ComNav Commander P2 - Page 106

ComNav Commander P2 & P2VS Installation & Operation Setting Up
Document PN 29010074 V4.1 - 104 -
10) On a P2, or P2VS with an RFU, make a medium Heading change, say 15° – 20°, with the
C
C
O
O
U
U
R
R
S
S
E
E
C
C
H
H
A
A
N
N
G
G
E
E knob.
Observe how the boat responds, as it turns & settles onto the new Heading:
• If the boat stops turning before the new Heading is reached and then approaches it
slowly, either increase Rudder Gain by 1, or decrease Counter Rudder by 1.
• If the boat overshoots the new Heading, and then makes several turns back & forth
across the new Heading before settling down (known as “essing”, or “overshooting”),
either decrease Rudder Gain by 1, or increase Counter Rudder by 1.
• If the boat approaches the new Heading, shies away, then approaches & shies away
again, decrease Counter Rudder by 1.
• Continue making those medium Heading changes, adjusting Rudder Gain and
Counter Rudder as needed, until the boat settles smoothly onto the new Heading
without excessive overshoot.
Go to step 12).
11) On a P2VS without an RFU, it is necessary to start by testing how well the boat does
small turns, before testing how well it settles onto a new Heading. Also, the optimum
Rudder Gain setting must be found first, before adjusting the Counter Rudder setting.
Make a small Heading change (~5°), and observe the turn:
• If it makes an abrupt turn, reduce the Rudder Gain one step.
• If it takes too long to turn, increase the Gain by one step.
• Repeat the small change of Heading in the same direction, observe the response,
and adjust the Gain as needed, until the turn is at a safe, comfortable rate.
• Repeat the sequence in the other direction. Then repeat in both directions a couple
of times, until you are satisfied.
Now make a bigger Heading change (~10°). Observe how the boat settles on each new
Heading:
• If the approaches the new Heading too slowly, increase the Rudder Gain.
• If it keeps “essing” back & forth across the new Heading, reduce the Gain.
• Keep doing turns, and adjusting the Rudder Gain as needed, until the boat settles on
the new Heading with no more than two overshoots.
Now make some 30° Heading changes, in both directions.
• Adjust the Rudder Gain up or down a bit as needed, until the boat settles on the new
Heading with no more than two “esses”.
Now increase Counter Rudder by 1, and make some 10° Heading changes.
• Repeat this until the boat settles on the new Heading with little or no “essing”.
12) Repeat step 10) (step 11) for a P2VS without an RFU), using gradually larger Course
changes, up to 40° – 50°.
13) Repeat the above adjustments on several different Headings until you get consistently
satisfactory results.
14) Reduce the Rudder Gain by 1, then increase speed to your normal cruising speed, and
repeat steps 10) to 13). If the rudder is moving by large amounts – more than about 5°
side to side – during any of the steps, you should reduce the Rudder Gain even more.
You should also do so if the boat steps up onto the plane when you increase speed,
because the rudder’s steering effect is typically much stronger once a boat is planing.
• You can leave the higher speed tests for later, if it is not safe to run at that speed
where you are doing the Sea Trials.