# Autopilot options



## My Demeyes (Aug 2, 2010)

I am looking for reviews on hydraulic auto pilots. I am setting up an outboard boat with all new electronics. Going with garmin on the chartplotter/sonar, was gonna go with garmin on the autopilot as well, until the garmin rep said I could use any autopilot tied into the network. The garmin autopilot is about $1000 more than the raymarine EV100, which I know nothing about. Trolling is mainly what it will be used for.

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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

I believe the Raymarine EV autopilot goes between the steering wheel and console and turns the wheel to steer the boat. I had it's predecessor called the Sport Pilot or Sport Link....can't remember for sure. In slow speed trolling applications it didn't work very well. I could only go with the waves and hold a heading. 

I would highly recommend you go with a true hydraulic autopilot system. Garmin makes nice electronics and if everything else is Garmin, I'd stay with them for the whole package. Much easier to call one vendor for technical support than multiples.

Good luck!

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## My Demeyes (Aug 2, 2010)

The raymarine is a hydraulic autopilot, comes with a pump. What I'm hoping to get is feedback on how the different auto pilots do at slow trolling in waves. 

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## Hookedup330 (Jul 13, 2011)

I have the raymarine ev 200 on my big boat works great. It dose not go on the steering wheel. The only difference between the ev100 and ve200 is the pump size. They do make a ev pilot for sail boats that gos on the wheel or cable steer boat. As for the use of it, it's one of the best pilots I have ever had. There is no changing the gain for fast or slow speeds. Compuss learns the boat I don't know how but it does. No doing slow circles for set up. Very easy to use. I'm buying the ev100 this winter for my small boat that has hydraulic steering outboard. As for slow trolling my big boat is hard to get "slow" less then 1.9-2.0. but at that speed I can troll up wind in 2ft no problem. 2.5 or faster 3-4ft no problem.


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## My Demeyes (Aug 2, 2010)

Hookedup330 said:


> I have the raymarine ev 200 on my big boat works great. It dose not go on the steering wheel. The only difference between the ev100 and ve200 is the pump size. They do make a ev pilot for sail boats that gos on the wheel or cable steer boat. As for the use of it, it's one of the best pilots I have ever had. There is no changing the gain for fast or slow speeds. Compuss learns the boat I don't know how but it does. No doing slow circles for set up. Very easy to use. I'm buying the ev100 this winter for my small boat that has hydraulic steering outboard. As for slow trolling my big boat is hard to get "slow" less then 1.9-2.0. but at that speed I can troll up wind in 2ft no problem. 2.5 or faster 3-4ft no problem.


How small is the small boat? I have a 21' Almar I'm setting up. Does the raymarine ev100 do trolling patterns?
















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## Hookedup330 (Jul 13, 2011)

My small boat is a 20 proline dc. it dose not trolling patterns. I personally just want to go in a straight line from point A to point B. If you were to set up waypoints in a pattern it would drive to to them. But for what I do I could not ask for more


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## dgfidler (Sep 22, 2014)

i don't really have a review to offer, but I did extensive research on the various autopilots available. I agonized over whether to do a TR1 Gold on kicker vs Main AP tied to kicker. With dual 4 strokes on a bracket, I think an autopilot on the main is the way to go. In my research, I came to the conclusion the Garmin GHP-10 system would be the best main AP. I found many discussions in various fishing forums where users reported having good slow speed control with this AP. The Garmin system has a unique feature called 'Shadow Drive' that lets you take the wheel while running and make course corrections and then when you let off the wheel, it continues on the new heading. With other autopilots you have to disengage the AP to take control of the boat. Look at the waterproof wireless remote that's available. That thing is awesome. Finally, I can tell you as a software engineer, that Garmin AP is going to integrate better with a Garmin head unit than any other. I guarantee most of their testing was Garmin AP to Garmin Head unit. You've got such a cool rig, in my opinion, the Garmin is the best AP, so why not? The Garmin system has its roots in the old TR1 Gladiator technology. I think Garmin purchased Nautimatic to obtain the shadow drive technology and they improved it and the end result is the GHP-10 system.


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## Farmhand (Jul 11, 2011)

I have a Raymarine ev200 on a 28’ flybridge with my bags out I can troll under 1.5 with no issues running 6 lines. Been nothing but great


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## My Demeyes (Aug 2, 2010)

The raymarine EV150 is the front runner so far. It will integrate with the garmin chartplotter, its $1000 cheaper than the Garmin, and has an extra year of warranty over the garmin. It also has the preprogrammed trolling patterns. It'll be a winter project. Thanks for all the input from all who commented. 

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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I have one of the ray marine auto pilots that goes under the steering wheel. I don't know off hand which one I have. but I also added the rudder sensor and it does a fairly good job even in rough water. but you don't really need for it to do trolling patterns as it does them on its own in rough water. I've trolled down to 1.6 with no problems. I just checked and I have the smartpilot x-5r unit with the rudder sensor. I don't think you can get this one any more.
sherman


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## dgfidler (Sep 22, 2014)

Mydemeyes, i believe your last boat had TR1 right? Did the trolling patterns on the TR1 actually work well? I have my TR1 hooked up to a gen3 HDs9, but I’ve never tried any of the gps functions. I’m thinking you wouldn’t care whether your new unit supports trolling patterns unless you’ve had a good experience in the past. 


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## My Demeyes (Aug 2, 2010)

dgfidler said:


> Mydemeyes, i believe your last boat had TR1 right? Did the trolling patterns on the TR1 actually work well? I have my TR1 hooked up to a gen3 HDs9, but I’ve never tried any of the gps functions. I’m thinking you wouldn’t care whether your new unit supports trolling patterns unless you’ve had a good experience in the past.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I still have the boat with the TR1. I haven't tried the patterns yet. Seems every time I get to the lake, I never have time to just play around with the TR1. Boat traffic is also a factor. I'm still learning the TR1, as I don't get to use it as much as I'd like. 

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## chaddy721 (Mar 31, 2013)

I have the tr1 on a fishmaster 2100. It's hard to hold a course on it.wish I would have went with the raymarine.


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## My Demeyes (Aug 2, 2010)

Choosing electronics packages isn't easy. I originally planned on all garmin setup, but now I'm looking at the raymarine EV150 autopilot, its $1000 cheaper than the garmin, and will do what I need it for. That being said, I'm looking for some lake Erie reviews on the raymarine axiom units. Anyone have any experience with these ? I still can get a separate garmin unit to run panoptix, if I choose to go that route. The lack of information on the panoptix use on Erie, has me a little hesitant. 

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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

There is an autopilot computer and then there is the hydraulic or other drive unit. In most cases you can mix the two without much issue but if I was purchasing all new, I would go with one vendor - realizing that all drive units are likely from the same mfg and just repackaged by the vendor. Kind of like the situation with transducers (Airmar underneath).

I have Simrad autopilot computer in my 30' boat, have no idea who built the drive unit. In fact the drive unit was connected to a 1989 Raymarine system and now is connected to a 2012 Simrad system. Not too much technology improvements in hydraulic steering I guess... I can run autopilot in any seas until it gets to the point that I must react to what I see. We troll exclusively with autopilot - occasionally you may have a problem maintaining a specific course if wind and waves are working against you and you have reached the physical limitations of your boats steering capability (it has maxed out turn direction). Autopilot only maintains a heading or course that you set in the autopilot computer.


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## Nauti cat (Nov 30, 2009)

I have Garmin 7608xsv and a Garmin A/P with smart pump I can program my system to take me anywhere I want to go. The A/P will do all kinds of patterns from hold a course to take me back to a MOB point. I can troll 1mph to you name it and hold a course, the complete package for the A/P was $3300 I installed and set up myself. I installed a Si Tex on a 89 Searay with rack steering and it also works good, so just do your research and buy what suits your needs and $$$$.


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## BENJAMIN R NOLTE (Feb 16, 2019)

I have the old school sportpilot with cable steering control. Just popped the circuit board, anyone have one ? Or where the heck can I find one


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