Kicker autopilot?

[Jed Brown]

I have an old Ray Marine tiller pilot. Has any one ever tried to make a bracket so you could mount the drive to your 9.9 kicker.  I just trying to keep the boat going straight when needed if I am fishing alone. Not trying to follow a charted course.

[Rickbgm]

I use a Raymarine st1000 tiller auto pilot on my Yamaha 9.9 high thrust kicker and I even tied it into my main outboard so that the main acts as a rudder to help with the steering. Boat is a Lund 1890 Pro V so it is light and eubject to wind. The auto pilot works great. If yours is an st1000 you can download the instructions for it but you do have to make your own bracket for the motor to attach it. There are a couple of you tube videos also.

[Jed Brown]

Nice. Thanks 

You don't happen to have that Youtube link?

 

[Rickbgm]

Just search "tiller auto pilot outboard". Should give you some ideas. I would send you pics of mine but it's all bundled up for winter. 

[Jed Brown]

I found a couple. Kinda different then what I want to do. I want to figure a way to mount it on the motor so it will go up and down with the kicker motor while it is on the kicker bracket.

My kicker is on a 25 ft cuddy with mercruiser out drive. i have an easy steer between them.

[Rickbgm]

 You would probably have to disconnect the Ez steer because I don't think it would move the i/o. I ran charters on Ontario in a 25' back in the 80's and 90's but I had an auto pilot for the main motor and then connected to the kicker. I am not sure how you could mount the Raymarine to go up and down with the kicker.  You may be able to build a bracket but download the instructions for the auto pilot because there are certain measurements you will need. Hope you find a way.

[Jed Brown]

With your autopilot on the lake boat did the boat keep steering back and forth fish tailing continuously?

That is what I have been dealing with and Butch At Rieters Marine says I will burn out an auto pilot in a matter of months.

Thats why I'm going for the tiller pilot idea. I have an old one and they are much less money to replace.

[Rickbgm]

No the boat was a very deep v and pretty heavy. The auto pilot was connected to the hydraulic steering and held course pretty good even in rough water. I really like the raymarine I have now. The boat is a multi species boat so I use it on the Finger Lakes, Onieda and a few smaller lakes as well as Ontario occasionally. I'm 77 so I like to fish different places so it suits me fine. If I'm by myself it's necessary so I can set the riggers and rods or net a fish. The Raymarine does have to work hard on windy days but I've used it for several years now without a problem.

[tinfin]

X-2 on the St1000, I have mine on a Sportsman 195, but you do have to make a connecting rod.