE CHECKOUT
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.
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!
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 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. (You
may have to turn the wheel slightly to engage the clutch
.)
The autopilot should make corrections to port and starboard to keep the boat on a straight heading. Do
not use the 1-degree or 10-degree buttons during this initial test.
The rudder-dial must be set high enough so that only one or two pulses or wheel corrections are needed to
keep the boat on heading. If over-steering occurs with a rudder dial of 5, slightly lower the setting, usually
no lower than 4. If under-steering (3 or more small repeated wheel corrections), raise the rudder control.
Keep the deadband dial set low until you find the best rudder setting and only increase the deadband to
reduce the pilot’s sensitivity in seas; a low deadband setting provides high sensitivity to heading changes
and heading adjustments from the 1° and 10° buttons.
3.
Rudder/Deadband
: These must be set properly for the pilot to steer. The
Rudder control
determines how
much the rudder needs to turn to make a correction, the
Deadband control
determines how far the vessel
can stray before a correction is made (dead range). Do not use the 1-degree or 10-degree buttons until
rudder & Deadband are properly set.
*
Rudder control 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.
Increase the Rudder setting until the boat responds to both port and starboard heading changes
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.
