Entry Date: 29.05.2016, at 11:00:00 hrs (local)
Kushiro- Japan - Aleuten - Alaska
Autopilot malfunctioning
| PRID: | 11073 |
|---|---|
| LegID: | 291 |
| LegNo: | 48 |
| Latitude: | N045°46.45' |
| Longitude: | E152°45.48' |
| Day#: | 535 |
| Course: | 62 ° |
| Speed: | 5 kn |
| Etmal: | 133 nm |
| Log (Day): | 178 nm |
| Log (Leg): | 414 nm |
| Log (Total): | 31494 nm |
Sailed distance since Kushiro: 414 nautical miles
Remaining distance to Attu: 886 nautical miles
Air temperature: 6 degree Celsius (43 degree Fahrenheit)
Water temperature: 4 degree Celsius (39 degree Fahrenheit)
Since last night at 02:20 a.m. we are having serious trouble with our autopilot. The control unit, a Simrad/Robertson AP11 (shown in image), started to adjust the background illumination by itself every second, combined with a beeping sound. This alone would be manageable, but it also shows some very abnormal behavior to any operator´s input. In other words the control unit AP11 is defect and useless.
Luckily we have a spare control unit. The spare is electrical compatible, but it has a different form factor. So it is not possible just to replace the defect unit against the spare one.
This morning Lutz puts the spare control unit temporary with double side sticky tape next to the companion way with free flying wire, inside of the vessel. Not perfect, but for now this has to do the job.
