Recomendation on Autopilot setup

[BenLubbs]

I am seriously considering adding an autopilot to my boat (24' Slickcraft) this year. My question is mainly in regards to my steering system which is not up to the task in my opinion. I currently have cable steering and it is very stiff and there is quite a bit of slop in the rack as well. There is no power assist on the boat currently, although I have the a transom plate, oil cooler, lines, and pump in the garage. I'm wondering if I were to change to Hydraulic steering (about $900 from the prices I've seen), would I still need power assist or would the mechanical advantage of using hydraulics make the steering smooth enough. In the case that I would still need power assist I would probably stay with cable steering and replace the rack. If I need to install the power steeing my next question is where do I find a pump bracket. I have a Merc 888 motor and have not been able to find one with power steering on it and I have not been able to find one in an automotive application that uses V belts. I can always make my own but it would be so much easier if there was just one I could buy.

[mriversinco]

Hey Ben,

I'd recommend you give Frank a call at Calumet. He's about as knowledgeable as they come with those things and he sees a bunch of older stuff in his shop so maybe he'd have a bracket that would work for you

[1mainiac]

Ben you would need to fix your steering before you add a Auto pilot. If your not in a hurry I have a Hyd Steering system that should fit your boat all you would need is new hoses and a steering wheel. First however I need to get out of this apartment so I can unload the storage and find it. In the meantime you need to verify where the slop is in your system. it will require 2 guys to do it as you need to watch while some one turns the wheel and while someone moves the drive. If there is slop in the drive it must be fixed or the boat will always wander. While watching the transom steering connection have someone move the drive back and forth there should be very little drive movement without moving the steering arm any slop needs to be fixed. One sure answer is does the steering get harder when the boat is under power vs sitting on the trailer?

As to AP I put a SPX5R setup on my boat last year with the P70R controller and it works pretty good. Fishsniffer has the same setup with the standard controller on his 235 but he had to get a steering shaft adapter and a new steering wheel which I gave him cheap. Since I had one I did not need and his 235 had a square shaft for the steering. You have to have power steering for the SPX5R system or you will ruin it on your boat. All the power steering parts you need for the engine are mid 70's pickup parts for the pump and mount. You will need custom hoses made and the power steering parts from a donor boat. which will include the transom bracket and cylinder with the cooler and small parts. To be honest it might be easier to trade for a boat that has what you want there are lots of them for sale. Because unless you can find all the parts cheap and do the work yourself your going to be spending several grand on this project. Just the AP alone is going to be around 2 grand and in a shop converting to Hyd steering or to power steering would be costly in fact Hyd steering would be cheaper to convert to but would require a more expensive AP even if you buy my Hyd steering parts which will be cheap you will still have around 3 grand into it with a AP and you doing all the work. That to me is a lot to invest in a boat that will likely only be worth 4 or 5 grand when finished.

[ekbelt]

If you fix the slop in your steering the Simrad autopilot along with the octopus drive is fairly affordable. I know Advantage Marine in Zeeland has been putting them the last 2 years for people. I know someone who had them put it on a cable drive system and he is really happy with it. Think it was $1800 or something like that.

[1mainiac]

Simrad no longer makes the AP12 and AP14 which used the Octipus drive helm. SiTex is offering a similar setup with the drive for about 1800 bucks. However it still requires working power assisted steering which he does not have. He needs to fix the steering first then pick a AP or pick a AP based on what steering he is going to have when fixed. I did not want the AP I bought but finally decided it was my cheapest option to stop yelling at friends and family because they could not drive the darn boat. Last year was great push the button and fish turn the knob on the controller to adjust course and fish. Even with 3 or 4 big guys at the back of the boat it stayed on course so now I am pretty happy with it.

[prop nut]

for slow trolling walleye or lakers mechanical steering cables from the helm to the motor are often the limiting factor

all auto pilots have limitations but any thing using a cable struggles at less than 3mph

i would recomend converting to hyd steering and your options greatly increase as far as a good selection of brands and models that will perform well in most conditions

my favorit set up is a Garmin ghp-10 with a 2.1L pump

garmin tr1 for kickers

The most inportsnt part of a auto pilot install is the calibration and tunning that needs to be done on the water after the install it needs to be done and it need to be done RITE then and only then are auto pilot owners extreemy happy with there investment

[nauti_me]

all auto pilots have limitations but any thing using a cable struggles at less than 3mph

Would this also be true for a power assist system as in the steering system on early gen Amberjack? Reason I ask, as I am in the market for an AP system for my 89 AJ which has power assist mechanical steering. Cable back to the ram. I have twin 4.3 mercruisers alpha1's. I have been looking at the octopus drives and Garmin ghp12 or Simrad ap24.

Thanks...Jake

[nauti_me]

all auto pilots have limitations but any thing using a cable struggles at less than 3mph

Would this also be true for a power assist system as in the steering system on early gen Amberjack? Reason I ask, as I am in the market for an AP system for my 89 AJ which has power assist mechanical steering. Cable back to the ram. I have twin 4.3 mercruisers alpha1's. I have been looking at the octopus drives and garmin ghp12 or simrad ap24.

Thanks...Jake

[1mainiac]

Yes it would be true and you may be stuck trolling on the same motor in your boat as most of the Amberjacks I know of only had power assist on one engine. There is however a way to install a second pump on the other motor which would let you troll on either. The System on my boat does a pretty good job however it still runs nearly non stop keeping the boat in line on anything other than flat water. But if you can steer the boat straight so can the AP. Hyd steering is the best option as it removes all play in the steering system and will lock on and hold a course. I looked at the GHP 12 with a Octipus remote drive but could not get it to fit my budget and wanted a AP now so I ended up with the exact system I avoided buying for 3 years. The nice part is it actually does a decent job and was very nice to have last season.

[nauti_me]

How much stiffer does the SPX make your steering when not using the AP? And I would guess that the Octopus remote drive would do the same thing as in making the steering stiffer when AP is not engaged. My steering is very smooth and tight right now which makes steering with non power steering engine running very easy. I am thinking that a mechanical drive system might make it too stiff to steer this now.

There has to have been a ton of AJ's running with AP's over the years. What system did everyone use? Any AJ or previous AJ owners have any thoughts?

Propnut...what is involved to converting to hydraulic? Have you done many? I am up here in Ontario(just north of Toronto) and don't know anyone that would do this. Also don't know any good installers for AP around here either.

I was just at the Toronto Boat show last weekend, and was told by Raymarine rep that AP basically would not work in my boat for what I wanted to do with it. Actually said no AP would work for trolling less than 3mph. I find this hard to believe because at least 95% of all Charter boats run some sort of AP. Wasn't impressed.

Cheers...Jake

[1mainiac]

I have had mine down to 2.0 with the bags out but I seldom go that slow. The Raymarine rep you talked to does not know his own product line very well. The only Amberjacks I know with AP's all have Hyd Steering.opens the box to many choices as your boat stands the choices are very limited and are still likely to cost as much as converting the steering and buying a Garmin GHP10.

[prop nut]

after installing hyd helm and slave cylinder in back with twins we often just remove the power steering completely if its one eng we just leave it on because its less labor

the 2.1L pump and above you dont need the power steering

but this will increase you steering effort when not using the auto pilot

not bad though !

this eliminates the trolling on one motor all the time

and on the 888 mercruiser will actually be a lot easier to steer

after you have a good auto pilot you will be amazed how little you will use the steering wheel to steer you boat

it will steer the boat better than we can and you will seldom use the steering wheel on open water docking and in the marina

[nauti_me]

after installing hyd helm and slave cylinder in back with twins we often just remove the power steering completely if its one eng we just leave it on because its less labor

the 2.1L pump and above you dont need the power steering

but this will increase you steering effort when not using the auto pilot

not bad though !

this eliminates the trolling on one motor all the time

and on the 888 mercruiser will actually be a lot easier to steer

after you have a good auto pilot you will be amazed how little you will use the steering wheel to steer you boat

it will steer the boat better than we can and you will seldom use the steering wheel on open water docking and in the marina

Thanks for the reply. Great info... I think I am going to talk to a few marina's and see what I'd be looking at dollar wise to convert to hydro. Then my options are pretty much unlimited as to what system I can use.

Maniac...thanks for the info regarding the SPX. I don't think I could take the constant noice of the unit, and by sounds it might be at the top of its limit with the 270AJ.

Cheers...Jake

[1mainiac]

I grew up on a farm so I am used to sleeping with noise the SPX5R sounds like a litter of pigs squeaking and squealing LOL. It will bug you some days but when you fighting fish at the back of the boat and don't have to keep yelling at the driver it is pretty nice LOL. It actually works pretty good with the bags out as they allow me to keep the motor pushing a bit harder and the bags help keep it in line.

No matter what if I had the money my boat would have Hyd steering and a GHP10.

[nauti_me]

I grew up on a farm so I am used to sleeping with noise the SPX5R sounds like a litter of pigs squeaking and squealing LOL. It will bug you some days but when you fighting fish at the back of the boat and don't have to keep yelling at the driver it is pretty nice LOL. It actually works pretty good with the bags out as they allow me to keep the motor pushing a bit harder and the bags help keep it in line.

No matter what if I had the money my boat would have Hyd steering and a GHP10.

I hear ya regarding boat control with the bags out. With my previous boat I would deploy the bags anytime it got a bit breezy to keep speed down, then bumping up the throttle would improve handling greatly. With the AJ, I've yet to deploy the bags. Running on one engine gets me below laketrout speed, so I have to bump throttle anyways. Handles like a dream. When it gets real snotty fire both engines and no problemo.

Squealing pigs.....too funny...I grew up on farm also and heard way to many squealing pigs...LOL....that was a long time ago. Don't want my boat sounding like that...LOL.

Cheers...Jake

[CITM]

I have power assisted mechanical on my boat (heavy 26' fiberglass) and can hold a course in almost any conditions with the Raymarine SPX5R. 2 mph is no issue either.

Nauti - it makes it quite a bit harder to steer. That is probably my biggest complaint. That, and it's a bit noisy.

[prop nut]

With all the talk and all the information on the internet these days

a great resource for ACCURATE UP TO DATE information is available here

FREE

from the

national marine electronics association

http://www.nmea.org/

I don’t think any one purposely post information that’s is incorrect or obsolete

but there is a lot out there especially when it comes to marine auto pilots and radar systems it is real tough to keep up with this stuff