Autopilot for Sailboats with Outboards

A sailboat with an outboard is a steering question first

On most sailboats with an outboard, the engine is auxiliary power. It pushes the boat when the wind does not, while the rudder does the steering. That is why the autopilot choice follows the steering, not the engine model. A small sailboat usually steers with a tiller attached to the rudder; a larger sailboat often has a wheel running cables or hydraulics to the rudder.

Maker pages describe autopilot packs by steering type for this reason. Raymarine lists its ST1000+ and ST2000+ as self-contained cockpit tiller autopilots for sailboats and its cockpit tiller drive as an electric drive unit for tiller-steered sailing boats. If a boat is steered by the outboard itself, that is a powerboat-style layout and outboard-specific autopilot models apply; for most sailboats, the rudder decides.

For a comparison of how steering changes the choice, see tiller steering and sailboat versus powerboat autopilots.

Tiller pilots: the self-contained option

A tiller pilot mounts on the cockpit and pushes the tiller through a pushrod. It has a built-in keypad, so there is no separate control head to buy. Raymarine names two self-contained cockpit tiller autopilots for sailboats, the ST1000+ and ST2000+, and a tiller drive autopilot for small sailboats called the EV-100 Tiller.

For a tiller-steered sailboat with an outboard, this is the simplest route, because every part is in the box. The bracket and the pushrod are accessories that a listing may name separately.

See the tiller pilots guide for the models compared on stated details.

Bracket-mounted drives: a drive unit for the tiller

When a tiller pilot is not the right fit for your boat, the next step on a tiller-steered sailboat is a bracket-mounted drive. Raymarine calls this the Cockpit Tiller Drive and describes it as an electric drive unit for tiller-steered sailing boats up to 6,000 kg (13,000 lbs.) displacement.

Unlike a tiller pilot, this drive is not self-contained. It needs an actuator control unit (ACU) and a control head, so it arrives as a pack that names those parts. The drive list on the maker's page shows other drive types as well, including linear drives, rotary drives and hydraulic pumps.

For packs built around this drive, start with the EV-200 autopilots guide.

Complete pack or core pack on a sailboat

A complete pack includes the drive in the box. A core pack leaves the drive out for a boat that keeps an existing drive. On a sailboat with an outboard, the existing drive might be an old tiller pilot, a wheel drive or a hydraulic pump that still works.

A listing that names the drive in the box is a complete pack. A listing that says no drive or requires pump is a core pack. Compare the pack contents on stated details: the drive type, the control head type and the sensor.

Read more about complete packs, core packs and a complete pack versus a custom setup.

The control head and the network

Once you move past a tiller pilot, the pack includes a control head, and some packs name the head in the title. The head is mounted at the helm, and one or two heads is a question of where you steer from.

Autopilot packs also connect to other instruments over NMEA 2000, which the National Marine Electronics Association describes as a network standard for sharing data among marine electronics. The maker's page states what the pack connects to; the control heads and NMEA 2000 connectivity articles explain the terms.

Outboard-specific autopilots and when they apply

Furuno lists the NavPilot 711C/OB as a single-DIN autopilot for outboards, and Furuno describes Fantum Feedback as letting outboard and sterndrive installations skip a physical rudder feedback unit. Those models are aimed at vessels steered by outboards, usually powerboats with hydraulic steering.

On a sailboat with an auxiliary outboard, the steering path is the rudder, so the sailboat pack is the tiller pilot, the cockpit tiller drive or a wheel drive. If your boat is steered entirely by the outboard, the outboard-labeled models are the ones to read; the sailboat versus powerboat autopilots comparison helps separate the two cases.

What to ask the seller before ordering

Before you order an autopilot for a sailboat with an outboard, ask: Does the boat have tiller or wheel steering? Does the outboard steer the boat, or does the rudder? Does the pack name the drive in the box, and is the control head included or sold separately?

For a wheel-steered sailboat with hydraulic steering, the drive is a hydraulic pump; for mechanical steering, a rotary or linear drive is the drive. The listing names which one is in the box. The sailboat autopilots guide compares packs on those stated details.

Keeping the watch while the autopilot steers

An autopilot holds a heading, but it does not keep a lookout. The U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety website offers boating safety courses and vessel safety checks, which describe the operator's duties on the water. This site makes no safety claims and gives no installation instructions beyond a question for the maker's manual and a qualified installer.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Can a tiller pilot work on a sailboat with an outboard?

Yes, if the boat is tiller-steered. Raymarine describes the ST1000+ and ST2000+ as self-contained cockpit tiller autopilots for sailboats. The outboard provides propulsion; the tiller and rudder do the steering. See the tiller pilots guide.

What is a bracket-mounted drive on a sailboat?

A bracket-mounted drive is an electric drive unit that attaches to a bracket and pushes the tiller through a linkage. Raymarine's Cockpit Tiller Drive is described as an electric drive unit for tiller-steered sailing boats up to 6,000 kg (13,000 lbs.) displacement. It needs an actuator control unit and a control head.

What is the difference between a complete pack and a core pack?

A complete pack includes the drive in the box. A core pack leaves the drive out for a boat that keeps an existing drive. Compare the pack contents on stated details before ordering.

Does the outboard matter for autopilot choice?

Only if the outboard itself steers the boat. On most sailboats the outboard is auxiliary and the rudder steering decides the autopilot. If the outboard is the steering, outboard-labeled autopilot models apply.

Do I need a rudder reference unit on a sailboat?

It depends on the pack. Furuno describes Fantum Feedback as letting outboard and sterndrive installations skip a physical rudder feedback unit. For a tiller sailboat, the pack contents and the maker's page decide what is included.

What should a listing say for a sailboat with an outboard?

The listing should name the steering (tiller or wheel), the drive (tiller drive, wheel drive, linear or hydraulic) and whether the control head is in the box. If it says outboard in the title, that usually names the engine, not the autopilot type.