Evolution Autopilot unable to hold course in waves

[wstigg]

Hi Chuck. Just checking in to wish you a very happy New Year. We haven't had any challenging conditions to experiment with rudder damping and Slow Turn vessel type.

A couple of questions for you, however, while we wait for good testing conditions:

First, what kind of course-keeping accuracy should I expect out of this system, if all is working well? Should the system be able to hold +/- 5 or 10 degrees?

Second, I have a good French friend (is that possible?) who's very happy with the same system. He sails a heavy S&S 45 footer in big quartering waves with his symmetrical kite up to 22 knots true. When we were talking about my challenges, he opined that my EV1 gyros aren't working properly. I disagreed, noting that the AP makes course corrections BEFORE the compass moves off target. This tells me that the EV1 gyros are ANTICIPATING the upcoming course correction, much like a skilled helmsman would do. What's your take on this debate?

Is there a way to know if the the EV1 is working properly?

Many thanks for working with me through all this. Cheers, /w