It's only money right??? Remote steering or Auto pilot?

[CalCom]

OK, so I took the plunge and got the Raymarine EV-150 installed. Very preliminary but, wow! Mainly used it (so far) for trolling but boy does it take the stress out of setting up, fighting fish, resetting. I was having a bit of rationalization for the cost, but no more. And I’ve really only begun to work with the unit. No guff it’s a pile of money, but it certainly does make life on the water easier.

 

[Hot-Streak]

OK, so I took the plunge and got the Raymarine EV-150 installed. Very preliminary but, wow! Mainly used it (so far) for trolling but boy does it take the stress out of setting up, fighting fish, resetting. I was having a bit of rationalization for the cost, but no more. And I’ve really only begun to work with the unit. No guff it’s a pile of money, but it certainly does make life on the water easier.

Congrats!

They aren't cheap... but I like to say "you never miss the money you've spent on things you want"

 

[CalCom]

Congrats!

They aren't cheap... but I like to say "you never miss the money you've spent on things you want"

What is really amazing is how well the AP can keep our course in choppy conditions. Manually, I tended to overcorrect and when a rod went off, the goat rodeo began. Even with aft steering it was a bit of a challenge.

 

[barkerfam]

Have just put the garmin kicker AP on. It is a complete game changer. Worth every penny.

 

[Jegermiester]

I've got a Humminbird Helix 9 MSI & MDI, GPS, G3N.
Does anyone know if the Raymarine, Garmin or Lowrance AP's are compatible with my unit??

 

[inlet hunter]

Thinking about putting in lowrance outboard hydraulic auto pilot. The boat a 2470 pursuit 300 /9 for engines.There are two types #1 lowrance Outboard Hydraulic pack with A1compass for $1679 or #2 Navico NAC-1Precision Hydraulic Pilot Pack with Precision 9 compass ( upgrade compass) $ 2449.00. What I want this AP to do cruise 25 mph and to troll with . Which one do you have on that kind of boat.??
Thanks

 

[Fisher_dude]

I have a 24ft aluminum with a 300/15. I have the Lowrance with the point 1 and nac 1 which is your first option. It works for everything I need it for for 99% of the time. The 1% it doesn’t work is when it will lock me sideways while doing zig zag patterns. And that’s happened probably 4 times in 5 years. I also have it paired with the Bluetooth remote. I don’t even touch my steering wheel anymore. Remote is a must

 

[TheNootkaRose]

21ft aluminum with 225/9.9. I have Lowrance HDS with this Lowrance Outboard Hydraulic Pack and this WR10 remote.
As with fisher dude said, works like a charm no issues for running and trolling, would spend the money again in a split second.

What fisher dude said about the "lock me sideways." If I go out of gear (neutral on the kicker) and start drifting of but the autopilot remains on the kicker will try to turn port or starboard to correct, but without forward propulsion it'll limit out on one side or the other and lock itself in that position. Simply "standby" the autopilot, and manually free the wheel and you're back.

 

[ship happens]

The reason that happens is when you don't have a rudder feedback sensor to tell the module to stop, it will just keep power lit up on the motor in that one direction. It loads so much hydraulic pressure into the system that the electric pump can't reverse it afterwards. You normally have to crank the helm pump and free up the pressure. This is really bad on the electric pumps because they are DC motors. They don't like being slowed down that much. It heats up the brushes and that's how you kill a DC electric motor.

Some APs are smarter than others. Some have an algorithm in their software that help with that. Garmin does it in their pumps. Expensive pumps. Furuno does it the best. All in all they all do the same function. Outboards are different because you can't exactly install a sensor. You could but it would be a custom install and the sensor would likely fail. End of the day I don't know if I'd be comfortable running a speed boat at 25 mph with an autopilot. Especially when NO rudder feedback sensor is in use.

 

[TheHurtLocker]

Thinking about putting in lowrance outboard hydraulic auto pilot. The boat a 2470 pursuit 300 /9 for engines.There are two types #1 lowrance Outboard Hydraulic pack with A1compass for $1679 or #2 Navico NAC-1Precision Hydraulic Pilot Pack with Precision 9 compass ( upgrade compass) $ 2449.00. What I want this AP to do cruise 25 mph and to troll with . Which one do you have on that kind of boat.??
Thanks

I have Garmin AP, GHP Reactor, SteadyCast heading sensor. I love it, use it all the time. Bought a handheld that I can control while fishing, it also can tell where I’m pointing it and direction and steer the boat to where I’m pointing. Once again helps when you’re by yourself. It’s on a 2870 Pursuit 300/300.
When running it’s handy too, plot a course and go! I find it lets me concentrate on wood in the water a lot more.

 

[N2013]

What do fellas figure a setup would cost with a 9” unit?

 

[Fisher_dude]

Boat show pricing is always the best. I got my AP for 1299 at the time. My blue tooth remote was $400

 

[SpringVelocity]

1800 to 2k if your going with a lowrance or simrad system. I never had issues with it wandering etc.

 

[inlet hunter]

Is the Precision 9 compass worth the extra money? Who is using them how much better than the A1 is it?

 

[Alan Wilson]

Is the Precision 9 compass worth the extra money? Who is using them how much better than the A1 is it?

I use the NAC 2 on my hewscraft 250 Alaskan
Had the NAC1 on my Hewscraft 190 Searunner

I did not notice a difference in the performance on the two boats.
Went with the NAC2 for only $300 more than NAC1 as I got a used Precision 9 for $100

The NAC1 is supposed to work up to a 30 ft boat.

 

[inlet hunter]

Ok Thanks Allan
I will go with the NAC1 and use that extra money to buy WR-10 wireless Remote.

 

[searun]

Roger that on spending the extra $ to get a WR-10 - its the bomb. I'll toss another wrench in your planning and boat spending budgets....upgrade with a hydraulic power steering pump. Its next level if you have twins plus a kicker creating a lot of drag pressure. Steering is so much easier.

 

[Alan Wilson]

Roger that on spending the extra $ to get a WR-10 - its the bomb. I'll toss another wrench in your planning and boat spending budgets....upgrade with a hydraulic power steering pump. Its next level if you have twins plus a kicker creating a lot of drag pressure. Steering is so much easier.

If you install a power steering pump make sure the autopilot pump is on the downstream (toward the hydraulic ram) side of the power steering pump.
How do I know this???

 

[searun]

If you install a power steering pump make sure the autopilot pump is on the downstream (toward the hydraulic ram) side of the power steering pump.
How do I know this???

Roger, that is how mine is installed. Otherwise a not so happy ending.

 

[chille51]

Well thanks to this thread for helping me spend my money. Had been planning to get to autopilot eventually but was going to save up a bit, maybe wait for a sale. However noticed yesterday that Harbour Chandler only had 1 Lowrance Hydraulic Outboard Kit left in stock, and also that they suddenly were listed as "discontinued" on the Lowrance website. With who knows what going to happen to prices and supply availability with these tariff threats, decided to pull the trigger now while they were still available. Turns out the one they had left in stock at HC was an open box, so they gave me a pretty nice discount over the online listed price. Score!

Not sure if it is just the bundled "kit" that is being discontinued and you can still buy the parts individually or if they are moving away from the NAC-1 or what - but public service warning if you've been on the fence like me. May want to pull the trigger while you can.