Installing Autopilot
Installing an autopilot can save you time, money and muscle.
September 1, 2005
Autopilots - devices that enable your boat to maintain a course with little or no input from
you - have come of age and are no longer only for sailboats, megayachts and transoceanic solo
sailors. Autopilots are frequently used by those traveling relatively short distances, such as from
Florida to the Bahamas or from port to port in the Great Lakes. Also, smaller-boat owners use them
to troll over bottom structure, follow temperature contour satellite maps and to troll from one hot
spot to another. There's a good case to be made for having one on board, especially if you're a
serious angler, long-distance boater, pleasure cruiser or solo boater.
The viability of autopilots was brought home recently when I encountered an older 28-footer being
captained solo in Long Island, New York's Plum Gut. "The Gut" is an often-hairy stretch of water
with a speedy current, rips, eddys and other hydrodynamics. As I closed through a school of what
seemed to be almost legal stripers, I noted that the skipper of the boat was steering from a
flybridge with a rod in one hand. Should he hit one of these stripers he was going to have several
problems, the least of which would be manipulating the rod around his Bimini frame.
Now, had this gentleman installed a remote-controlled autopilot, he would have been able to fish from near sea level, not having to worry about maintaining way in the current, or about running onto rocks on either side of the Gut, and would probably not lose what looked like a heavy-duty Penn reel, should a record striper hit.
Getting Started
Taking this on as a do-it-yourself project used to be out of the question. But now, with plug 'n' play electronics, it's not always necessary to be an expert in working with hydraulics, electronics and computer interfacing to install one.
Every unit and installation is different, but there are some universal setups. While some autopilots have fewer components than others, there are still several components required.
For those of you with older boats without hydraulic steering, it's probably a much smarter idea to convert from mechanical to hydraulic steering before installing an autopilot. You can install an autopilot on mechanical steering, but it requires the additional installation of a hydraulic power unit to your mechanical steering system. In most cases, it's going to cost you more to utilize the mechanical system than to change to a hydraulic one. Teleflex and Hynautic are just two of the many manufacturers of OEM and aftermarket hydraulic steering systems.
Autopilot Parts
Before selecting a modern autopilot, there are some things you'll need to know to choose the correct unit. First and foremost is your type of propulsion - outboard, inboard or sterndrive. There are different configurations/units for all three.
The aforementioned type of steering system is another thing you'll need to know, since the autopilot pump will be steering the engine, rudder or outdrive. Assuming it's hydraulic steering, you'll need to know the size and part number of the hydraulic steering ram. If your steering is power-assisted, you'll need to have all the info on the power unit, such as the manufacturer and model number. An autopilot is operated via a control panel, which can be fixed (mounted to the helm) or configured as a handheld unit. The panel controls all the autopilot's functions. Adding a handheld to existing units can run in the $300 to $500 range.
Anglers who fish solo will love the handheld remote units. The remotes will allow them to fight a fish from the fore deck, which lets them keep the hull of their boat facing into the waves. This saves them from having to back down on a fish. With a remote control device, fishermen can keep the perfect angle when reeling in a fish.
Next is the hydraulic drive unit, which will do the actual steering. This is attached to your hydraulic steering ram (the piston that moves in response to your steering commands at the wheel). Then comes the two most important parts: the autopilot computer, and something to give the unit directional information - most commonly a GPS, although you can interface the unit with a compass.
Some systems, like the Raymarine SmartPilot S1000, use the latest in wireless remote technology and make the installation process as easy as possible for smaller boats (up to 25 feet) with hydraulic steering. With systems like these, the remote takes the place of a dash-mounted control unit to keep costs down. Everything you need to install this system comes in a box, complete with fittings, hoses and tools. All you have to do with the SmartPilot is install the course computer and the hydraulic pump. Equipped with all of the necessary installation tools, and a small battery-operated controller, wireless systems like the SmartPilot take all of the guesswork out of installing autopilots.
Accessories
A lot of autopilots come with various bells and whistles that aren't bells and whistles - they're actually stuff you'll use, unlike many of the features of most of your other electronics.
Some autopilots allow manual override by taking over the steering, while some require pushing a button. Some have maneuvers programmed into them - constant circles, S-shaped routes, figure eights, zig-zags, etc.; all are great for anglers. Some units can be interfaced with GPS and perform pattern maneuvers around a preset point. Some autopilots have MOB facilities that duplicate a Williamson turn (a maneuver used to bring a ship or boat back to a point it previously passed through), some will operate in reverse (great for backing down on big fish), some are designed for kicker-size motors, and some can handle two and three remote stations.
Like any good capitalist system, the consumer determines what the market offers, and boat owners - regardless of the size of their craft – say they want precise, safe directional capabilities, and the manufacturers have been happy to oblige. Expect to spend anywhere from $1,000 for a simple unit to $3,500 and more depending on what the autopilot is capable of doing. Of course, prices for dual- and triple-engines will be higher.The advantages are many. With fuel prices the way they are, precise directional control translates to fuel savings, and that alone could pay off an autopilot in a season.
Autopilot Basics
Quick Tips
The viability of autopilots was brought home recently when I encountered an older 28-footer being
captained solo in Long Island, New York's Plum Gut. "The Gut" is an often-hairy stretch of water
with a speedy current, rips, eddys and other hydrodynamics. As I closed through a school of what
seemed to be almost legal stripers, I noted that the skipper of the boat was steering from a
flybridge with a rod in one hand. Should he hit one of these stripers he was going to have several
problems, the least of which would be manipulating the rod around his Bimini frame.
Now, had this gentleman installed a remote-controlled autopilot, he would have been able to fish from near sea level, not having to worry about maintaining way in the current, or about running onto rocks on either side of the Gut, and would probably not lose what looked like a heavy-duty Penn reel, should a record striper hit.
Getting Started
Taking this on as a do-it-yourself project used to be out of the question. But now, with plug 'n' play electronics, it's not always necessary to be an expert in working with hydraulics, electronics and computer interfacing to install one.
Every unit and installation is different, but there are some universal setups. While some autopilots have fewer components than others, there are still several components required.
For those of you with older boats without hydraulic steering, it's probably a much smarter idea to convert from mechanical to hydraulic steering before installing an autopilot. You can install an autopilot on mechanical steering, but it requires the additional installation of a hydraulic power unit to your mechanical steering system. In most cases, it's going to cost you more to utilize the mechanical system than to change to a hydraulic one. Teleflex and Hynautic are just two of the many manufacturers of OEM and aftermarket hydraulic steering systems.
Autopilot Parts
Before selecting a modern autopilot, there are some things you'll need to know to choose the correct unit. First and foremost is your type of propulsion - outboard, inboard or sterndrive. There are different configurations/units for all three.
The aforementioned type of steering system is another thing you'll need to know, since the autopilot pump will be steering the engine, rudder or outdrive. Assuming it's hydraulic steering, you'll need to know the size and part number of the hydraulic steering ram. If your steering is power-assisted, you'll need to have all the info on the power unit, such as the manufacturer and model number. An autopilot is operated via a control panel, which can be fixed (mounted to the helm) or configured as a handheld unit. The panel controls all the autopilot's functions. Adding a handheld to existing units can run in the $300 to $500 range.
Anglers who fish solo will love the handheld remote units. The remotes will allow them to fight a fish from the fore deck, which lets them keep the hull of their boat facing into the waves. This saves them from having to back down on a fish. With a remote control device, fishermen can keep the perfect angle when reeling in a fish.
Next is the hydraulic drive unit, which will do the actual steering. This is attached to your hydraulic steering ram (the piston that moves in response to your steering commands at the wheel). Then comes the two most important parts: the autopilot computer, and something to give the unit directional information - most commonly a GPS, although you can interface the unit with a compass.
Some systems, like the Raymarine SmartPilot S1000, use the latest in wireless remote technology and make the installation process as easy as possible for smaller boats (up to 25 feet) with hydraulic steering. With systems like these, the remote takes the place of a dash-mounted control unit to keep costs down. Everything you need to install this system comes in a box, complete with fittings, hoses and tools. All you have to do with the SmartPilot is install the course computer and the hydraulic pump. Equipped with all of the necessary installation tools, and a small battery-operated controller, wireless systems like the SmartPilot take all of the guesswork out of installing autopilots.
Accessories
A lot of autopilots come with various bells and whistles that aren't bells and whistles - they're actually stuff you'll use, unlike many of the features of most of your other electronics.
Some autopilots allow manual override by taking over the steering, while some require pushing a button. Some have maneuvers programmed into them - constant circles, S-shaped routes, figure eights, zig-zags, etc.; all are great for anglers. Some units can be interfaced with GPS and perform pattern maneuvers around a preset point. Some autopilots have MOB facilities that duplicate a Williamson turn (a maneuver used to bring a ship or boat back to a point it previously passed through), some will operate in reverse (great for backing down on big fish), some are designed for kicker-size motors, and some can handle two and three remote stations.
Like any good capitalist system, the consumer determines what the market offers, and boat owners - regardless of the size of their craft – say they want precise, safe directional capabilities, and the manufacturers have been happy to oblige. Expect to spend anywhere from $1,000 for a simple unit to $3,500 and more depending on what the autopilot is capable of doing. Of course, prices for dual- and triple-engines will be higher.The advantages are many. With fuel prices the way they are, precise directional control translates to fuel savings, and that alone could pay off an autopilot in a season.
Autopilot Basics
- You have a hydraulic unit that does the manual job of steering and has to be connected to your - preferably hydraulic - steering system.
- You have a system to provide directional information - be it compass, GPS, etc., that
provides directional information. This is connected to ...
- The autopilot computer, the brains of the system that amasses info from directional
equipment, engine, etc., and is operated by ...
- A fixed-mounted and/or handheld control unit.
Quick Tips
- On older boats, convert from mechanical to hydraulic steering before installation.
- Consider installing wireless systems such as the Raymarine S1000 to make the process easier.
- If you fish solo, consider a remote control system.
- Use a separate battery for the autopilot.
related articles:
Installing Autopilot: Installing an autopilot can save you time, money and muscle.
