Acorn To Arabella · video

What this video covers

After more than 3,000 miles of hand-steering, Steve fabricates and installs an autopilot tiller actuator bracket aboard Arabella in Key West, using the workshop and tools aboard SV Seeker with help from Doug.10:57 The metalwork — new to Steve — includes cuts with a portable handheld bandsaw and a plasma cutter, plus stainless steel welding, all to produce a flat-stock bracket that mounts to the boomkin and accepts the autopilot actuator at one end and a stern-anchor sheave at the other.16:51 Supports welded to the underside resist the actuator's rated 700-pound force load; Steve intentionally welded them slightly inboard so he could angle-grind them to a driven fit against the oak boomkin.18:29 A rudder feedback sensor mounts under the tiller on the king plank, bedded with washers to allow water drainage.19:56 Neighbor Bob contributed electrical troubleshooting throughout.21:38 Steve also seals the boomkin plate with shellac and 4200 sealant before bolting it down.19:09 After two short test sails under both sail and motor, the autopilot is working.21:50 The passage from Dry Tortugas back to Key West — arriving at 3 a.m. using previously recorded tracks — precedes the project.10:15

More from Acorn To Arabella

We Stripped Our Wooden Sailboat Back to Bare Wood... AgainOct 2026Saying Goodbye to Newfoundland—and the Man Who Inspired ArabellaSep 2026Upgrading the Rudder and Another Trek To The CliffAug 2026We're Climbing a Wall No One Has Ever Climbed Before | Rock Climbing on Newfoundland's South CoastJul 2026

From Acorn To Arabella — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.