Raymarine EV-100 vs EV-200: Which Autopilot?

The two names come from the pack, not the core

On a Raymarine listing, EV-100 and EV-200 are pack names, not part numbers for a single box. They tell you which autopilot pack the seller is offering: EV-100 Tiller Autopilot, EV-100 Wheel Pilot, EV-100 Power Pilot, EV-200 Sail Pilot and EV-200 Power Pilot. Other tiers in the same family include the EV-150, EV-300 and EV-400 packs, plus the EV-DBW packs for drive-by-wire boats.

The number is a tier label, not a performance ranking. A higher number does not mean better steering; it means the pack is described for a different boat size and steering type. The pack name, not the number, is what you compare on a listing.

EV-100 packs: small boats

Raymarine's pack page lists three EV-100 packs. The EV-100 Tiller Autopilot is a tiller drive autopilot for small sailboats. The EV-100 Wheel Pilot is a wheel drive autopilot for small to medium sailboats. The EV-100 Power Pilot is an autopilot for small powerboats with hydraulic steering.

The word tiller, wheel or power in the title tells you the steering type the pack is built around. If your sailboat steers with a tiller, start with the tiller steering article. If it steers with a wheel, compare EV-100 Wheel Pilot listings. If your powerboat has hydraulic steering, the hydraulic steering article explains how that drive works.

Each pack is named after the drive or steering it supports. A tiller pack, a wheel pack and a hydraulic power pack are not the same autopilot; they are different drive arrangements for different boats.

EV-200 packs: mid-sized and medium to large boats

The EV-200 line has two packs on Raymarine's list. The EV-200 Sail Pilot is described as an autopilot for mid-sized sailboats with mechanical steering. The EV-200 Power Pilot is described as an autopilot for medium to large powerboats with hydraulic steering.

Notice the difference: the EV-200 Sail Pilot is for mechanical steering, which means cable or similar steering, not tiller or wheel steering. The EV-200 Power Pilot is for hydraulic steering on a larger powerboat than the EV-100 Power Pilot is described for.

Read the name carefully. A title that says EV-200 Sail Pilot points to a mechanical steering boat; a title that says EV-200 Power Pilot points to a hydraulic steering powerboat. These are not interchangeable words on a listing.

Drive compatibility is the deciding factor

An autopilot pack is a set of parts that ends with a drive, and the drive has to match the steering already on the boat. Raymarine's drive unit page lists cockpit tiller drives for tiller-steered sailing boats, a cockpit Mk II wheel drive for wheel-steered sailboats, hydraulic pumps by steering system size, and linear and rotary drives for other installations.

Raymarine's pack titles name the drive or steering type directly. If a listing says EV-100 Power Pilot, the boat needs hydraulic steering. If it says EV-200 Sail Pilot, the boat needs mechanical steering. If you cannot tell what steering is installed, Raymarine directs you to consult an authorized Raymarine dealer.

The maker sizes hydraulic pumps by the boat's steering system. The table below shows the pump descriptions from Raymarine's drive unit page.

Boat size in the manufacturer's words

Raymarine describes each EV pack by boat size: small, small to medium, mid-sized, medium to large. The pack page points to a selection table based on the size and weight of your boat, which is the reference to use before ordering. That table is on Raymarine's site; this article cannot reproduce it.

One weight figure appears on the drive unit page: the cockpit tiller drive is described for tiller-steered sailing boats up to 6,000 kg (13,000 lbs.) displacement. That figure belongs to the drive, not to a specific pack, so use it only as a reference for the tiller drive.

No general rule can convert boat length into a pack choice. The maker's table and a dealer are the sources to consult for your particular boat. The maximum boat length article explains why length alone is not a reliable fit guide.

Features both lines share

Both the EV-100 and EV-200 belong to Raymarine's Evolution autopilot series, which the maker describes as self-calibrating. The Evolution system has an actuator control unit (ACU) and an EV sensor described as the central processor and 3D heading sensor at the heart of every Evolution autopilot system.

Both lines can connect to a control head, and the autopilot is part of the boat's electronics network. The NMEA 2000 standard, as described by the National Marine Electronics Association, lets marine electronics share data, including commands and status, over a single channel. That is the context for autopilot, chartplotter and instrument integration. The NMEA 2000 article covers this network in general terms.

An autopilot does not replace a lookout. The U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety page covers responsible operation, boating education and keeping a proper watch, which remain the boat operator's duty regardless of the electronics aboard.

What to read before you buy

On this site, the listings compare stated details: the pack title, whether a drive is in the box, whether a control head is in the box, and the model line. A pack, not a single part, is what the listing names.

A core pack leaves the drive out. A complete pack includes the parts the seller lists. If a title says w/o GHC, no control head is in the box. Read the bullets, not just the first line of the title. The core pack versus complete pack article explains the difference.

The control head options article covers why the control head matters and what a pack without a control head requires.

Choosing between the two

Answer these questions first: What steering does the boat have, tiller, wheel, hydraulic or mechanical? What size and displacement does the boat have per the maker's table? Do you want to keep an existing drive or buy the complete pack? Do you need a control head in the box?

The EV-100 and EV-200 are not interchangeable labels. Match the pack's described steering type and boat size to your boat, then compare the stated details on the listing. The Raymarine pack page is the place to confirm which pack corresponds to your boat's steering and weight.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Is the EV-200 a better autopilot than the EV-100?

The EV-200 is not a higher-performance version of the EV-100. It is a separate pack line described for larger boats and different steering types. The number is a tier label; the pack title is what tells you the application.

Can I use an EV-200 Power Pilot on a small powerboat?

Raymarine describes the EV-200 Power Pilot for medium to large powerboats with hydraulic steering, and the EV-100 Power Pilot for small powerboats. The drive selection and the boat's steering system are the deciding details.

Does the EV-100 pack include a drive?

The EV-100 Tiller Autopilot, EV-100 Wheel Pilot and EV-100 Power Pilot are each named by their drive type. Whether the drive is in the box is a stated detail on the listing; a core pack would be named differently and leave the drive out.

What does Sail Pilot mean in an EV-200 title?

In Raymarine's naming, the EV-200 Sail Pilot is an autopilot for mid-sized sailboats with mechanical steering, as distinct from the powerboat hydraulic packs.

What should I check before ordering an EV-100 or EV-200 pack?

Check the steering type, the boat's displacement against the maker's pack table, whether the pack includes a drive and a control head, and what the listing says is not stated by the seller.

Do the EV-100 and EV-200 use the same sensor?

Raymarine describes the EV sensor as the central processor and 3D heading sensor at the heart of every Evolution autopilot system, and the ACU is selected for the boat. The pack page is the place to see what a specific pack contains.