Raymarine now offers a budget autopilot for smaller boats with hydraulic steering.
RAYMARINE SMARTPILOT ST6002S1 E12106 HYDRAULIC SYSTEM for $1052.00. You may also need a instillation kit, less then $100. Complete SmartPilot System package designed for medium sized inboard powerboats with hydraulic steering.Package consist of:ST6001 Control Head S1 Corepack with course computer, rudder reference and fluxgate compass Type 1 12 Volt Hydraulic Drive. This price is from http://www.byownerelectronics.com and was checked on March 20, 2007. You must add the item to your cart to see the actual sell price. Without doing this step you will only see the MAP (minimum markup price) and not the discount price. Don’t just buy it, call 866-735-5926 and make sure this is the correct unit for your boat.
The above system is basic and has no gyro so you will get some minor ‘back and forth sway’ as you go. This sway can be unnoticeable in calm conditions to very noticeable in rough seas. You can add the internal “G” gyro to the core pack for about $500 more. The gyro senses the boat pitch and compensates the rudder adjustment accordingly.
The above can be connected to a Chartplotter so you can follow routes and not just go point to point. As you approach a turn the system beeps, prompting you if it’s OK to make the turn.
This system is for smaller boats with hydrollic rams not over 14 cubic inches. Larger drives are also available.
As far ‘self-instillation’ this project is similar in instillation difficulty to installing a radar / GPS / Chartplotter / fish finder system.
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