The best yachting autopilot system on the market today

Having a reliable Autopilot installed on your yacht is like having a first mate that never gets tired. You can enjoy more time with your passengers and still be able to make small changes in your course or even steer the yacht with a remote unit.

There are almost as many companies that manufacture Autopilots as there are brands of boats. How do you know which brand or model is right for your yacht? The first thing you do is research, ask other yacht owners, talk to your mechanic and spend some time on the web.

The Simrad Yachting AP35 system is a reliable all-weather autopilot. The control unit is made of solid aluminum with a large LCD display that can be switched to backlit for easy viewing both day and night.

Each major function has it's own dedicated push button to make operating and programming easier than ever before. A fully functioning mutli-stations feature is made possible using the Robnet data network. There is a lock out function that will allow you to keep other stations from taking control unless you want them to.

Coarse changes can be made by using the rotary course selector, which allows you to fine tune your course in 1 degree increment by pushing the PORT or STRB buttons on the hand held remote or by a fixed steering lever.

If you want to use your existing compass with this unit you can by mounting a course detector under the compass or you can install a Simrad RFC35 fluxgate compass.

This Simrad Yachting AP35 Autopilot can be purchased for around $2000.00 without a drive unit and $3000.00 with a drive unit equipped for Hydraulic steering.

The Northstar Explorer AP380 Autopilot is another unit worth taking a look at. It has a 3.8" color LCD screen that can be viewed clearly even in direct sunlight. The master dial provides precise access to course setting and menu items and has multi station capability.

Port and Starboard LED's indicate course adjustments and the system offers one button dodge and jog keys along with easy to select 90 / 180 turns, tack/gybe selections and on screen animations of the yachts intended action and progress. You can also get steering confirmation at a glance.

You will be able to control your steer to wind angle, compass heading or GPS waypoint at the press of a button. The unit is equipped with a man over board feature, and has both a Rudder Angle Bar Graph and Rudder Angle Calibration.

The Northstar Explorer AP380 Autopilot control unit can be purchased for around $600.00 with a corepack kit running you anywhere from $1,200.00 to $1,800.00.

Knowing which features are going to be most important to you and which units are compatible with your existing compass or GPS or navigational systems is going to help you narrow down your options for a new autopilot unit. Like anything else you purchase for your yacht, you want to get the best value for your money, but more importantly you want something that is easy to operate, dependable and will insure the safety of your passengers and your yacht.