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Marine Autopilot

Wheel pilot · Raymarine

Raymarine Evolution EV-100

The most common autopilot upgrade on Australian yachts under 7.5 tonnes.

Indicative price
$2,900–$3,900 unit
Fitted
$3,800–$5,500
Rated for
Vessels to 7.5 t
Editor score
77 / 100
TillerMechanical wheel (cable, chain or rod)HydraulicDay sailingCoastal cruisingPower cruising

The EV-100 is the entry point to Raymarine's Evolution family and the pack most Australian dealers reach for on a 28–38 foot yacht. It splits the job into three boxes: the EV-1 sensor core (a nine-axis solid-state heading sensor), the ACU-100 course computer, and a p70s control head. Three drive options define the three packs: a tiller drive, an above-deck wheel drive that clamps to the wheel spokes, and a 0.5-litre hydraulic pump for power boats with hydraulic steering.

What sets Evolution apart from the tiller pilot generation is the sensor. The EV-1 measures heading, pitch, roll and yaw rate and learns how the boat responds without a commissioning sea trial. In practice that means it holds a straighter line in a quartering sea and wanders less on a broad reach than an ST-series unit ever did. The setting on the p70s tames the wallow on downwind legs, which matters on a Queensland trade-wind run.

It is still an above-deck drive. The wheel drive sits in the cockpit, the belt slips if it is fitted badly, and neither drive has the grunt of a below-deck linear actuator. For most coastal cruising and club racing in Australia that is an acceptable trade for the price. For a Sydney to Hobart or a Coral Sea passage on a 12-tonne boat, it is not.

Verdict

The right answer for most Australian yachts between 28 and 38 feet that cruise coastal waters and race around the cans. Choose the tiller pack for a tiller boat, the wheel pack for a wheel boat, and move to an EV-200 with a linear drive once the boat passes about 7 tonnes or sails offshore for days at a time.

Raymarine Evolution EV-100 (Tiller, Wheel and Power) drive sizing

Tiller pack: sailing yachts to 6,000 kg (13,200 lb). Wheel pack: to 7,500 kg (16,500 lb). Power pack: hydraulically steered power boats with a small steering cylinder, typically to about 8 m.

Specifications

Autopilot components, voltage and steering modes

Sensor
EV-1 nine-axis sensor core (heading, attitude, rate); can be mounted below deck anywhere away from magnetic interference
Course computer
ACU-100 actuator control unit, 12 V, drives the EV tiller drive, wheel drive or a Type 0.5 hydraulic pump
Control
p70s (rotary, sail) or p70Rs (push-button, power) head; also controllable from Axiom MFDs
Drives
Tiller drive, above-deck wheel drive (belt) or 0.5 L hydraulic pump
Voltage
12 V DC
Network
SeaTalkng, NMEA 2000 (via SeaTalkng adaptor), NMEA 0183 via converter
Power draw
0.8 A typical, 4 A peak. Wheel drive under way averages 0.5–1.2 A; the tiller drive is similar. Hydraulic pump draws more while pumping but rests between corrections.
Steering systems
Tiller; Mechanical wheel (cable, chain or rod); Hydraulic

Modes

  • Auto (heading)
  • Wind vane (true or apparent)
  • Track (route following from an MFD)
  • Pattern steering on power packs
  • AutoTack and AutoGybe

Features

  • Nine-axis EV-1 sensor with no calibration sea trial required
  • Evolution AI adapts gain to sea state without user tuning
  • Hydro-Balance for downwind and following-sea stability
  • Runs from an Axiom display or from a p70s head
  • Plug-and-play SeaTalkng networking with Raymarine instruments and AIS

For and against

Autopilot strengths and limitations

Strengths
  • Big step up in course keeping from any tiller pilot
  • Three packs cover tiller, wheel and hydraulic power boats
  • The largest dealer and service network in Australian marine electronics
  • Sensible price for what you get; often discounted at boat show time
Limitations
  • Above-deck drives are exposed and slower than a linear drive
  • Wheel drive belt tension and clutch wear need attention
  • Not suited to yachts over 7.5 tonnes or heavy offshore work
  • SeaTalkng ecosystem is easiest with Raymarine everything else

Who fits it

Boats and places where this system is recommended

Boat types

Australian waters

  • New South Wales → Tiller and wheel packs for the Pittwater and Harbour club fleets.
  • South Australia → Tiller and wheel packs for the Adelaide club and trailer-sailer fleet.
  • Sydney and Pittwater → The sensible first modern pilot for an ex-charter 38 footer still on its original wheel drive. Under 7.5 tonnes it handles harbour work and a Pittwater weekend without complaint.
  • NSW South Coast: Jervis Bay to Eden → Reasonable on a 35 to 38 foot cruiser doing day hops between Jervis Bay and Batemans Bay. Past that size, or once you are running the swell south of Montague, it is working at its limit.
  • Brisbane and Moreton Bay → Fine for a 35 to 38 foot bay cruiser that mostly does Moreton, Peel and the Bay Islands. If the plan is a trip north next winter, step up rather than buying twice.
  • Whitsundays and Mackay → Enough for a smaller cruiser doing island hops in settled conditions, and a common retrofit on boats that spend the wet season on a mooring. Do not expect it to hold a heavy boat surfing in 28 knots.
  • Adelaide and the Gulfs → Good on a 35 to 38 foot gulf cruiser doing North Haven to Edithburgh and back. Straight-line gulf passages are exactly the work an entry-level Evolution pack does well.

Questions

Raymarine Evolution EV-100 (Tiller, Wheel and Power): frequently asked

Does the EV-100 need a rudder reference transducer?

No. Evolution packs work without one. Adding a rudder reference improves precision on power boats with hydraulic steering, and Raymarine recommends one on hydraulic installations where practical.

Will the EV-100 wheel drive fit my wheel?

The drive clamps to the spokes of most 28–40 cm pedestal wheels and drives the rim through a belt. Wheels with very thick spokes, unusual hubs or covers may need an adaptor kit. Ask the dealer to check before buying.

Can I control the EV-100 from my Axiom plotter?

Yes. With an Axiom on the same SeaTalkng network you can engage, adjust and disengage the pilot from the plotter, and follow routes. Many owners keep the p70s as the primary control because it has a physical Standby key.

Alternatives to consider

The systems most often weighed against this one.

Other wheel pilot systems

Head to head

Comparisons featuring this system

ProductsRaymarine EV-100 vs Garmin Reactor 40 →For a sailing yacht under 7.5 tonnes, the EV-100 wins on sailing behaviour, pack completeness and price. For any hydraulically steered…ProductsST2000+ vs EV-100 Tiller →If the boat sails coastal day trips and you already own an ST2000+, keep it. If you are buying new for a boat over about 3 tonnes, or you…ConceptWheel pilot vs below-deck →Under 7 tonnes and coastal: the wheel pilot is a sensible buy. Over that, or for overnight and offshore passages, go below deck. If the…ProductsRaymarine EV-100 Tiller vs Simrad TP32 →EV-100 Tiller is a useful shortlist when you want its supported system integration and can accommodate the separate components. TP32 suits…ProductsCPT wheel pilot vs Raymarine EV-100 Wheel →Shortlist CPT for suitable wheel installations where standalone heading steering is the intended job. Shortlist EV-100 Wheel when its drive…ProductsRaymarine EV-100 Power vs Raymarine EV-150 Power →Choose the package supported for the steering cylinder and circuit. EV-150 is not simply a better EV-100 for every small boat, and a…
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Autopilot commissioning and operator training

A $5,500 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.

Find an instructorOpen the competency checklist