Auto pilot

N

Nofish

Well-Known Member
My captain is picking up a new boat in a couple of weeks and trying to outfit it. What do you all think would be the best autopilot for a 23' aluminum with twin outboard?
Thanks for any help.
 
Get the navico one from angling outfitters (navico is the parent company of both simrad and lowrance so it is compatible with both units.) as for type, it all depends on if your boat is hydraulic or cable steering, get whatever matches your boat
 
Can’t say anything bad about my Simrad . It’s a navico brand, nac-2 with a controller.
 
What are the outboards? Newer systems are starting be more difficult with auto pilot. Yamaha, for example, requires you use their system with their latest engines… the electric steering tech seems to be the ‘bar’ for this. They won’t give other vendors access to their steering.
 
I have the Navico (lowrance) hydraulic autopilot and love it. Had an issue with a flaky heading sensor originally but once I got that replaced its great. You need to keep your phones and bluetooth speakers and stuff away from the heading sensors too or you will find yourself out of control....just sayin'.
 
fishlessam said:
I have a hummingbird 1198 c si, will any brand work or I have to get a hummingbird unit?
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On the web site is says that 11xx ci unit would be compatible with the nema black box adapter, which in turn could give you chance to build a nema network on your craft , so that a gps could be used to say navigate to a waypoint using a autopilot.

But it does not end there, you need some sort of head unit to operate the pilot, eg . Modern lowrance, simrad units have software built in to do just that or simrad has the ap40 and up.

Personally I have a dedicated control that way I’m not monkeying through screen trying to find what I need , already have one for the fish and other for gps . I just find it simple and easy to just tap the dodge keys 1 or 10 degrees if I need to move and or turn around , 10 degrees every 4 minutes will turn me around without tangling my lines up.
Auto turn is just to fast pulling long lines.
 
smokey1 said:
On the web site is says that 11xx ci unit would be compatible with the nema black box adapter, which in turn could give you chance to build a nema network on your craft , so that a gps could be used to say navigate to a waypoint using a autopilot.

But it does not end there, you need some sort of head unit to operate the pilot, eg . Modern lowrance, simrad units have software built in to do just that or simrad has the ap40 and up.

Personally I have a dedicated control that way I’m not monkeying through screen trying to find what I need , already have one for the fish and other for gps . I just find it simple and easy to just tap the dodge keys 1 or 10 degrees if I need to move and or turn around , 10 degrees every 4 minutes will turn me around without tangling my lines up.
Auto turn is just to fast pulling long lines.
Click to expand...
Wow that sounds like it would take over an hour to turn 180 degrees can you just shut it off to make your turns manually
 
cobo said:
Wow that sounds like it would take over an hour to turn 180 degrees can you just shut it off to make your turns manually
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I found that the 'C' turn feature works perfect for turns, you can program the degrees/min turn rate to your liking and do a nice controlled turn. The only drawback is that you have to stop the turn once you get to your new heading and put it back on heading lock.
 
Technology has come along way but if you dont respect others that happen to come across you with your auto pilot on and try not help to avoid running over their lines because your laying back and not watching for the other boats and you clip their lines dont be shocked if someone pulls up and runs across your stern
 
Noth n yet said:
Technology has come along way but if you dont respect others that happen to come across you with your auto pilot on and try not help to avoid running over their lines because your laying back and not watching for the other boats and you clip their lines dont be shocked if someone pulls up and runs across your stern
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I'm not sure the autopilot is the problem in many of these cases....the rules of the road are generally poorly understood. I find my self changing course all the time even when I have the right of way but it's easy with the autopilot!
 
Sadly l had to yell at three different boats on sunday one guy sitting backwards watching his rods one guy just didnt care other guy dont know what he was.doing l run 8 to ten rods thats about 150 bucks of tackle lll never see again so yes l wont be nice if we mee the wrong way. And yes l stay awaaaaaay from the pack but sunday was crazy with boats
 
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