Wheel pilot

[Edge]

I helped a friend who installed a wheel pilot this last summer. The other day when I saw him I asked how it worked for him. He said it had trouble keeping the boat on corse and was only good for motoring. I said it might be your sail trim noting to much weatherhelm would overpower a wheel pilot. He said he thought it need a clutch adjustment and asked me to take a look at it.

When I got to the boat I instantly found the problem. When the lever is moved to engage the pilot at the wheel it easily pops loose. When turning the wheel to port it holds, but when putting pressure to starboard the lever moves and the whole thing just pops free.

Is this an adjustment issue, or is something broken?