Benmar Autopilot

[jjflygirl]

We have an old Benmar autopilot - and when we bought the boat last year was told autopilot steers to the right. We are wondering what would be a good replacement for this autopilot or if we should see about getting this one repaired?

Thanks much

jjflygirl

[Avenger]

I've heard that your steering issue is related to the bulb in the compass being burned out. It's supposedly easy to replace. Benmar is still around, you can contact them directly:

http://www.benmarmarine.com/

[Trojan]

I've heard that your steering issue is related to the bulb in the compass being burned out. It's supposedly easy to replace. Benmar is still around, you can contact them directly:

http://www.benmarmarine.com/

That was the issue with the older ones. You need to get the number of your binical compass. A new old binical is was $800+. I have a new binical at home what might work depending what number yours is. If it would work you could have it real cheap. I have no use for it.

BILL

[SeaEric]

I also have a Benmar A/P that is not working correctly. On other boats I have previously owned the type with a bulb. You can tell if it has a bulb because there is a ruby colored jewel on the top of the domed binnacle housing. If that jewel is not glowing when the unit it turned on (its gotta be pretty dark to see that) then the bulb is burned out. There is typically a spare bulb inside the binnacle. That is an easy repair.

The unit I have on my 41 is a slightly newer type that looks like it doesn't have a bulb. The Benmar site says that you can send them the components of the system and they will check them out and make repairs. It would be a fair amount of work to R & R the control head, binnacle and steering ram. I'm not sure that makes sense in the big picture. It's certainly way down on my current "list".

[Fanfare]

Fanfare came with one of these Bendix units and I nursed it along for years before replacing it. If it is just the lightbulb fix it. That's cheap. But don't spend a lot of money on it. I finally replaced mine with one from Robertson/Simrad which is all solid state and gives you a rudder angle indicator and fluxgate compass included in the unit for free. The old Benmar used to lose fix and make sudden 90* turns. No more. With the new one, unless we are in a restricted waterway, the autopilot is usually on and working. We even use it in rough ocean seas. True, I can steer a little better, maybe 5%, because I anticipate better, but it's a lot more work and concentration holding that compass course. It is even more useful if it is foggy when we have to go slowly because I can concentrate on the water immediately ahead instead of splitting my attention to the compass.

After our trip up the entire eastern seaboard to Nova Scotia (VERY foggy) I added the hand-held controller to the autopilot. Too many stomach crunches leaning forward to hit the dodge button for the millions of crab traps on the way. The hand-held has the same controls and LCD display as the fixed-mount. I had already installed the fixed-mounts at the upper and lower steering stations. It would save money to just get the hand-held and put in a plug for it at each place. Because it can be dropped it is probably a bit less durable than the installed version, but mine has hit the deck a few times without harm. Ours has gotten plenty wet with no problems.

Lately I have read ads for remote control devices supposed to let you run the boat from anywhere on board. Given some of the strange results I sometimes get with my TV remote I haven't pursued any of these.