Winterizing Your Autopilot: Storage and Protection

What Winterizing an Autopilot Means

Winterizing an autopilot means getting the system ready for a period when the boat is not in use. The work involves the drive unit, the control head, the heading sensor, the network cables, and the power supply. What exactly needs to happen depends on the model and the maker's instructions.

This article explains the parts that need attention and the questions to ask before storing the boat. It does not give installation, wiring, or maintenance steps. The maker's manual and a qualified installer are the people who decide what to do on your specific boat.

The buying guides on this site compare autopilot listings on stated details, like the drive in the box and the control head in the box. That same information helps you understand which parts you are storing. Start with the marine autopilot guide to see how packs are described.

• Drive unit (hydraulic pump, linear drive, or rotary drive)
• Control head and its buttons or rotary knob
• Heading sensor or compass
• Network cables and connectors
• Power wiring and the battery supply
• Rudder reference, if the system has one

Which Parts Need Attention

An autopilot has several parts that can sit unused for months. The drive unit is the part that moves the steering, and it can be a hydraulic pump for hydraulic steering or a linear or rotary drive for mechanical steering. The control head is the panel you press to set a course. The heading sensor tells the system where the boat points. The rudder reference reports rudder position.

Raymarine's drive unit page explains that the drive unit is the part that interfaces with the vessel's steering system. That is a useful way to think about winter care: whatever touches the steering needs the most attention. See the drive types article for more on how these drives are named.

• The drive and its mount
• The control head and its connectors
• The heading sensor
• The network cables
• The power wiring

Hydraulic Drives and Fluid in Winter

Hydraulic steering uses fluid to move the rudder. The autopilot's hydraulic pump connects to that steering system, and the pump and hoses are part of what gets stored. Whether the fluid should be left as is, topped up, or changed is a question for the maker's manual and a qualified installer. A listing article cannot say what your boat's hydraulic system needs.

Raymarine's autopilot packs page names several hydraulic autopilot packs, like 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. The name of the pack tells you that the drive in the box is a hydraulic pump, which is the part you store.

Before the boat goes into storage, ask the installer what the pump needs. If you are choosing a new pack, the hydraulic autopilot guide compares listings that carry hydraulic pumps.

Connectors and Corrosion

An autopilot talks to the rest of the boat over network cables. The NMEA 2000 standard, described by the National Marine Electronics Association, is a CAN-based network that connects marine electronic equipment on a vessel. NMEA 2000 products share data, including commands and status, with compatible equipment on a single channel.

The connectors on the control head, the drive, and the sensors are places where corrosion can start while the boat sits. Protecting connectors is part of winter storage, but which protection to use is the installer's or the maker's call. Questions to ask include whether the connectors should be unplugged, sealed, or treated. See the NMEA 2000 connectivity article and the corrosion protection for connectors article.

Battery Care During Storage

The autopilot runs off the boat's electrical system, so winter storage includes deciding what to do with the batteries. Some boat owners keep batteries on a maintainer, others remove them. The right choice depends on the battery type, the charger, and the maker's guidance. This article does not give steps; the battery documentation and a qualified installer do.

A tiller pilot is a self-contained unit for a tiller-steered sailboat, and its storage may simply mean taking it off the boat and keeping it in a dry place. The maker's manual says what the tiller pilot needs. See the tiller pilot guide for how these units are listed.

When you buy a pack, the listing tells you what is in the box, and that helps you plan. A complete pack has the drive and control head listed; a core pack may leave out the drive or head. See complete pack or core pack for what those words mean.

Questions to Ask Before Storage

The people who can answer winter care questions are the dealer, the installer, and the maker's support line. A qualified installer has the manual and knows your boat's steering. Ask questions like these.

• What does the manual say about storing the drive unit?
• Should the hydraulic pump be drained, left full, or serviced before storage?
• Which connectors need protection, and what product should I use?
• How should the autopilot's battery supply be handled during the season off?
• Is the tiller pilot meant to be removed, or can it stay mounted?
• Does the warranty require any specific storage care?

What Listings Tell You Before Winter

Reading a listing before you store the boat is useful when you plan to replace or upgrade the autopilot in the offseason. The title usually names the pack and the control head, and the bullet list states whether a drive is in the box. That tells you how much of the system you are dealing with.

For example, Raymarine's pack list shows the ST1000+ and ST2000+ as self-contained cockpit tiller autopilots for sailboats. A listing for a tiller pilot names the whole unit in the title, because there is no separate drive or control head. A pack listing for an EV-200 names the control head and the pump separately.

Furuno's NavPilot 300 listing states what the product consists of: cables, autopilot pumps, and miscellaneous accessories. That is the kind of detail a listing gives before you store or install anything.

If you plan to order a new system over the winter, compare packs on stated details only. The core pack guide and the complete pack guide are the places to start.

What Winterizing Does Not Cover

Winter storage is not the same as calibration, commissioning, or a safety inspection. An autopilot does not replace a lookout, and the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety page describes the division's work to reduce loss of life, injuries, and property damage by improving the knowledge, skills, and abilities of recreational boaters. This site makes no safety claims about any autopilot.

When the season returns, the maker's manual covers the steps to get the autopilot back in service. That includes reconnecting, re-energizing, and re-checking the system. This article, and this site, leaves those steps to the manual and a qualified installer.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Do I need to remove the autopilot for winter storage?

Not necessarily. Some tiller pilots are designed to be taken off the boat, but what to remove and what to leave is the maker's manual's call. Ask your dealer or installer for the guidance for your model.

Should I drain the hydraulic fluid from the autopilot pump?

Only if the maker's manual says so. The hydraulic pump is part of the boat's steering system, and changing or draining fluid is a job for a qualified installer, not something a listing article can advise.

What about the batteries that power the autopilot?

Battery care is part of winter storage. Whether to keep a battery on charge, remove it, or disconnect it depends on the battery type and the maker's guidance. The autopilot manufacturer's manual and the battery documentation decide.

How do I protect the connectors from corrosion?

Connectors on the control head, drive, and network cables benefit from protection, but which product to use and where to apply it is the installer's call. A qualified installer can point to the right treatment for your system's connectors.

Can I winterize the autopilot myself?

That depends on the maker's instructions and your skills. This site gives no installation or maintenance steps; the manual is the source for what you may do yourself and what needs a qualified installer.

Does winterizing affect the warranty?

Warranty terms are set by the maker and the seller. Keep receipts and part numbers, and ask the seller what care the warranty expects during storage.