Simrad Autopilot - first test impression

[TenMile]

Got out on the weekend on the new rig and tested out a new Simrad 2403 Autopilot system. First time I have ever used an AP on a boat. Did the installation myself over a couple weekends. First time working with hydraulics -- hardest part was mating all the different fittings together but the guys at Coast Industrial helped my solve that jigsaw puzzle.

I've got the AP networked to my Lowrance HDS plotters and they pass waypoints, depth, GPS etc to the AP. The AP unit sends the rudder position back to the chartplotters which is handy when handling the boat around the docks as you can't tell which way they are pointed otherwise.

The thing that sold me on the Simrad was a feature called Depth Contour Tracking (DCT). With the DCT you can tell the AP to hold the boat to a certain depth. Using both a gain setting and cross contour tracking, instructs the AP on how tightly to follow the specific depth -- a higher gain won't vary the depth much, and a lower gain will allow it to make changes by 10-20ft or more. Setting a low CCT makes the boat run a straight line, while setting a higher CCT lets the boat run lazy S-turns along the depth.

Ran it for several hours on the Oak Bay flats. Had it doing larger S turns at various depths from about 100' to 130'. It would track the contour lines very well between Brody Rock and the rockpile outside the Gap. Other than watching for other boats, it made playing the fish we got much easier as there was no worry about getting off course and into shallow water. Slight wind and currents didn't seem to bother the steering at all.

Still figuring out all the navigation functions, but so far it seems like a great fishing partner.

 

[profisher]

Outboard or inboard?

 

[TenMile]

Outboard or inboard?

My setting is twin inboards with rudders. The 2403 can be used with outboards as well. No need for the rudder sensor in that setup as it uses a technology called virtual rudder feedback (VRF).

 

[wildthing]

what was you list of simrad items and budget

as lots of folks don't know the build up cost of going to autopilot

was looking for one for mine as it would be an AC12 computer / rpu80 pump and the RC42 compass
fed into the NSS8 head unit that 3 part system is $1800 +

which is beyond my budget but on on wishlist.....lol

 

[TenMile]

The 2403 package includes the exact stuff above less the NSS8. Westmarine in Victoria cut me a great deal -- slightly less than the USD price posted here but in CAD. http://www.westmarine.com/buy/simrad--ap2403-vrf-autopilot-package--12329389 -- factor in a few hundred bucks more for 5' of hydraulic lines, tees and oil.

Yes, it's not cheap, but in my case, much cheaper or on par with any of the remote steering alternatives -- e.g. kicker/bracket/helm or mounting a 3rd helm.

For me, this is a new boat, so a remote steering option was something I had budgeted/saved for.

 

[Sir Reel]

Hey TenMile,
How does trolling work on the single diesel? how is the speed and handling? Sounds like you opted not to use a kicker?

 

[TenMile]

So far so good. On a single engine, the speed was a bit fast -- slowest I could get it was around 3kts which for shallow fishing is ok, but below 100' and the riggers blow back too much. I ended up getting a "Trolling Bag" from Amish Outfitters. I hang the bag off either side of the boat (either port or starboard -- the same side as the running engine). The bag slows the boat down to below 2kts and the drag counteracts the push from running a single prop. If you tie the bag far enough forward it stays out of the way when playing a fish. When the boat is in neutral, it's easy to pull the back of the bag out of the water to get it out of the way.

 

[Sir Reel]

Sounds like a good way to do it. Only thing is I wonder what are the long term effects on idling the diesel that long?
Are you enjoying the new boat? Seems like a lot of boat for the money. They look really sharp as well.

 

[SpringVelocity]

I used to know a guy Dave from n Joy charters ( doesn't guide anymore). He used to slow his diesels right down and troll with them... He could literally stop the boat I am not sure what system he had... BTW that autopilot sounds pretty slick...

 

[wildthing]

shame you don't have trolling valves
thought about a big kicker on the back
save all that drag
but see that having two forms of fuel is a pain
also you would not get the fumes from the diesels
at the lower rpm's

my buddies northstar has twin Diesel's but his has trolling valves fitted
wonder if they could be retro fitted.
mite be worth looking into but price could be expensive vs the kicker route

 

[TenMile]

I can install trolling valves on my Twindisk transmissions, however the trolling bag does the trick and is a small fraction of the cost. If I want to go even slower, the trick is to add a second bag. Even allows me to jack up the engine RPMs a bit. No fumes from the diesels they run very clean particularly when they are warm.

 

[TenMile]

Update to this thread.

When I initially assembled my electronics I purchased an HDS 9 Gen-3 as my plotter. In the documentation and on the screen of these new HDS units, there is an option for Autopilot. I believed that since Lowrance/Simrad are the same company that it meant the HDS would integrate and control the Simrad AP. Unfortunately, no so. The ONLY AP the Lowrance can control is the Lowrance Outboard Pilot.

Anyhow, the guys at West Marine were very cool, and agreed to take back the HDS and exchange it for a Simrad NSS-9. Now I can control the AP directly from the chartplotter at the upper helm, and use the AP24 at the lower helm. Makes for a nicer setup.

The NSS is better if you want to navigate somewhere -- you can simply touch a point on the screen and enable navigation and the plotter will ask if you want to engage the AP -- or you can set a route (by adding waypoints, or converting a recorded track to a route).

 

[wildthing]

oh shame you should of got the evo-2
has built in chirp and wifi i believe
as i have a pair of NSS8's and looking at going chirp soon

thats a bummer the AP does not run with a gen 3

even Navico recommend using the RC42 to control the AP for a Gen 3 setup
for on the Ocean over or with the point one

 

[TenMile]

oh shame you should of got the evo-2
has built in chirp and wifi i believe
as i have a pair of NSS8's and looking at going chirp soon

thats a bummer the AP does not run with a gen 3

even Navico recommend using the RC42 to control the AP for a Gen 3 setup
for on the Ocean over or with the point one

Yes, got the EVO-2 unit -- built in CHIRP and Sidescan but no WiFi without adding the WiFi module (HDS Gen-3 had the WiFi, but I saw limited value in it - other than it made updating the software easier). I think all the components between Simrad and Lowrance work together except the AP Computer. Lowrance has the Outboard Pilot, while Simrad have the AC-12 or 24. You can mix the RC42, and even the Simrad pumps with the Lowrance. Have heard Lowrance are having issues with their software for the AP so may be better to wait for the bugs to get fixed. THT has a bunch of dudes very mad at Lowrance if you read their electronics forums.

 

[wildthing]

yep read that as well
the std HDS works well but the touch had issues

same can be said for a lot of the Airmar chirp transducers
not giving the results that the sales blog gave out