vetting

What about going with a: LOWRANCE–Outboard Pilot Cable Steering Pack (should work on an I/O) - $1450 Just have to figure out if the steering cable would be correct and the Lowrance Elite - TI2 has the autopilot controls.

How necessary is it to have a chart plotter that is compatible with the actual autopilot? I know with the raymarine components, I think it uses the chart plotter data to help with course corrections.

I run a Raymarine EV-200 with their X5-R behind the steering wheel. I've had it for 5 years or so and love it and would have my buddy get the same unit, but its no longer made. He has a 23ft glass I/O boat with cable steering and trolls with his main. For a chart plotter, he has a Lowrance Ti2. Since it cable steer and he doesnt want to switch over to hydraulic, what are the best current options for autopilot? I started looking but now I'm more confused on the newer options then when I first started.

Any updates?

Think I found the problem. Since its a remote start/shift kicker, there wasn't enough slack in all of the cables going to the kicker from the transom. As a result, when the motor steers to one side, it was binding on the cables and causing the bar to keep on extending as the main motor pulled on it. Then it just couldnt recover when it attempted to steer back the other way. Might have to pop another hole in the back of the transom so that the cables come straight out into the kicker.

I have an EZ-Steer bar on a Mercruiser alpha one with a yahama T9.9 as the kicker. The kicker is on a fixed bracket and its set back further than the main outdrive. Over the last 2 years, its been getting stuck in the down position when first lowering the kicker and doesnt seem to always steer correctly - like its skipping the slots. Any suggestions? Should I change the angle of the bracket on the kicker? Should I tighten the set screws?

Put the boat in gear - the prop should lock in one direction. Then in reverse - it should lock in the other direction.

Just make sure you check the driveshaft before you take it out of the water. You should be able to see it spin if its not the engine coupler.

I just went through this. Start motor and see if the drive shaft is spinning on the back of the engine. If its not, then its the engine coupler. If it is spinning, then: Shift in and out of gear. If you dont hear the normal clunk on the shift then its a completely spun prop (it should still catch a bit which would allow you to hear the clunk but sometimes it gets completely spun) or the vertical shaft or gears stripped in your outdrive. To further diagnose, take the boat out of the water. Remove the outdrive. Manually put the drive in gear. See if you get the prop to lock both ways. If it locks then take a long screwdriver and spin the yoke on the front of the drive. If it just spins and doesnt lock or spin the prop, then you have yourself a junk outdrive and you will have plenty of silver flakes in gear oil (this is what mine did).

50lb pound spro barrel swivel and a bit of shrink tubing with the smallest crimps that you can find that will fit the line doubled over. I use Okuma leadcore rods. The last thing you have to take into consideration is the level wind on the reel itself. Its a tight squeeze on older reels but fits right through with ease on the newer Daiwa Sealines and Seagates.

Terminations are easy with steel - just use small crimps. My vote is for steel unless you fish with people that have multiple years of experience with copper.

Just finished rebuilding 4 of them - all 4 (2 sea lines and 2 seagates) it was excessive play in the level wind arm at the top that was the problem.

Took 2 trips over the weekend and now the 2 Seagates that I have have to have the level wind arm replaced. Granted these ones are about 5 years old. Really wish they arms were like the old style Daiwas where the entire arm was metal - at least they should have a metal bushing. Blazing back and forth on a screamer is just not good for the plastic on metal contact on the arm, especially in the 6 to 1 ratio.

Yeah I dont know why the level wind arms are such a problem on mine. Maybe I just got a batch that was outta spec. If the arm has any wobble in it, it just going to wear over time since the level wind arm is at a slight angle as it goes back and forth. Over time it elongates the hole and eventually it will bind due to the angle its sitting at.

For leadcore and weighted steel, I have around 14 daiwa sealine SLW50H/SLW60H - these are the 6 to 1 high speed reels. On my first trip out this year, I had another one break. This one wouldnt free spool and was hitching when reeling in. I have another 6 reels that randomly lock up which I think is due to the level wind guide arm wearing out and sticking. I ordered 8 new level wind arms directly from Daiwa and they said they said it might be a few weeks before they even ship them, but of course they charged me right away for the parts. All of these reels are only 2 to 3 years old and pretty much 80% of them are going to need a rebuild this year. I can do the level wind arms myself, but the rest I will need to send out. Tournament time is coming up and I cant be waiting on parts or wait for a month turnaround on sending them out for repair. So it looks like Im going to have to buy some replacements. Any suggestions in the $100 to $150 range for high speed levelwind?

One with an electric motor on it