Which Auto Pilot To Get?

[CK3080]

3 minutes ago, Todd in NY said:

 

The draw rate was another concern with any AP on the market.

 

The Raymarine EV-100, which was pretty much maxed out on my hyd steering ram, was constantly pumping on my boat trolling into or in the trough of anything bigger than 2 footers.  It did work great, though not sure what the longevity of the pump is going to be under my conditions.  Although not sure what the draw rate was, I would not use that pump with a kicker without an alternator.

[Todd in NY]

Thanks for the info CK. A newer kicker motor might have to wait another 3 years, after my son finishes college. AP units are constantly working to stay on course. Maybe the AP idea will have to wait too.

[Little Crappie]

3$ bungee at tractor supply will do the trick. I know a guy who can get ya the hook up 2


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[Xxx]

Yea thanks guys, appreciate the positive feed back. When the guy went to start it it wouldn't start, ooh boy I thought here we go again, after turning it over with no starting I was a little nervous!! After a close examination he realized the little red switch was in the OFF position, flipped it to the green area a bingo it fired right up, best part was we could talk to each other while the motor idled like a kitty cat, no shaking, blue smoke. Big handle for foreword and reverse and tiller handle with tension screw so rpms stay where you leave it. Don't know what my little Cleo spoon is going to do, he was my idle control wedged between the rod and the handle only thing that's on my mind is the evinrude weighted 78lbs where the 15hp 4 stroke is 115lbs. I have other swim platform brackets I'm going to put one right under my platform bracket, that should be ok as I can walk out on it no problems. See what happens??

[Todd in NY]

2 hours ago, Little Crappie said:

3$ bungee at tractor supply will do the trick. I know a guy who can get ya the hook up 2


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Lol, you'll have to hook me up with your POC 

[Todd in NY]

1 hour ago, pap said:

Yea thanks guys, appreciate the positive feed back. When the guy went to start it it wouldn't start, ooh boy I thought here we go again, after turning it over with no starting I was a little nervous!! After a close examination he realized the little red switch was in the OFF position, flipped it to the green area a bingo it fired right up, best part was we could talk to each other while the motor idled like a kitty cat, no shaking, blue smoke. Big handle for foreword and reverse and tiller handle with tension screw so rpms stay where you leave it. Don't know what my little Cleo spoon is going to do, he was my idle control wedged between the rod and the handle only thing that's on my mind is the evinrude weighted 78lbs where the 15hp 4 stroke is 115lbs. I have other swim platform brackets I'm going to put one right under my platform bracket, that should be ok as I can walk out on it no problems. See what happens??

 

It's amazing how much heavier those 4 stroke motors are.

Edited November 13, 2017 by Todd in NY

[Fishnut]

If I had a kicker with a charging system I would go with a tr1 on the kicker for sure.


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[Xxx]

Fishnut I watched one video after another and I pretty damn sure that's my next step. After I adapt and overcome my gunnel issues and my floor redone.

[Fishnut]

Fishnut I watched one video after another and I pretty damn sure that's my next step. After I adapt and overcome my gunnel issues and my floor redone.

I’m considering the same thing. I think I’ll buy a 4 stroke kicker this spring and a tr1 next winter.


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[Xxx]

6 minutes ago, Fishnut said:

I’m considering the same thing. I think I’ll buy a 4 stroke kicker this spring and a tr1 next winter.


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It all depends on what the cost is going to be on my rail system, I think I'm going to use aluminum angle and fasten that to the inner edge of the gunnels. I'll drill and bolt the angles and glass gussets at that point where I can drill and run a wood screw into the galassed in pieces yet. That should add stability and still be light if I play my cards right I should be able to get away with 4 4" pieces. I thought I had a soft spot in my floor. So I pulled the carpet back and the fiberglass came away from the plywood were the back to back seats where, so I'm going to pull the carpet up and  replace with vinyl boat flooring if need be replace plywood and all other bad spots I see. Then I will have a damn near new 1982 Sea Ray Cuddy, motor new, exhaust new, lower unit replaced with SEI off a boat I bought for the lower unit. Newer 2007 15hp 4stroke Merc.and maybe auto pilot tr1 gold, nea2000 on my lowrance wont be compatible with tr1 there are other numbers, I don't know if my hummingbird matrix5 will work I'll have to look into this deeper. Right now I have enough on my plate.

[Little Crappie]

What lowrance do you have pap?


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[Xxx]

It's the elite 7hdi. Little crappie

[Fishnut]

Sounds like a good plan. That’s half the battle. I have so many things I’d like to do to my boat I’m not sure where to start? First things first I’m going to start with some tracks down the gunnels and across the corners. Then I’ll start looking for a 4 stroke 15 hp kicker. Good luck mike.


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[Andre wallyandre]

13 hours ago, Todd in NY said:

 

Does the Lowrance outboard pilot work if the main motor is off? I would be running all electronics on my #2 dual purpose battery, with an older 2 stroke kicker that has no charging system. If an autopilot system needs the main motor on in order to work, it won't work for my setup.

Accordingly to Octopus it should work. Octopus supply Raymarine and Lowrance for the cable steer ap motor. So with the Lowrance you got  the "motor" that turn the wheel, the Nac-1 (computer) and you control the ap with the HDS

Octopus website: http://octopusdrives.com/type-r-drive-family

Edited November 14, 2017 by wallyandre

[Little Crappie]

Pap Ive read some literature that suggest the hdi might work and some says it won’t but the power cable does seem to provide NMEA 0183 data. But on a side note, you really only need to connect a chart plotter to a Tr1 gold if your looking to steer to waypoints or something. I have mine tied into my HDS, but only to have an additional gps source. I never use the gps function. My first boat with a TR1 wasn’t connected to a chart plotter and steered just fine.



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[Xxx]

Hey your right, I thought I only had mnea 2000 cable plus the power cable, I just saw another cord in the box it came in. I watched tricks for the tr1 to follow and that is to drop way points up to 4 but the trick is to keep dropping waypoints up to 4 and repeat up to 4 times this will follow up to 16 way points which is far, like if you wanted to follow along the cliffs or someplace like that

[jimski2]

I moved my battery and kicker fuel tank to balance out the extra weight of the four stroke. Since 2004, things are fine. Pulling the downrigger up loads the kicker RPMs up but it indicates the battery is being charged .


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[Todd in NY]

I can't find any specs for the Lowrance Outboard Pilot for cable steer boats. Their web site lists the continuous current draw at 8 amps and peak draw at 16 amps for the NAC-2 AP computer. But, the Outboard Pilot uses the NAC-1, and there doesn't appear to be any specs on that one.

[Andre wallyandre]

I run one hydraulic with 3 hds and I never went out of juice on my battery; I do have AGM 1000 amp. My main motor is not running when I troll and my kicker doesn't charge my main battery. But I have a outboard not in a inboard. 

http://ww2.lowrance.com/Root/Simrad-Documents/OutboardPilot-CableSteerPack_IG_988-10718-004_w.pdf

Edited November 14, 2017 by wallyandre

[Todd in NY]

49 minutes ago, wallyandre said:

I run one hydraulic with 3 hds and I never went out of juice on my battery; I do have AGM 1000 amp. My main motor is not running when I troll and my kicker doesn't charge my main battery. But I have a outboard not in a inboard. 

http://ww2.lowrance.com/Root/Simrad-Documents/OutboardPilot-CableSteerPack_IG_988-10718-004_w.pdf

 

Thanks for the link. Those are the specs I was looking for.

[Todd in NY]

The Lowrance Outboard Pilot has a continuous draw of 8 amps and a max draw of 16 amps, so an autopilot is out of the picture for me until I can afford to upgrade to a newer kicker motor with a good charging system. It seems like that's the least amount of draw from other autopilots as well.

 

Thanks for all the feedback, information, and ideas! At least I learned something through all this discussion.

 

[stoneam2006]

The Lowrance Outboard Pilot has a continuous draw of 8 amps and a max draw of 16 amps, so an autopilot is out of the picture for me until I can afford to upgrade to a newer kicker motor with a good charging system. It seems like that's the least amount of draw from other autopilots as well.
 
Thanks for all the feedback, information, and ideas! At least I learned something through all this discussion.
 

Throw a solar panel on should be able to maintain I believe. Just a idea

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[Todd in NY]

1 hour ago, stoneam2006 said:

Throw a solar panel on should be able to maintain I believe. Just a idea

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I've been looking at solar panels too, but none of them have a high enough charge rate, at least none that I recall. I'm always looking at other options, so I might find something sooner or later that will work.

[Andre wallyandre]

Just start you’re main motor once in a while

[Xxx]

4 hours ago, stoneam2006 said:

Throw a solar panel on should be able to maintain I believe. Just a idea

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LOL you mean to tell me the sun actually shines up there Ever time I even think about heading north once I get passed Syracuse the sun hides and the wind picks up and it doesn't quit till I'm on the southbound side of 81 going through Syracuse home bound  LOL,,,