Upgrading Your Autopilot: What to Consider

Why upgrade an autopilot

Replacing an older autopilot is a common step for boat owners who want a newer control head, a course computer that suits their current steering, or a pack the maker designed for their boat type. The reasons vary, but the decision comes down to which parts stay and which parts go.

The maker pages name autopilot packs by boat type. Raymarine lists the EV-100 Tiller Autopilot for small sailboats, the EV-100 Wheel Pilot for small to medium sailboats, the EV-100 Power Pilot for small powerboats with hydraulic steering, and the EV-200 Power Pilot for medium to large powerboats with hydraulic steering. Those names are the first thing to read on a listing. The site's marine autopilot guide walks through the main lines.

Start with the steering system

Every autopilot pack contains a drive matched to one kind of steering. Raymarine's drive unit page says the drive unit is the part that interfaces with the vessel's steering system, and it lists cockpit tiller drives, wheel drives, hydraulic pumps, rotary drives and linear drives. The steering system already aboard your boat decides which drive a pack can use.

The maker publishes fit details on its drive pages, including displacement figures such as the cockpit tiller drive listing up to 6,000 kg (13,000 lbs.). Use those pages rather than a general rule. This site keeps drive type as a filter on every listing.

• Tiller steering: a tiller drive suits a tiller-steered sailing boat.
• Wheel steering: a wheel drive suits a wheel-steered sailboat.
• Hydraulic steering: a hydraulic pump matches a boat with hydraulic steering, from the small Type 0.5 to the Type 3; see the hydraulic autopilot guide.
• Mechanical steering: a linear drive or rotary drive can suit mechanical steering, depending on the maker's stated fit.
• Electronic steering: a drive-by-wire autopilot suits a boat with a digital helm system, such as the EV-DBW Volvo Edition for Volvo Penta IPS or Aquamatic, or a Furuno NavPilot pack for Yamaha Helm Master.

Decide whether the drive stays

Most upgrades begin with one question: does the drive unit stay or go? A core pack leaves the drive out of the box, so an owner who keeps a compatible drive buys only the course computer, sensor and control parts. A complete pack includes the drive, which is the route when the old drive is being retired or the steering system has changed.

Raymarine packs are named for the drive they carry, and the pack page groups them by boat size and steering. Reading those names tells you which steering system the pack is built for before you open the listing. Compare core packs and complete packs on stated details, and see drive types for the difference between hydraulic, rotary and linear drives.

One control head, or none in the box

An autopilot system needs a way to set and read the course. The control head can be in the pack or sold separately. Raymarine's autopilot page describes control heads as completing an Evolution autopilot system; Furuno's NavPilot 300 is an adaptive autopilot with a 4.1 inch color LCD and a gesture controller. If you already have a control head you like, a pack without one in the box can be the right choice, and the listing title says which you are getting.

For an upgrade, ask whether the new control head replaces the old one at the helm or adds a second station. Control head options explains the choices, and the autopilot with control head guide compares packs that include a head.

Network and power considerations

A modern autopilot often shares heading, route and command data with chartplotters, wind instruments and other electronics. The NMEA 2000 standard is a CAN based network that interconnects marine electronic equipment. The NMEA page describes it as multi-master and self configuring, with no central controller, and it says equipment designed to the standard shares data over a single channel. Products that read or transmit NMEA 2000 information must be certified by NMEA.

On an upgrade, the boat's existing instruments may already stand on a NMEA 2000 backbone. Whether a new autopilot joins that network is a question for the maker's page and the dealer, not a general claim. NMEA 2000 connectivity covers the basics.

Power is another read. The Furuno NavPilot 300 page states 12-24 VDC power usage. Check the boat's system voltage against the listing and the maker's manual before ordering.

New, refurbished or used

Listings carry new, refurbished, open box and used units. A new unit comes from the maker's distribution with the stated box contents. Refurbished, open box and used units are offered by sellers in various conditions; the listing text says what the seller states.

Before buying, read the warranty text, ask what the box should contain, and keep the receipt and part numbers. For a used unit, ask whether the drive or control head came from a complete system and whether the unit was connected to a network. The seller's words are the only evidence you have.

Questions to ask before you buy

Put together a checklist before you order. The list below covers the questions most upgrades raise, and installation planning covers what to prepare before a quote.

• What steering system is on the boat, and does the pack name match it?
• Is the drive unit in the box, or are you keeping the old drive?
• Is a control head included?
• What voltage does the system need, and what voltage is aboard?
• Does the maker's page state the boat type and displacement the pack suits?
• Who will install it: a qualified installer, a dealer or the owner following the maker's manual?
• What does the warranty and return text say?

Keep the watch

An autopilot steers the boat; it does not replace a lookout or a boating education. The U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety page points boaters to safety courses, navigation rules and float plans. Keep the watch as you always would, and treat the autopilot as a tool that needs supervision.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

What does a core pack leave out?

A core pack leaves the drive unit out of the box. You keep the boat's existing drive if it is compatible, or you buy a drive separately. The listing title and bullet list say whether the drive is included.

Can I keep the drive from my old autopilot?

Possibly, if the maker's page and the dealer confirm the drive works with the new course computer and sensor. The maker's fit details, not a general rule, decide that. Ask a qualified installer before ordering.

What does a complete pack include?

A complete pack includes the drive unit plus the course computer, sensor and control head, depending on the pack. Raymarine's pack page groups EV packs by boat size and steering; the listing states the contents.

Does an upgrade require a new control head?

Not always. Some packs ship without a control head, and some owners use a multifunction display as the interface. Read the listing title to see whether a head is in the box.

Why does the steering type matter for an upgrade?

The drive unit is the part that interfaces with the steering system, which is why a tiller boat needs a tiller drive and a hydraulic boat needs a hydraulic pump. The pack name usually tells you which steering type it is built for.

What should I ask about NMEA 2000?

Ask whether the new autopilot is certified to the NMEA 2000 standard and whether it joins the boat's existing network. The NMEA page says certified products share data over a single channel; the dealer confirms the exact fit.