Racing pilot · NKE
NKE Gyropilot 2
The French racing autopilot behind Mini Transat, Class40 and IMOCA fleets.
- Indicative price
- $12,000–$25,000 unit
- Fitted
- $16,000–$35,000
- Rated for
- Sized by drive or pump
- Editor score
- 57 / 100
NKE builds instruments and autopilots for the French shorthanded racing scene, and the Gyropilot 2 is the pilot on most Mini 6.50, Class40 and many IMOCA 60 campaigns. It uses a gyro-stabilised heading and NKE's own wind processing to steer to angle with a precision that lets a solo sailor push hard under spinnaker for hours. It is sold with NKE's own hydraulic and electric drives and a range of remote controls, including a wrist remote.
In Australia it is a specialist choice: a handful of dealers, a small user base, and a price that reflects a racing pedigree. For a serious two-handed campaign it is worth investigating alongside the B&G NAC-3 with H5000. For everyone else it is a curiosity.
Verdict
NKE Gyropilot 2 drive sizing
Drives from small tiller-boat rams to hydraulic systems for 60-footers; sized per boat with NKE's dealer.
Specifications
Autopilot components, voltage and steering modes
- Sensor
- Gyro-stabilised heading sensor with NKE wind processing
- Control
- Gyropilot display, remote controls including a wrist remote
- Drive
- NKE hydraulic or electric rams
- Voltage
- 12 V or 24 V DC
- Network
- NKE Topline bus, NMEA 2000 gateway
- Power draw
- 3 A typical, 25 A peak. Racing pilots are worked hard; budget for it in the boat's energy plan.
- Steering systems
- Tiller; Mechanical wheel (cable, chain or rod); Hydraulic
Modes
- True wind
- Apparent wind
- Compass
- Heel and speed-optimised modes
- Tack and gybe
Features
- Racing-grade true-wind steering
- Wrist remote
- Extensive tuning for pilot-driven racing
For and against
Autopilot strengths and limitations
- The reference for solo and two-handed racing
- Superb wind steering
- Expensive
- Very limited Australian support
- More than a cruiser needs
Who fits it
Boats and places where this system is recommended
Boat types
- Shorthanded racing yachts → For fully committed campaigns willing to work with a thin local support network.
Australian waters
- Melbourne and Port Phillip → Only for the serious short-handed offshore campaign, and only with eyes open: it steers superbly in a seaway but Australian support is thin, so you carry spares and learn the system yourself.
Questions
NKE Gyropilot 2: frequently asked
Is NKE supported in Australia?
Thinly. Expect to work with an importer and to send parts away for service. Race teams accept that; cruisers should not.
Alternatives to consider
The systems most often weighed against this one.
Autopilot commissioning and operator training
A $35,000 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.