Autopilot
Probably a simpler piece of equipment to choose. I am focusing on below deck autopilots directly attached to the steering quadrant as these are considered the most reliable. There are of course autopilots that attach to the wheel as well as tiller pilots. Incidentally a tiller pilot can be attached to a Hydrovane self-serving ; something I wish I had learned about sooner.
The Formula One brand of autopilots is considered by many to be NKE. After that, we are talking about the usual marine brands of Raymarine, B&G, Garmin etc. Like me you may be influenced by other factors such as compatibility with other equipment on board, power consumption, ease of installation, etc.
The autopilot typical is supplied with the following components, here I’m showing the Raymarine part
- Autopilot computer
- Control head
- Autopilot sensor
- Drive unit thatattaches to the steering quadrant
- Rudder position indicator
Things you should consider:
- Ensure the equipment matches the displacement of your boat
- Where to mount the electronic compass (it needs to align with centerline of the boat and not be near ferrous metals or other major electronics)
- Where to mount the “computer”. Accessible but protected
- Routing and ducting of cables
- Size of power cable and connections. These can be critical
- Where to mount the control head. Close to the helm but perhaps a little protected.
Power cables and connections
I can’t stress how critical these are. The Raymarine drive unit had short and small wires that needed to be extended to reach the computer and power supply. Both the size of the cable and how to terminate/connect the cables will need careful consideration. The same applies to the power supply to the computer. Size the cable for both the current consumption and the length of run.
It’s also important to document this so that you can trouble shoot easily. The computer, drive unit etc will be very reliable these days. I suggest the main weakness is the cables we install, particularly power.
A Dragon's Tale 