Autopilot for boat with twin IO power assisted steering

[DEFIANCE1]

Looking to install an autopilot on the boat over the winter, looking for some suggestions on which auto pilot would work best. I have a 290 amberjack with twin Bravo 3 outdrives and power assisted steering. On my last boat i had a raymarine sportpilot but really didn't like having it mounted to the wheel. It made the steering difficult and pushed the wheel too far out.

Anyone have a similar setup with an autopilot that works good for them? I've just started searching the Internet, looks like lots of options and configurations out there.

[final flight]

Another unhappy raymarine consumer, go with Simrad.

[High Bidder]

I have a Simrad AP24 VRF with the electric linear drive. It has worked great for 4 years. But I only use it three weeks a year. There is also a hydraulic linear drive unit. The drawback is the cost of the drive. I also have a single IO. I don't know how twin steering is combined.

[landingzone]

Your situation sounds similar to mine.  I just had hydraulic steering and a Raymarine EV-200 autopilot installled on my 27' Amberjack earlier this year.  If yours is like mine, you only have power steering on one engine and this prevents you from trolling with either engine (or you troll with one but have no power steering).  For that reason, I went to hydraulic steering which allows you to run either.  The Raymarine EV-200 is probably the right size for your boat and it works beautifully at all speeds.  I'm still working on the steering being a little stiff at high load/speed but at lower speeds & trolling it also works very well.

[theputtz]

I have a 290 Amberjack with the Bravos. I originally installed the intellisteer wireless steering system and octopus steering system. The intellisteer failed miserably while trolling.  The lag time from the steering correction combined with the large correction of the intellisteer system just is not compatible with salmon fishing. I went with a Si-Tex SP 1-110, due to this units compatibility with the octopus steering system. So far so good...

 

Question, for 290 Amberjack have you found a good way to run a shoot rigger?

[DEFIANCE1]

Thanks for the replies, I've done some research on the octopus drives. I'm going to call them and try to get some more information and what autopilot controller they recommend with their unit.

I just got this boat last year and I am still setting it up, I am only running two downriggers currently, but will be adding another two shortly. With the back hatch there really isn't a way to run a rigger right down the center. I am going to mount one just outside the back hatch on each side and if I want to only run three I will swing it to the center on the boat.

[hooknup]

I have a 290 Amberjack. I installed a Garmin Ghp 12 autopilot with the octopus remote unit. No problems with the autopilot.

Also, I run 3 Cannon downriggers. The middle rigger is mounted off center towards the port side. No issues whatsoever.

Thanks

Al

HOOKNUP 2

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[Sweet Caroline]

Hi Defiance,

I'm also looking to install an autopilot on my 2001 290 Amberjack. Did you end up going with the EV200 with the octopus? I'm in the process of installing and there is some concern that the octopus is too large to fit under the dash. Anybody have experience with installing the EV200 and Octopus on a 290 Amberjack?