auto pilot

[matt]

Just bought a 24ft baha fishing boat. Looking for a auto pilot for the stern drive.
Any help would be great.
If i use drift bags to slow the troll, how does this effect the auto pilot.
thanks,
Matt

[Boatnut]

Matt,
I used the raytheon sport pilot on a 25' Doral that i had. I used trolling bags with it. It did ok going downwind or quartering but if any wind at all...would not track going into the wind. While cruising on plane though it did fine going in any direction. However, If I was buying an autopilot again for a boat that size, i'd probabley spend the extra couple of hundred bucks and get the raytheon ST5000.

I'm sure Freebyrd can give ya some good recomendations.

[FreeByrd]

I've got the Raytheon 5000 series below deck Autopilot on my 25' Carolina Classic. I've got a Bravo 3 outdrive. The boat is HEAVY for a 25 footer - well over 9000 pounds loaded up. I can't imagine owning another boat that doesn't have this autopilot. It is adjustable to the conditions with a few strokes on the keypad, easy to use and all around does a great job. It can handle trolling bags no problem. I sometimes don't run them at all, sometimes run one bag, and sometimes run two bags. I run my bags off the springline cleats. Also if you do this very often, get some trolling bags rather than just using driftsocks. Same concept just heavier duty material and built to withstand the pressures of trolling. I know several others that run the Raytheon 5000 series and haven't heard anyone complain about it.
Good Luck,
Steve

[Sparky]

Another option is a unit made by Nautamatic, www.nautamatic.com . They make a unit for a kicker but, also have one for sterndrive, outboard, or inboard. It only requires that you have hydraulic steering. Drop them a line and check on what they have. I just checked the website and gave them a phone call. They have the new unit and are currently updating the website to reflect that. Call them at 1-800-588-7655 and tell them your application. It is the only unit I know of, without an expensive upgrade, that comes with a gyroscope. Their kicker autopilot even has a gyroscope on it. It seperates them from others when the going gets a little bumpy and the fish are still hitting.

[Thom]

Matt,

When I went looking for an auto pilot for our boat (23' Sport Craft walkaround with a bracketed 200 Suzuki) my initial choice was the Raytheon Sport Pilot Plus. So I asked around about it all over the place and I got an inordinate number of responses that told me of failures of the unit and its inability to control the boat, particularly at lower speeds. I then considered the ST-5000 by Raytheon but a fellow who I have a great deal of respect for down in Morehead City NC told me that after haveing three of them on his boat (29' CC boat) he had given up on them and went to a Simrad/roberson. Simply put the Raytheons had failed on him and the Simrad had not. I then had the good fortune to have a good long talk with a Charter boat owner out of Kona and he was using the Simrad AP-12 on his, and had its predicessor, the Navico (bought out by Simrad) on his previous boat, and both had worked flawlessly. So, at the same price, the Simrad AP-12 took the place of the Sport Pilot on my list and I bought one. I have had the AP-12 for three years now and it has worked flawlessly. At a thousand bucks I think it is the best deal going, particularly when reliability becomes a big issue - as it always is to me. If I was going to buy a heavier duty unit, which I don't need, I would go with the Simrad/Roberson AP-11, which I have come to believe is the very best auto pilot for medium sized boats that money can buy - thought it takes more money than I paid for the AP-12. Instillation of the AP-12 is a bit more complicated than it would be for the Sport Pilot, but its exactly the same as it would be for the ST-5000. In the case of getting advice for auto pilot use I would suggest that you might want to go to one of the salt water fishing boards and see what the fellows have to say. I say that because the conditions are generally harsher for ocean going boats and if a machine will hold up there it can be expected to be very reliable in freshwater use. A site you might want to try would be the WMI Boating board. Its very active and there is a wealth of information available there, you can see it at http://www.wmi.org/www/boating/boatboard/index.html .

[kinda catchy]

Steve, What Gps are you running? Thinking of adding a auto pilot and new Gps. Not sure if I want to spend the money due to the fact I have a kicker on my boat I due most of my trolling with. I am currently running a Interphase Gps Pilot, interfaced with a Interphase Advantage. Problem being this unit (gps) has a few years on it, and does not perform with the speed of the newer units. The Advantage unit is only a year old, so I am on the fence on this issue. And I have to admit when I bought the boat it had a new Hummingbird on it, one of the high end models, and it works very well in it's own right. What do you think? Thanks Kelly.

[Robertp]

Thom,
Good to see you here. Your posts are always informative and helpful on the bass board. Thanks for the post.

[Bo]

Hi Matt, If you have hydraulic steering on your boat, the new Gladiator by Nautimatic Marine, may be the ticket. It works the same way that their kicker autopilot works. It's easy to install and actually operates with your thumb. Drop me an e-mail with your address, and I'll send you some literature about it. Tight lines, Bo #582

[FreeByrd]

Kelly,
I have the new Garmin 2010 mapping GPS. It is great. I've posted on many GPS mapping threads about it. You can search by "author" and find all of my posts on that. I also have a Lowrance LMS 350A that I used to use as double duty sonar and GPS plotter (no map). I now use the 350A as primary sonar and backup GPS. My boat had an Interphase sonar unit on it when I bought it but I'm not too impressed with the unit. Not even sure of the model but it has a low pixel count. I do not have my GPS interfaced with the Autopilot. Don't really see an advantage for me to do that and it is just something else that could potentially go wrong/cause interference. You mention you do most of your trolling with your kicker. I also have a 9.9 kicker that I have tied into the Bravo 3 outdrive with the EZ-Steer rod. It works great. I can run the kicker motor and steer with the Auto pilot no problem. No need to disconnect the EZ steer rod at all.

I'd spend my money on an autopilot. After having one, I can't imagine not having one now. There are some other posts about other brands of APs that people like. I've only used the Raytheons, so can't comment on the others. Depends on your boat as far as whether the Sport Pilot will work or if you need a heavier duty below decks pilot.
Good Luck,
Steve

[kinda catchy]

Steve, thanks for the information. Had a LMS350 on the last boat and loved it. How does your auto-pilot due running into the waves? Did you do the installation yourself, is it difficult? I had not thought I could use the kicker in conjuction with the auto pilot. I also have the E-Z steer setup on my boat. Currently I have just been locking the steering on my boat for trolling, but that method sure isn't like having direct control when things are happening on the deck. These guys are killing me with all this talk of going out on Sat. This is the time when I wish I had a second boat. Oh well, the season will soon be on ALL of us, until then Im going shopping for upgrades. Thanks for your help, Kelly.

[matt]

Thom,

How hard is the installation on the Simrad AP-12.
Can I do it myself or should I pay someone.
MAtt