Autopilot for 27FC

[DCatSea]

I'm seriously thinking of installing an autopilot in Mazboot. Does anyone have any suggestions as to a suitable system? I have looked at the Raymarine EF100 Wheel, but would like Albineer Inputs on this. I need something foolproof and fairly easy to install.

Thanks for your help

[motthediesel]

I'll be watching this closely, I'm in the same (ahem) boat, as I want to ad one to our A27 as well.

[LopezMike]

I recently installed a Raymarine EV-100 on my A25. It performs very well although I haven't begun to explore all of the whistles and bells.

Aside from sorting out all of the physical parts and cables, the two problems that are probably specific to each type of boat are adapting the wheel drive assembly to your specific wheel and installing the finger sized pin that sticks out from the dash to keep that wheel drive ring from turning.

The designer had in mind a pedestal mounted destroyer type wheel. In my case, I discarded their pin and made a new one out of a 1/2" bolt. Drilled a hole in the nav station and double nutted it in place.

To adapt the wheel drive to the back of my original Albin wood wheel, I made up three small triangles of 1/4" plywood. Esthetically I'm not that pleased but it is solid.

It is quieter than I expected. On my control head you change course by using buttons in one or ten degree increments. I believe that the unit is available with a rotary knob for a bit more money. I would have preferred it.

[Ambler27FC]

I have a Raymarine in my A27, and am very happy with it. I think an earlier version of what you are looking at. The sensor is mounted below the glovebox and I had to learn not to put tools and other magnetic materials in the glovebox, but after that flawless performance. Invaluable on a long open run.

[motthediesel]

Just to bring this back to the top of the forum. I'm still investigating my options for a autopilot for our 27FC. Our boat is equipped with a Teleflex bowden-type cable steering system. I'm very happy with it, and I do not want to convert to a hydraulic helm. It does limit your options for a autopilot however, and it pretty much means a wheel-steering unit.

The only alternative I've found is the Octopus Type S powered helm. https://octopusdrives.com/products/type ... rd-drives/

Interesting, and they are regarded as quite well built and reliable, but there are a couple of problems too. One is the required depth for the unit behind the mount. The specs say minimum 10", and our boat only has about 7-1/2" between the back of the mount and the head bulkhead. I could offset the helm to the rear with a spacer, but there's already not much room between the wheel and the helm seat, this would only make that worse. Also, using this head would require integration with another company's flux compass and ECU, and I fear that could be a major issue.

So I'm leaning towards just getting a Raymarine EV100 wheel steering unit. https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=3661070

Those are made for sailboats, but I would think it would work just fine with our displacement speed powerboats. I would still have to make it play nice with our Garmin 740s navigation package, but that doesn't seem to daunting a task.

If anyone has any tips or pointers, I'd be happy to hear them!

Tom