Gear test Simrad TP10 PRICE: £377 • www.simrad-yachting.com BUY


Simrad’s TP10 held its course well in tricky conditions. INSET Thrust was measured with a balance in a 2:1 tackle


case with an aluminium pushrod. The fluxgate compass is on top of the unit at the tiller end, well inboard and away from most splashes. The unit has a separate seal system and double-sealed electronics. There are five controls: a combined standby/automatic mode button (a red LED flashes in standby mode and goes steady when in automatic mode), port and starboard direction buttons with dimly-lit green and red LEDs (a quick press changes the direction through 1° and a two-second hold gives 10°), and a tack button which changes the direction through 100° when pressed with the appropriate direction button. The fifth button puts the pilot in calibration mode (navigation mode on the TP22 and TP32). All functions are confirmed by a


T


TEST RESULTS Current (standby) Current (auto)


Peak current at max thrust Max thrust


Time to full lock from mid-helm position


he TP10 has a simple ‘point and go’ function and comes in a black plastic


SIMRAD TILLER PILOTS Model TP10


Boat length up to max 10m


TP22 TP32 HR22


11m 12m


Drive mechanism Screw thread


Screw thread Re-circulating ballscrew Remote control for TP22/32 with 5m cable


bleep and the LEDs flashing. A feature called Auto Trim monitors the boat’s course in circumstances where a steady helm needs to be applied to compensate, ie for weather helm. Another function monitors the boat’s movement in a seaway and allows a ‘dead band’ within which the boat can go off course without constant corrections being made. The tiller pilot has no LCD digital


display to show course steered. When setting a compass course you simply line up the boat’s heading with the ship’s compass, then press the ‘auto’ button.


Simrad TP10 60mA


0.06A to 2A 7.1A 54kg


3.5 seconds


Installation Clear instructions are provided. No plug or socket comes with the TP10, though they are available as accessories, as are a wide range of brackets and extensions.


RRP inc VAT £377


£489 £643 £169


TP22/TP32 differences The other two models in the range can accept course data from a variety of sources, including SimNet or NMEA-compatible GPS/ chart plotters, windvanes and compass heading transducers. They also support a remote


handset, which comes with a 5m length of cable that plugs into a socket that can be placed somewhere convenient, eg in the companionway. It has a holder that can be screwed to a bulkhead. The keypad operates in the


same manner as the autopilot keypad, but has no navigation mode button nor LED lights. The socket connects to the autopilot via the boat’s SimNet network: alternatively, the remote can be connected directly to the pilot, but will require a power supply.


Performance The pilot held the course well in difficult conditions. However, course alteration bleeps were difficult to hear in the strong wind. The LED lights were not easy to


see in bright sunlight, particularly the green. The tack function took the boat through 100°. The tiller socket has a


reassuringly tight location on the tiller pin. The pilot switched to standby mode when the supply voltage dropped to 8V.


Simrad TP10 tech spec


Size boat: length/displacement up to 33ft Operating stroke


250mm


Length pin to pin (mid-stroke) 610mm Power supply Drive system


Auto Tack function Night illumination NMEA O183 input Steer to GPS


Steer to windvane Water resistance Accessories:


Tiller cantilever bracket Pedestal and cantilever Push rod extensions Wireless controller Warranty (months)


10V to 16V DC Screw thread Yes Yes No No No


‘Stormproof’


Yes Yes Yes No 24


GAIN is a measure of the boat’s response to a change in heading. Changing course on the pilot by 40° should result in a crisp turn, followed by an initial overshoot of no more than 5°. If the gain is too high, the overshoot will be greater than 5°. If it’s too low, the turn will be sluggish and there will be no overshoot. If necessary, the unit’s gain setting can be adjusted to suit the boat: this will improve performance and reduce current drain. NMEA This stands for the US-based National Marine Electronics Association, who specified the NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 combined electrical and data standards used for communication between marine instruments.


Practical Boat Owner 546 April 2012 • www.pbo.co.uk


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