auto pilot

[buster107]

I have an Islander and I would like to add auto pilot to it. I do not have hydraulic steering on it. Would it be worth getting hydraulic steering?? I don't know anything about auto pilot. Any help should help . Thanks

[jimbobber]

i just got a raymarine smartpilot 5xr it works with cable systems as long as you steering colum shaft has a 3/4 or 1 inch dia. it seems to work very well and is pretty easy to install.It is a little noisy but i can live with that.

[Paulywood]

I have the same one as Jim. I went through a couple of them while they worked out the bugs but the one I have now seems to be working good. I love having an AP and wouldn't fish without one again. It was an easy install.

[jay d]

if you have the funds to go hydraulic i would go that route.you will get a more reliable ap and gives you a lot of choices in aps.you can also go with a garmin tr 1 if you have a kicker.

[jimbobber]

oh one other thing the smart pilot does not hook up to a garmin gps very easy not sure it will , but does on a lowrance hds.

[HONDAM]

It is definately worth the money to go to hydraulic if you have it, all together a complete conversion with autopilot is close to $5000. But you will have a system that can hold you on coarse in just about any weather and generally problems free.

Sportpilots i do not generally recommend, they work better on some boat then others but they have been making that style of unit for years and they claim to now have all the bugs worked out but i have heard that many times.

Somewhere in between is an octopus drive setup, much better performance and reliability then a sportpilot and still keeping your cable steering so saves you some money. Just take an octopus drive and pair it with a Garmin GHP-12 or Raymarine X-10 and this is closer to the $2700 ballpark range.

PS Sportpilots will definately sync with a Garmin GPS.

[Salmon Assassin]

I put a Sport Pilot on my boat last year and it has performed flawlessly, I don't know how I fished without one.

[jphelps]

Is calibrating the unit as difficult as the raymarine web site makes it out to be,im planning on starting installing one of these midweek. And putting it to use on the weekend.

[Salmon Assassin]

Nope, just make sure you have plenty of room around you, you'll be driving in circles for a while.