Auto pilot malfunction

[jimschu]

Help. Finally back in the great Northwest and first cruise from Shilshole Marina to Port Orchard. Cleared the breakwater and put the course in and engaged the AP. Everything went good until we were about two miles
from our destination. Had to veer off course due to another boat and when clear hit menu then hit engage,
suddenly the tug did two 360 loops to stbd then two more to the port. tried again with same results. I then
disconnected the power supply to the A P and again tried to engage the AP with the same results.
Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The tug is a 2011 R-29.

Thanks------------------------------Jim

 

[Dog Islander]

Jim, oddly enough, I had a similar experience in the area just off West Point, Seattle, last winter in some breaking waves. I pushed some buttons on the auto pilot without taking my eyes off the sea while manually taking control of the helm. In my haste, I believe I pushed one of the pattern steering options. I reset the settings (the next day when the sea was calm) by going into the menu (can't recall exactly how, but I actually looked in the manual) and all was good again. I hope it's as simple as that for you. It was very unnerving having the auto pilot turn hard abeam when you are wanting to follow dead ahead :shock:. Hope this helps.
Ray

 

[knotflying]

Sounds like you may have inadvertently hit a pattern steer button.

 

[jimschu]

Thanks for the info. I will check that out. I'll just have to try and reset everything.

Jim