[DG] [DG11] Compability evolution pilot with older equipment

[Derek - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hi Pitch,

Thankyou for your enquiry and great feedback regarding the forum!

The SPX30 is no longer manufactured although it would still be possible to source replacement PCBs through your Raymarine Service dealer. In practice on a circumnavigation the drive tends to take the most wear and tear, with the control unit being the next most vulnerable item, due to its location in the cockpit where it is exposed to both the elements and the possibility of mechanical damage from external factors such as wayward winch handles and accidental stumbles and trips.

If you carried a replacement PCB for the SPX30 as well as a secondary control unit and some spares for the drive, that would generally cover you.

Generally we advise customers on such a passage to take two complete systems with them, keep them independent too, in case the worst happens, storm damage for example, then there is a complete system that can be used. This will enable you to then regain control on the vessel and will steer the vessel whilst you regain control of the other systems onboard. Sometimes customers use something like the EV100 wheel pilot which is used as an emergency standby unit - usually to small to control the boat, but in an emergency would give some help.

Preferably, we recommend a parallel system, which with current product would be a new p70s control unit, an EV1 heading sensor, an ACU400 and a T2 linear drive, all connected as an isolated system, the drive already connected to a dedicated tiller bar attached to the rudder quadrant. By keeping this secondary system separate, you can immediately change over from one system to the other without the need for complicated switching systems, relays etc . . .

If you wanted to try to use the same drive for both systems, then you would need to still keep the electronics of the systems separate, since they are not compatible, (you cannot connect two Autopilots at the same time to the rest of the network), but switch the drive and clutch to the Jefa drive.

This FAQ found here refers to an S3 update to an evolution, however the peripherals for an S3 would be the same for an SPX30 too.

Thanks
Derek