Furuno vs Simrad Autopilot: Compare

Compare Furuno and Simrad on stated details

This article compares Furuno and Simrad autopilots the way a buyer reads a listing: by the stated details in the title and bullet list, not by performance claims. The marine autopilot reviews on this site are comparisons of stated details. Furuno's NavPilot line and Simrad's autopilot line both appear across complete packs and core packs on this site.

Both makers offer a control unit (Furuno calls it the processor in the pack; Simrad lists control units like NAC-2 and NAC-3 in the title), a control head, a heading sensor, and a drive. What the pack title names tells you which parts are in the box.

For a full comparison of the two families, see the Furuno guide and the Simrad guide. The main autopilot guide is the starting point for a first buyer.

• What the first words of the title name: control unit, control head, or model line
• Whether the listing is a complete pack or a core pack
• Which drive or pump is in the box, if the title names one
• Which steering system the pack is described for

How the model names read on a listing

Furuno listings carry the name NavPilot followed by a number: NavPilot 300, NavPilot 711C, NavPilot 1000, and the NavPilot 300/PG packs. Simrad listings carry names like NAC-2 or NAC-3 for the control unit, and AP44, AP70 or AP80 for the control head. The first words of a title usually name the control unit or the head: the part the buyer sees at the helm.

The word pack in a title means the listing includes more than one part. Complete pack and core pack have different meanings: a complete pack includes a drive or pump, a core pack leaves it out. The core pack explainer covers the distinction.

The table below shows how the names on the two families read.

What Furuno puts in a NavPilot pack

Furuno's NavPilot 300 product page describes the product as consisting of cables, autopilot pumps and miscellaneous accessories. The NavPilot 300 includes a 4.1-inch color LCD and a gesture controller that works over Bluetooth within 10 meters, per that page.

The NavPilot 711C is described as a single-DIN size color display, and a 711C listing may end with -M or -S to name the pump included: PUMPOCT16-12 or PUMPOCT10-12. Those suffixes tell you that the pump is in the box.

Furuno also lists outboard and electronic steering kits: NavPilot 300-HM for Yamaha Helm Master, NavPilot 300-IPS, NavPilot 300-OPT for SeaStar Optimus, and NavPilot 300-YAN for Yanmar. Those titles name the steering system the pack is built for.

What Simrad puts in a pack

Simrad autopilot packs on this site are named by the control unit and the head. A title like Simrad NAC-3 with AP70 tells you the computer and head are in the box. A separate pump or drive name may follow, and core pack tells you the drive is not included.

The Simrad guide sorts the packs by what the listing states: control head in the box, drive in the box, and the steering type the pump is for, whether hydraulic, linear or tiller. The naming mirrors Furuno in that a pack is a combination of parts.

Drive options: hydraulic pumps and outboard kits

Both makers offer reversing hydraulic pumps for hydraulic steering. Furuno names pumps in the title, for example PUMPOCT16-12 and PUMPOCT10-12 in the NavPilot 300/PG-M and NavPilot 300/PG-S listings. Simrad titles similarly name the pump after the head.

For outboard boats, Furuno lists a feature called Fantum Feedback: the maker's page says NavPilot outboard and sterndrive installations no longer require a physical rudder feedback unit. This is a stated feature of the NavPilot 300 and 711C lines, not a claim this site makes.

Before choosing a pump, find out the boat's steering: hydraulic, mechanical cable, tiller, or an electronic helm. The hydraulic autopilot guide and the drive types explainer cover the categories.

Integration with the rest of the helm

Both makers' autopilots connect over NMEA 2000, the marine electronics network standard described by the National Marine Electronics Association as a CAN-based, self-configuring network for interconnecting marine electronic devices.

A chartplotter, heading sensor and autopilot share data and commands over that network, but compatibility beyond the standard is decided by each maker's page, not by this site. The NMEA 2000 explainer and the integration explainer walk through what to ask.

Furuno notes that its NavPilot is designed to match NavNet TZtouchXL, TZtouchE, TZMAP and FI70 instruments. If your helm already runs Simrad displays, the Simrad guide sorts the packs that fit a Simrad helm.

Fishing and outboard-oriented features on NavPilot

The Furuno NavPilot 300 page lists fishing-oriented modes: SABIKI mode for drifting astern, FishHunter mode to run maneuvers around a target, and Speed Control to hold a preset speed. These are listed as stated features, not as claims about how they perform.

The gesture controller in the NavPilot 300 pack is a stated way to point a heading from up to 10 meters away. For a fisherman at the stern or a bridge, the control head's remote options are part of the listing title.

What the catalogue cannot tell you

Neither maker's listing on this site is a substitute for the maker's manual. Installation, wiring, calibration and commissioning are covered by the maker's manual and a qualified installer; this site gives no installation steps.

A comparison of stated details cannot tell you course-holding accuracy, behavior in waves, power draw or durability. Those questions go to the maker or a dealer.

Keep watch regardless of the autopilot. The U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division works to reduce losses by improving the knowledge, skill and abilities of recreational boaters. The brand comparison explainer has more on what a listing does and does not state.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Which is better: Furuno or Simrad?

Neither is better across the board. The choice depends on what your helm already shows, which steering the boat has, and whether you want a complete pack or a core pack. Compare the two guides on stated details.

Can a Furuno autopilot work with a Simrad chartplotter?

Both makers connect through NMEA 2000, the shared marine network standard. Whether a specific model accepts commands from a specific display is a compatibility detail that the maker's page decides, so check the maker's page or ask the dealer.

Do I need a rudder feedback unit?

Furuno states that its Fantum Feedback software means NavPilot outboard and sterndrive installations do not require a physical rudder feedback unit. For Simrad, the listing's stated details and the maker's manual decide what the pack needs.

Does the autopilot replace the lookout?

No. An autopilot steers, but a watch is still your responsibility. The U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division focuses on improving the knowledge, skill and abilities of recreational boaters.

Which pack has the control head in the box?

Some packs name the control head in the title, for example Simrad AP70 or Furuno NavPilot 300 with its LCD. The listing bullet list states what is in the box; use the control head filter on the guides.