This is the letter that inspired this page in our website, regarding problems with AlphaAlpha 3000 Autopilot. I found this letter in the Dashew’s website at www.setsail.com. I also included by response that I sent to setsail.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Steve and Linda,

My wife and I finally made the big jump and are sailing around the world. We're now in Lisbon, Portugal. A friend of ours lent us your book, Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia. It's wonderful, and we look forward to borrowing it again. We read with great interest your comments about the Alpha 3000 as this is our primary autopilot. (We have no wind vane) So far we've had only minor problems, which turned into major problems when the unit was returned to the company for repairs. Mostly due to Barron and now Chris, who refuses to even give out his last name. The company's mode of operation is beyond my comprehension. We're wondering if you could give us any input as to what we can do to keep our autopilot working in the best possible fashion without returning it to the factory. Thanking you in advance. Our wishes to you and your family for a Happy Holiday season and your best New Years ever.

Harold

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Harold: Sorry about your problems with Alpha. Sounds like their business practices have not changed since the time we dealt with them in the mid 1980s. Perhaps our experience, and your more recent run with it, will cause people to check more carefully when they acquire this critical gear. Regards - Steve

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Setsail.com (December, 2000

The pilot itself works great, the problem is with the person who runs it has no idea of what it is like to cruise and deal with someone as consumer unfriendly as he is (Chris). We are going to do a special notice on our website regarding Alpha and invite others with their comments to get in touch with us at our website.

www.sailgemini.com

I think that people should be aware of the short falls of dealing with Alpha before they commit to the product. The product works well but if you need help you can forget about it unless you send the unit to them and if they screw up, as they did with us, it still cost money to fix the problem with no consideration from Chris. Will go into it in more detail and we will devote a page that will be easily found on the web when one is searching for info on Alpha. We are out cruising and this is the senario that Chirs counts on as we are not in the states to put pressure on him. I believe that he is in it only for the money and could care less who or how the product is used. Just sell the unit, get out the door, cash the check and avoid people with problems.

Any feedback can go to

Sailgemini@aol.com

Sailgemini@ yahoo.com

We will publish the good with the bad and would love to hear from any one with experience with Alpha.

Thanks

Les Sutton

s/v Gemini

Matzalan Mexico for the holidays