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Marine Autopilot

Below-deck system · Simrad

Simrad AP44 with NAC-2 or NAC-3

Navico's powerboat pilot: the same NAC hardware with a power-boat controller and VRF packs.

Indicative price
$3,300–$5,800 unit
Fitted
$4,500–$9,000
Rated for
Sized by drive or pump
Editor score
77 / 100
HydraulicOutboard (cable or hydraulic)Steer-by-wire / joystickPower cruisingFishing and trailer boatsCoastal cruisingOffshore / bluewater

Simrad and B&G are the same company, and their autopilots share the NAC-2 and NAC-3 course computers and the Precision-9 compass. The difference is the front end. The AP44 is a rotary-dial controller sized for a powerboat helm, the AP48 is a larger version for a wheelhouse, and the software leans to route following, turn patterns and outboard-friendly setups rather than sailing modes.

For Australian trailer boats and sportsfishers the interesting packs are the (Virtual Rudder Feedback) hydraulic packs, which use a pump and the compass to infer rudder position and save fitting a feedback sensor on an outboard. Bigger boats use the NAC-3 with a hydraulic pump or a solenoid interface to power steering. Integration with NSS and NSX plotters and Halo radar is deep, and the AP44 is a common factory fit on Australian-built motor cruisers.

Verdict

The right pilot for a Simrad-equipped power boat, and the one to shortlist against Garmin's Reactor 40 if you fish drop-offs and want depth contour tracking. Sailors should buy the B&G version of the same hardware.

Simrad AP44 with NAC-2 or NAC-3 drive sizing

Sized by pump and course computer. packs suit single and twin hydraulic outboards on 5–8 m boats; NAC-3 with a 1.2–2.0 L pump covers most cruisers to about 18 m.

Specifications

Autopilot components, voltage and steering modes

Sensor
Precision-9 nine-axis compass
Course computer
NAC-2 (low current) or NAC-3 (high current)
Control
AP44 rotary controller, AP48 for larger helms, NSS/NSX plotters, OP50 remote
Drive
Reversible hydraulic pumps, VRF packs for outboards, solenoid interface for power steering
Voltage
12 V DC (NAC-2), 12/24 V DC (NAC-3)
Network
NMEA 2000, SimNet-compatible, Ethernet to NSS/NSX plotters
Power draw
1.5 A typical, 10 A peak. Pump draws only while correcting.
Steering systems
Hydraulic; Outboard (cable or hydraulic); Steer-by-wire / joystick

Modes

  • Auto (heading)
  • Nav (route following)
  • No Drift
  • Turn patterns: U-turn, C-turn, spiral, zigzag, square, lazy-S
  • Depth contour tracking

Features

  • Virtual Rudder Feedback packs for hydraulic outboards
  • Depth contour tracking for fishing a drop-off
  • Turn patterns for trolling and drifting
  • Deep integration with Simrad NSS/NSX and Halo radar
  • Optional dodge and step controls on the dial

For and against

Autopilot strengths and limitations

Strengths
  • Rugged dial controller suits a bouncing helm
  • Depth contour tracking is unique in this price bracket
  • Common factory fit; spares and service are easy in Australia
  • Same proven NAC hardware as B&G
Limitations
  • No hydraulic auto-disengage equivalent to Garmin's Shadow Drive
  • Sailing modes are limited compared with the B&G version
  • Two brands with one product line can confuse buyers

Who fits it

Boats and places where this system is recommended

Boat types

Australian waters

  • South Australia → For trailer boats and the Port Lincoln fleet on Simrad networks.
  • Melbourne and Port Phillip → Well matched to a bay power boat that already runs Simrad or Lowrance displays. Depth contour tracking is genuinely useful on the edges of the shipping channels, provided you treat it as an aid, not a plan.
  • Adelaide and the Gulfs → Worth it on a powered gulf boat already running Simrad or Lowrance electronics. Depth contour tracking is genuinely useful along the shallow edges of the gulfs, treated as an aid rather than a route.

Questions

Simrad AP44 with NAC-2 or NAC-3: frequently asked

What is Virtual Rudder Feedback?

VRF packs work out rudder position from the boat's response and the pump's behaviour instead of a rudder feedback sensor. It suits outboards where fitting a sensor is awkward. Performance is good on planing hulls and adequate at displacement speeds.

AP44 or AP48?

Same functions. The AP48 has a larger screen and dial for a wheelhouse or flybridge helm; the AP44 fits a standard instrument cut-out on a smaller boat.

Alternatives to consider

The systems most often weighed against this one.

Other below-deck system systems

Head to head

Comparisons featuring this system

ProductsB&G vs Simrad vs Raymarine →Racers and wind-steering cruisers: B&G. Power boats: Simrad. Everyone else with a cruising yacht: Raymarine's EV-200 pack is complete, well…ProductsNavPilot 300 vs Reactor 40 →Boats with Garmin plotters and sonar should buy the Reactor 40; the integration is worth it and Shadow Drive is excellent. Heavy twin- and…ProductsSimrad NAC-D vs NAC-2 and NAC-3 →Choose the architecture the vessel supports. NAC-D is not a higher-power upgrade for a conventional NAC-2 pump installation; NAC-3 is not a…
Check the finder’s viewLearn to use itManufacturer site ↗

Autopilot commissioning and operator training

A $9,000 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.

Find an instructorOpen the competency checklist