Re: autopilot selection
You are in the same situation as I am. I have a 1997 Bayliner Express Cruiser cuddy 22.5ft with a Merc I/O and Teleflex power assisted rack and pinion steering. I just went through the autopilot nightmare. You have 2 choices:
1: convert to hydraulic steering, and then pick whatever autopilot you want.
2: go to
OCTOPUS | Autopilot Drive Systems, and pick the drive unit you want...either helm mounted, or engine compartment mounted. The octopus drive will act similar to the hydraulic autopilot pump. The helm octopus requires you to just attach your current steering cable to it. Then choose your autopilot electronics and wire it to the octopus drive. Bang ur done. If your current steering system has a "non feedback" design, then chose the helm octopus. If your current system does NOT have a "non feedback" feature, then choose the engine compartment unit...this unit slaves onto your power assist steering cylinder on the back of the motor. Then once again, hook up your preferred electronics package, and bang your done. I recommend getting the rudder feedback sensor too.
I went with the engine compartment octopus drive with rudder sensor and a Garmin GHP12 electronics package, all wired into a nmea2000 network and garmin gps/chart plotter/sonar combo. The autopilot setup cost me about $3200, and that's installing it myself. But the fist of converting to hydraulic and purchasing a hydraulic autopilot costs even more. it me, it's definitely worth the investment. I use it trolling on Erie and Ontario, and it makes it waaaaay more fun.
