Autopilot Control Heads: Key Features to Compare

What a control head is

A control head is the user interface of an autopilot system. It sits at the helm and shows the current heading, the autopilot status, and the steering mode, and it gives you the buttons or knob to switch the autopilot on, set a course, and make small heading adjustments.

In a complete autopilot pack, the control head is one of the named parts in the box. In a core pack, the head is often left out, and you supply one from your existing system or buy one separately. Raymarine describes control heads as the way to complete an Evolution autopilot system and access its feature set, which tells you the maker treats the head as a separate choice even when a pack bundles it.

If you are starting from nothing, look at the complete packs with a control head first.

Display size and type

The display is the part you read while steering. Control heads range from simple single-line readouts to larger color screens. The catalogue lists display size and type as stated details: for example, the Furuno NavPilot 300 uses a 4.1-inch color LCD, and the NavPilot 1000 uses a 5.7-inch color LCD. Those figures come from the maker's product page and are what a listing may repeat.

Bigger screens show more at once: heading, mode, waypoint information, and alerts. Smaller heads may show one or two values and rely on a button to cycle through pages. The right size depends on where you sit at the helm and how much information you want in front of you.

What the catalogue cannot say is how readable a screen is in direct sunlight or at night. Brightness, mounting angle, and your own eyes decide that, so the maker's page and a dealer are the people to ask. For a closer look at how screens differ, see what to compare on autopilot displays.

Controls: pushbuttons, knobs, and gesture controllers

The controls are how you tell the autopilot what to do. Listings may name a pushbutton head or a rotary knob head. A pushbutton head gives you dedicated keys for power, standby, auto, and course adjustment. A rotary knob head lets you turn a knob to change the heading or scroll through menus.

Some control heads add a separate remote or gesture controller. The Furuno NavPilot 300, for example, includes a Gesture Controller that works by Bluetooth from anywhere on the boat within 10 meters: you push and hold the button, point toward the heading you want, and release. That is a stated feature on the maker's page, not a performance claim.

Think about how you steer. If you adjust course often, you may want physical buttons or a knob you can find without looking. If you run a fishing boat and want to adjust heading from the stern, a wireless gesture controller or remote matters more.

For more on how controls feel in use, see control ergonomics and remote control options.

• Pushbutton heads: dedicated keys for common actions.
• Rotary knob heads: turn to change heading or scroll menus.
• Gesture controllers and remotes: adjust course from another part of the boat.

NMEA 2000 connectivity and the autopilot network

NMEA 2000 is the modern marine interface standard. The National Marine Electronics Association describes it as a CAN-based network that interconnects marine electronic devices, sharing data, commands, and status with compatible equipment over a single channel. The network is multi-master and self-configuring, so there is no central controller.

For an autopilot control head, NMEA 2000 connectivity means the head can talk to the other parts of the autopilot system and to compatible instruments such as a chartplotter, GPS, or heading sensor. That is how a head shows the current heading from the sensor and how it passes a course to the course computer.

A listing may say "N2K" instead of NMEA 2000, or it may name a maker's own network, such as SeaTalk or SimNet. Those names describe the same idea: a network that carries autopilot data around the boat. The maker's page is the source for which network a head uses.

The catalogue cannot tell you which chartplotters will work with a given head. Compatibility is decided by the maker's specifications, so when your boat has a chartplotter already, check the maker's page or ask a dealer. See NMEA 2000 connectivity explained and autopilot integration with chartplotters.

Control head in the box or sold separately

One of the first things to check on a listing is whether a control head is in the box. A complete autopilot pack names its control head as part of what you receive. A core pack, by contrast, is built around the course computer and drive, and the head is usually not included. Pack names often come from the autopilot line, such as EV-100 or EV-200, while the control head model appears in the contents list.

A listing that says "w/o GHC" means the pack is sold without a control head. "GHC" in that phrase is the maker's name for its control head line. You would then add a head from the same maker, or use a compatible chartplotter or multifunction display if the maker's page says that is possible.

Why would someone buy a pack without a head? They may already own a compatible head from an earlier system, or they run a multi-station boat and want to choose how many heads to buy. The trade-off is that a head is a separate purchase, so you have to budget for it.

Compare core packs without a head with complete packs that include one.

One head or two: helm stations and remotes

On a boat with a single helm, one control head is enough. On a boat with a flybridge and a lower helm, or a sailboat with an inside station and a cockpit station, you may want a head at each station so you can steer from wherever you are.

Some control heads have a wireless remote as an option, or include one in the pack. A remote is a smaller device you carry with you, and it does a subset of what the head does: engage the autopilot, adjust the heading, and put it in standby.

Check the listing for what is included. If the listing says the head is included but does not say a remote is included, ask the seller whether a remote exists and whether it comes in the box. The catalogue cannot tell you how many heads you need; that depends on your boat and how you use it.

See multi-station setups and remote control options.

Questions to ask before you buy

Before you choose a control head, write down what your boat already has. Do you have a chartplotter at the helm? Is there another autopilot head you plan to keep? What steering system does the boat have, and does the pack you are looking at include the drive?

Then ask the seller: which control head is in this pack? Is it a complete pack or a core pack? Does the head connect over NMEA 2000 or a proprietary network? Can a second head be added later? Is a remote included?

A missing detail on a listing is a question, not a guess. If the listing does not state the display size, the control type, or whether a remote is included, ask the seller or check the maker's page. The catalogue on this site compares only stated details; it does not fill in gaps.

If you are still weighing which autopilot to buy, start with the overall marine autopilot guide.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

What is a control head on an autopilot?

It is the part of the autopilot that sits at the helm, shows the current heading and steering mode, and lets you set a course and adjust it.

Does every autopilot pack include a control head?

No. A complete pack names a head in the box. A core pack usually leaves the head out, and a listing may say "w/o GHC" to mean sold without a control head.

What is NMEA 2000 on a control head?

NMEA 2000 is the marine network standard that lets the head share data with the rest of the autopilot system and with compatible instruments such as chartplotters and heading sensors.

Can I use my chartplotter as the control head?

Some makers allow it, but the maker's page decides. If a listing says a pack is sold without a head, check the maker's page for whether a chartplotter or app can control the autopilot.

Do I need a control head at every helm station?

Only if you want to steer from every station. One head is enough on a single-station boat. On a multi-station boat, you can add a second head or carry a wireless remote.

Does an autopilot control head replace a lookout?

No. An autopilot steers to the heading you set; it does not watch for traffic. The U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety division works to reduce loss of life and injuries on U.S. waterways by improving the knowledge, skill, and abilities of recreational boaters, and an autopilot does not replace the operator's responsibility to stay attentive.