Sailboat vs Powerboat Autopilots: Key Differences

What a listing title signals

Autopilot listings usually tell you at the start whether a pack is built for a sailboat or a powerboat. Raymarine names its packs with "Sail Pilot" and "Power Pilot", so "EV-200 Sail Pilot" is a sailboat pack and "EV-200 Power Pilot" is a powerboat pack. Furuno uses "OB" on some NavPilot models, like the NavPilot 711C/OB, to signal an outboard powerboat version. Reading those words first saves time.

The same maker often sells both lines from one family. That does not make them interchangeable. The pack name is the first clue; the drive unit inside is the real difference.

How sailboat and powerboat steering differ

Sailboats and powerboats steer in different ways, and the drive unit is the part that interfaces with the vessel's steering system. On a sailboat, you may find a tiller or a wheel connected to a rudder. On a powerboat, you are more likely to find hydraulic steering, cable steering, or an electronic steering system. The wording on a listing follows that distinction.

Tiller pilot packs like the ST1000+ and ST2000+ are described by Raymarine as self-contained cockpit tiller autopilots for sailboats. Wheel pilots appear on sailboat listings as well, such as the EV-100 Wheel Pilot for small to medium sailboats. Powerboat listings, by contrast, name hydraulic steering, as in the EV-100 Power Pilot and EV-200 Power Pilot for boats with hydraulic steering.

Drive units for sailboats and powerboats

The drive unit is what moves the rudder or steering system. Raymarine's drive unit page lists a Cockpit Tiller Drive for tiller-steered sailing boats, a Cockpit Mk II Wheel Drive for wheel-steered sailboats, hydraulic pumps for hydraulic steering, rotary drives for vessels with heavier displacement, and linear drives for mechanical steering.

For sailboat packs, the drive is usually a tiller drive, a wheel drive, or a below-deck linear or rotary drive. For powerboat packs, the drive is usually a hydraulic pump or, on newer electronic helms, a drive-by-wire interface.

The drive type in the box is the main reason a sailboat pack and a powerboat pack differ. The course computer and control head may be similar, but the drive decides which boat the pack can move.

Sailboat autopilot packs: names to recognize

Sailboat autopilot packs use a few naming patterns. "Tiller" appears in the EV-100 Tiller Autopilot for small sailboats. "Wheel" appears in the EV-100 Wheel Pilot for small to medium sailboats. "Sail Pilot" appears in the EV-200 Sail Pilot for mid-sized sailboats with mechanical steering and the EV-400 Sail Pilot for large sailboats with mechanical steering.

The ST1000+ and ST2000+ are older, self-contained cockpit tiller autopilots for sailboats. A listing may carry those names without a separate control head because the pilot has a built-in keypad.

If a sailboat listing says "tiller" or "wheel", read it as a clue to the steering the pack was built for. If it says "Sail Pilot" and nothing about steering, the drive unit list on the pack page tells you more. The tiller pilot guide covers the cockpit-style options.

Powerboat autopilot packs: names to recognize

Powerboat autopilot packs also follow a pattern. Raymarine's "Power Pilot" line covers small, medium and large powerboats with hydraulic steering: the EV-100, EV-150, EV-200 and EV-400 Power Pilot names appear on the pack page.

Some powerboat packs are for special steering systems. The EV-300 Solenoid Pilot is described for boats with solenoid-controlled power steering. The EV-DBW Pilot is for boats with digital drive-by-wire steering, and the EV-DBW Volvo Edition is for boats with Volvo Penta IPS or Aquamatic propulsion systems. The steer-by-wire guide explains those packs.

Furuno's NavPilot line includes the NavPilot 300, described as an adaptive autopilot, and a version for outboards. Page content notes that Fantum Feedback means outboard installations on the NavPilot 300 do not require a physical rudder feedback unit. That is a powerboat-oriented feature.

Why the boat's steering decides the drive

The boat's steering decides the drive. A tiller-steered sailboat needs a tiller drive. A wheel-steered sailboat may take a wheel drive or a below-deck drive. A powerboat with hydraulic steering needs a hydraulic pump. A boat with an electronic helm needs a drive-by-wire pack. The maker's page is the place to confirm fit.

The same model line often comes in several drive versions. That is why the guides on this site compare packs on stated details: drive in the box, control head in the box, steering type, and the line name. See best complete autopilot packs for packs where the drive is included, and best autopilot core packs when you keep an existing drive.

If a listing does not state a steering type, treat that as a missing detail. Ask the seller or check the maker's page before ordering.

Questions to ask before choosing

Before choosing, ask what steering the boat has. The maker's manual or a dealer can say whether a sailboat is tiller-steered or wheel-steered, and whether a powerboat uses hydraulic, cable or electronic steering.

Then decide whether you keep an existing drive or want a complete pack. A complete pack includes the drive and control head, while a core pack omits them. The article on complete packs versus custom setups explains the difference.

• What steering does the boat have: tiller, wheel, hydraulic, cable or electronic?
• Does the pack include a drive, and which drive name is in the box?
• Does it include a control head, or is the head sold separately?
• Which boat sizes does the maker's page list for this pack?

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Is a tiller pilot always a sailboat autopilot?

On this catalogue, yes. Raymarine describes the ST1000+, ST2000+ and EV-100 Tiller as cockpit tiller autopilots for sailboats. A tiller pilot attaches to the tiller of a sailboat. See the tiller pilot guide for listings.

What does "Power Pilot" in a title mean?

It is Raymarine's name for a powerboat pack. The EV-100, EV-150, EV-200 and EV-400 Power Pilot names are all described with hydraulic steering in mind. The number in the name is not a ranking on this site.

Can one pack work on both a sailboat and a powerboat?

Only if it is a pack without a drive, or a pack whose drive matches both steering types. In general, a tiller drive will not move a hydraulic helm, and a hydraulic pump will not move a tiller. Compare packs on the stated drive and steering type.

Why do powerboat listings name hydraulic steering?

Because most powerboats with hydraulic steering need a hydraulic pump drive. Raymarine's Power Pilot packs are described for boats with hydraulic steering, so the listing names that steering type to tell you the intended fit.

What does "OB" mean in a Furuno NavPilot title?

OB stands for outboard. Furuno lists a NavPilot 711C/OB version described as an autopilot for outboards. The NavPilot 300 page also says Fantum Feedback removes the need for a physical rudder feedback unit in outboard installations.

What is a wheel pilot on a sailboat listing?

A wheel pilot is a drive that connects to the boat's wheel. Raymarine's EV-100 Wheel Pilot is described for small to medium sailboats. It is a sailboat pack, not a powerboat pack.