Profiles

Click the gear icon, then select Profile to access the detailed steering behavior settings. For fine-tuning with visual feedback, choose Tuning.

Working with Profiles

You can create and select profiles, with full control over all settings that influence steering behavior.

Default Profile

At first use, only the "default" profile is available. The settings of this default profile cannot be changed.

Creating a New Profile

• Click the plus icon (+) in the top right corner

• Enter a name for the new profile

• Click "Duplicate" to create the profile

The new profile will be activated immediately and is now fully customizable.

By clicking on the profile name, a menu will open where you can select and activate the desired profile. This can also be done via the menu on the ControlHead.

Lock / Unlock Profile

The Default profile is always locked and cannot be modified.

Custom profiles can be locked to prevent accidental changes. To make adjustments, simply unlock the profile, edit the settings, and lock it again when you're done.

Delete profile

By clicking on the trash bin you can delete the selected profile.

Adjusting Steering Behavior (P, D, DD, FF)

The easiest way to fine-tune the autopilot's steering behavior is by adjusting the P, D, and DD parameters. For a more in-depth explanation of all tuning options, refer to the Tuning Gains page.

P – Aggressiveness

The P parameter controls how aggressively the autopilot corrects the heading. A higher P value means the autopilot will react faster and more forcefully to heading deviations.

Note: If set too high, this may cause overshooting or instability.

PR – Proportional Root Gain

The PR gain helps reduce oscillation, especially when sailing upwind. It adds a fractional damping effect to the steering response, similar to a fractional derivative filter.

• Start by increasing PR gain gradually until it has effect.

• Then reduce P gain as needed

This improves stability and reduces overshoot, especially when linear feedback causes the system to overcorrect.

D and DD – Damping

The D and DD parameters determine how much the autopilot dampens its steering response. When increasing P, the boat will turn more quickly, but may overshoot the desired course. To counter this:

• Increase D and DD along with P

• This adds more counter-steering and reduces overshoot

On the other hand:

• If the desired heading is not reached, or the autopilot counter-steers too early, then D and DD may be set too high — reduce them gradually.

FF – Turn Rate During Course Change

The FF parameter defines how quickly the boat turns when changing to a new heading (e.g. in Auto mode).

• Higher FF = faster turn to the new heading

• Lower FF = slower, smoother course adjustment

Tack Settings

tack.angle – Tack Angle (in degrees):

Set the angle by which the vessel turns during a tack maneuver when sailing on compass or GPS heading. When sailing on wind angle, the autopilot automatically switches to the opposite tack.

tack.delay – Tack Delay:

Defines the delay between activating the tack function and the actual start of the maneuver. This allows time for any manual actions before the tack begins.

tack.rate – Turn Rate During Tack:

Controls the speed at which the vessel turns during a tack. A lower value results in a slower, more gradual turn.

tack.threshold – Threshold for End of Tack:

Set this value as high as possible. If the vessel overshoots the target heading after the tack, reduce this value.

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Servo Settings (Motor / Drive)

max_slew_slow / speed – Acceleration and Deceleration:

These values define how quickly the drive accelerates and slows down. Lower values create smoother motion, reducing abrupt starts and stops. Note: slow must not be set lower than speed.

period – Minimum Correction Duration:

Specifies the minimum duration of a correction movement. Lower values enable quicker reactions to small heading deviations.

speed.max / speed.min – Maximum and Minimum Drive Speed:

• speed.max sets the maximum drive speed. Lowering this value can help limit movement intensity.

• speed.min sets the minimum drive speed.

Note: With our drive, speed.min typically has little or no noticeable effect. Also, max must not be set lower than min.

Other

True Wind Offset

Use this setting to correct the calculated true wind angle, which depends on accurate boat speed and apparent wind data. Adjust the offset if the true wind direction appears inconsistent or offset from expected values, especially during steady conditions.

Compass heading damping in wind / GPS mode

By default, COG (Course Over Ground) and wind angle are damped using the magnetic heading to reduce rapid course fluctuations caused by sensor delays or signal noise.

If you are using a high-quality GPS and/or wind sensor with minimal lag and fast response, you may reduce the damping — even down to 0% — to achieve a more responsive autopilot behavior in wind or GPS mode.

• Lower damping = faster response, but more sensitive to noise

• Higher damping = smoother response, but slower reaction time

Weight wind speed on wind sensor

At low wind speeds, apparent wind angle can become unstable or fluctuate due to turbulence and sensor sensitivity. This setting controls how much wind speed is factored in when interpreting the apparent wind angle.

• Higher weighting: more stable behavior in light winds

• Lower weighting: increased sensitivity to angle shifts, useful in gusty conditions

Reduce the weighting if you want the autopilot to react more actively to small wind changes.

Weight wind speed on true wind sensor

Similar to apparent wind, true wind angle may vary significantly at low boat speeds or in light wind. This setting adjusts how strongly the true wind speed influences course corrections.

• Higher values filter out minor fluctuations and provide a more stable course

• Lower values allow the autopilot to respond more quickly to changes, which can be helpful when agility is needed