Outboard / trailer boat · Lowrance / Simrad
Lowrance and Simrad Outboard Pilot
Navico's budget pilot for cable- and hydraulic-steered outboard trailer boats.
- Indicative price
- $1,700–$2,900 unit
- Fitted
- $2,300–$3,800
- Rated for
- Sized by drive or pump
- Editor score
- 53 / 100
The Outboard Pilot was Navico's answer to the tinny and trailer-boat market: a compact course computer and either a cable-steer actuator that fits inline with a standard mechanical steering cable, or a hydraulic pump for boats with hydraulic outboard steering. It is controlled from a Lowrance HDS or Simrad NSS plotter rather than a dedicated head, which keeps the price down and suits boats where dash space is scarce.
It is a fair-weather pilot for estuary and inshore work, holding a heading and following a route while you rig lures or drive the sounder. The cable-steer version is the more interesting option because almost nothing else automates a cable-steered outboard. Availability has varied; confirm current stock and compatibility with your plotter generation before buying.
Verdict
Lowrance and Simrad Outboard Pilot drive sizing
Cable-steer pack for single outboards on 4–6 m boats with a standard rotary or rack-and-pinion cable; hydraulic pack for single outboards with small hydraulic cylinders.
Specifications
Autopilot components, voltage and steering modes
- Sensor
- Course computer with built-in heading sensor, or Precision-9 compass
- Control
- Lowrance HDS or Simrad NSS/NSX plotter; optional remote
- Drive
- Inline cable-steer actuator or reversible hydraulic pump
- Voltage
- 12 V DC
- Network
- NMEA 2000
- Power draw
- 0.8 A typical, 5 A peak. Modest draw on a single trailer-boat battery.
- Steering systems
- Outboard (cable or hydraulic)
Modes
- Heading hold
- Route following
- Turn patterns
- Trolling with heading step
Features
- Only mainstream pilot for cable-steered outboards
- Controlled from an existing plotter
- Compact, cheap and easy to fit
For and against
Autopilot strengths and limitations
- Low price for a working pilot
- Cable-steer option
- Uses the plotter you already own
- Inshore performance only
- Availability and plotter compatibility change with generations
- No dedicated control head
Who fits it
Boats and places where this system is recommended
Australian waters
- Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens → Made for the cable-steer and hydraulic outboard boats that fill the ramps at Swansea, Marks Point and Nelson Bay. It turns a long troll or a run to the shelf into something one person can manage.
- Gippsland Lakes and Bass Strait → Suits the outboard runabouts and small cruisers that spend their days moving between Paynesville, Metung and the entrance. Cable-steer and hydraulic options cover most of the local fleet.
- Brisbane and Moreton Bay → For the trailer boat and centre console fleet crossing to Moreton or fishing the artificial reefs. It removes the fatigue from a 20 mile run without pretending to be more than it is.
- Adelaide and the Gulfs → The practical answer for the trailer boats that cross to Kangaroo Island or fish Spencer Gulf. It makes a two-hour run to the grounds a one-person job rather than an endurance event.
- Darwin and the Top End → Made for the aluminium boats that dominate Darwin ramps. Cable and hydraulic outboard versions cover most of the local fleet, and it turns a long run across Beagle Gulf into a one-person job.
Questions
Lowrance and Simrad Outboard Pilot: frequently asked
Does the Outboard Pilot work with any plotter?
No. It is controlled from compatible Lowrance HDS and Simrad NSS/NSX plotters. Check the model generation with the dealer before buying.
Alternatives to consider
The systems most often weighed against this one.
- Outboard / trailer boatGarmin
Garmin Reactor 40 Kicker
- Indicative
- $2,200–$2,800
- Editor score
- 57
- Outboard / trailer boatFuruno
Furuno NavPilot 300
- Indicative
- $3,600–$5,200
- Editor score
- 77
- Below-deck systemGarmin
Garmin Reactor 40 (Hydraulic, Mechanical, Steer-by-wire and Sail)
- Indicative
- $2,900–$5,200
- Editor score
- 83
Autopilot commissioning and operator training
A $3,800 installation with no handover is a gamble. Half a day on the water with the installer or an instructor covers the modes, the override, the alarms and a failure drill. It is the cheapest safety equipment aboard.