6. Maintenance
The autopilot is one of the most used and hardest
working items of equipment on board, and therefore
must receive its fair share of attention and routine
maintenance. The working parts of the drive system are
sealed and lubricated for life during manufacture and
therefore do not require servicing.
Regular inspection of the installation is recommended in
the following areas where applicable.
1. Check tension and alignment of the drive chain
(Rotary Drive) and lubricate with good quality
waterproof light grease.
2. Check that Hydraulic Steering systems are free
from leaks and trapped air. Bleed when necessary
to remove air from the system.
3. Check that all inter-connecting cable terminals are
fully tightened and corrosion free.
4. Check that external waterproof sockets are capped
when not in use and periodically spray with WD40
(or similar) to protect from corrosion.
5. Check that the heavy power supply cable
connections are tight and free from corrosion.
7. Safety
Passage making under autopilot can greatly
increase the pleasure of the voyage and ensure the
crew can relax. However, this can lead to a
dangerous lack of attention to basic seamanship.
The following rules should always be
observed:Maintain a permanent watch and check
regularly all round for other vessels and obstacles
to navigations. No matter how clear the sea may
appear a dangerous situation can develop rapidly.
• Maintain an accurate record of the vessel's
position either by use of a radio navigation receiver
or visual bearings.
• Maintain a continuous plot of position on a
current chart. Ensure the locked autopilot heading
steers you clear of all obstacles. Make proper
allowance for Tidal Set - the autopilot cannot!
• Even when your autopilot is locked to the
desired Track using a radio navigation receiver
maintain a log and a regular positional plot. Radio
navigation signals can produce significant errors
under some circumstances and the autopilot cannot
detect this situation.
• Ensure that all members of crew are familiar with
the procedures required to engage and disengage
the autopilot.
• When searoom is restricted a crew member
must be close to a control unit at all times if under
autopilot control.
• On Powercraft permanent watch should be
maintained at the steering station when at speed
with the autopilot engaged.
Your Autoheim ST7000 will add a new
dimension to your boating enjoyment. However, it is
the responsibility of the skipper to ensure the safety
of the vessel at all times by careful observance of
these basic rules.
14
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