Autopilot for Different Sailboat Types

Why the steering decides the sailboat autopilot

Sailboats steer three common ways: tiller, wheel, and hydraulic. The listing usually names the drive type in the pack title, so the first question is: which steering does your boat have? Raymarine's autopilot pack page, for example, lists tiller autopilots, wheel pilots, and sail pilots for mechanical steering as separate packs, each built around a different drive. "Sail" in a title signals a pack made for sailboat steering, not a powerboat hydraulic pump pack.

The steering type decides the drive, and the drive decides the pack. A tiller-steered boat has no wheel or hydraulic system to connect to; a wheel-steered boat needs something that turns the wheel or engages the mechanical steering; a hydraulic-steered boat needs a pump that moves fluid. If you are new to the part names, the autopilot drive types article explains the families in plain words.

This guide covers those three sailboat steering types and the size considerations behind each, then points you to the matching guides for the listings on this site.

Tiller-steered sailboats: cockpit tiller pilots

A tiller pilot is a self-contained unit that mounts on the tiller. Raymarine's ST1000+ and ST2000+ are described on the pack page as self-contained cockpit tiller autopilots for sailboats, and the EV-100 Tiller Autopilot is listed as a tiller drive autopilot for small sailboats. If your helm is a tiller, this is the drive family you will read on most listings.

Sizing tip from the maker's drive unit page: the Cockpit Tiller Drive is listed for tiller-steered sailing boats up to 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) displacement. That is a stated detail, not a promise that every boat under that figure fits; the maker's page and a dealer decide fit. Use the figure as a first filter.

A tiller pilot suits a day sailer or a small cruiser where the helm is a tiller. It has a built-in keypad, so you do not need a separate control head. Browse the tiller pilot guides for listings, and read the tiller steering article for more on how the attachment works in general terms.

Wheel-steered sailboats: wheel pilots and below-deck drives

Wheel-steered sailboats appear in two drive families on a listing. A wheel pilot is a unit that attaches to the wheel; Raymarine's EV-100 Wheel Pilot is described on the pack page as a wheel drive autopilot for small to medium sailboats, and the Cockpit Mk II Wheel Drive is listed as an autopilot wheel-drive system for wheel-steered sailboats.

For larger wheel-steered sailboats with mechanical or cable steering, a below-deck drive is more common. The EV-200 Sail Pilot is described as an autopilot for mid-sized sailboats with mechanical steering, and the EV-400 Sail Pilot for large sailboats with mechanical steering. Below-deck drives come as linear and rotary units.

Sizing tip from the maker's drive unit page: the Type 1 linear drive and the Type 1 rotary drive are both listed for vessels up to 11,000 kg (24,000 lb), and the Type 2 rotary drives for vessels up to 20,000 kg (44,000 lb). Treat those as stated starting points, and confirm with the maker's page or a dealer.

A wheel pilot keeps the install simple. A below-deck drive is a larger project, usually paired with a control head and a network connection. Start with the sailboat autopilot guides and the complete pack guides, and compare control head options if you want a separate head.

Hydraulic-steered sailboats: hydraulic pumps

Some sailboats, especially larger cruisers, use hydraulic steering. For those, a hydraulic pump drive moves fluid to steer. Raymarine's drive unit page lists hydraulic pump drives for boats with hydraulic steering, in classes based on the steering system's capacity rather than the hull type.

Sizing tip from that page: the Type 0.5 pump is listed for hydraulic steering of 50 to 110cc, the Type 1 for 80 to 230cc, the Type 2 for 230 to 350cc, and the Type 3 for 350 to 500cc. The steering system's capacity is the number the maker uses to sort these pumps.

You will see "power" in many hydraulic pack titles, but a sailboat with hydraulic steering uses the same kind of pump drive class. The deciding question is the steering system, not the hull type. See the hydraulic autopilot guides for listings and the hydraulic steering article for a fuller explanation.

Day sailer versus cruising sailboat

Boat type shapes what you want beyond the drive. A day sailer is usually small and tiller-steered; a tiller pilot with a built-in keypad is the simple, complete choice. It stores easily, and you do not need to wire a separate control head.

A cruising sailboat is usually wheel-steered or hydraulic, larger, and sailed for longer stretches. Buyers there tend to want a control head, a second station, and a network link to a chartplotter. NMEA 2000 is the standard that lets marine electronics share data, and many autopilots connect to it; the NMEA 2000 article explains the network in general terms.

The listings on this site show the drive in the box and the control head in the box, so you can compare a complete pack with a core pack if you plan to keep an existing drive. The control head picks help when you want a dedicated head, and the core pack article explains when a pack without a drive makes sense.

Reading the sail listing and asking the seller

Read the first words of the title: "tiller", "wheel", or "sail" with "pilot" tells you the drive family; "power" tells you a hydraulic pump pack, often aimed at powerboats. Missing words matter: if the seller does not state the drive or the control head, ask whether they are in the box.

Ask the seller: which drive is in the box, which control head is in the box, what steering system the pack is built for, and whether the listing is a complete pack or a core pack without a drive. The maker's page and the manual decide fit and installation; this site gives no installation instructions. The core pack guides compare that option if you already have a drive.

An autopilot does not replace a lookout. The U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety division exists to support the knowledge and skills every recreational boater should have, and keeping watch remains the operator's duty at all times.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

What does "sail" in a listing title mean?

It signals the pack is built for sailboat steering: tiller, wheel, or below-deck mechanical drive. Raymarine's pack page, for example, separates tiller autopilots, wheel pilots, and sail pilots for mechanical steering from power pilots for hydraulic steering.

Can a tiller pilot work on a wheel-steered boat?

No. A tiller pilot is a self-contained unit that mounts on the tiller. A wheel-steered boat needs a wheel drive or a below-deck mechanical drive, so the drive type in the listing is the deciding detail.

What is a below-deck drive on a sailboat?

A below-deck drive is a mechanical unit, linear or rotary, that connects to the steering system under the cockpit. Raymarine lists linear and rotary drives with displacement classes on its drive unit page.

How do I find out what steering my sailboat has?

Ask what the wheel or tiller connects to: a cable, a hydraulic system, or a mechanical linkage. The boat's manual and a dealer or qualified installer can confirm. This site gives no installation guidance.

Do I need a control head with a tiller pilot?

A cockpit tiller pilot has a built-in keypad, so no separate control head is needed. Larger sailboat systems use a control head; the listing tells you if one is in the box.

Does an autopilot replace keeping watch?

No. The U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety division supports the knowledge and skills every recreational boater should have, and the operator keeps watch at all times.