Autopilots by boat type
Fishing boat autopilot systems
Compare fishing boat autopilot systems for Australian trailer boats and outboards. Review hydraulic packs, kicker pilots, steering controls and indicative costs.
- Steering
- Hydraulic outboard steering; cable steering on smaller boats
- Displacement
- 800–4,000 kg
- Recommended
- 4 systems
- Examples
- Bar Crusher, Stabicraft, Quintrex and Stacer
Australia's trailer-boat fleet is enormous and the autopilot market for it has matured fast. Ten years ago an autopilot on a 6 m plate boat was exotic; now the Garmin Reactor 40 Hydraulic, Furuno NavPilot 300 and Simrad AP44 packs are common on any boat that runs offshore to fish, and the Garmin Kicker pack steers the trolling motor on estuary boats.
The prerequisite is hydraulic steering. Cable-steered boats are limited to the Navico Outboard Pilot cable-steer pack or a conversion to hydraulic, which many owners do at the same time.
What an autopilot does for a fishing boat
It holds a heading while you rig baits, runs a route out to the shelf while you watch the sounder and the horizon, keeps a straight wake that saves fuel at cruise, and steers patterns around a bait ball or a drop-off. On a long run home in a following sea it takes the fatigue out of the helm. None of that replaces a lookout; PWCs, other trailer boats and whales do not show on AIS.
Shadow Drive, Safe Helm and VRF
The three brands solve the take-the-wheel problem differently. Garmin's senses hydraulic pressure from the helm and disengages; Furuno's does the same and adds ; Simrad's packs do without a rudder feedback unit and rely on the pump and compass. All three need no rudder sensor on standard outboard steering, which is why installation is a half-day job.
- Garmin Reactor 40 Hydraulic: Shadow Drive, GPSMAP integration, widest dealer support
- Furuno NavPilot 300: Safe Helm, Power Assist, gesture remote, Fish Hunter patterns
- Simrad AP44 VRF: depth contour tracking, turn patterns, NSS/NSX integration
- Raymarine EV-100 Power / EV-150: pattern steering, Axiom integration, Standby to override
Trolling and kicker motors
Boats that troll on a small auxiliary outboard can automate it with the Garmin Reactor 40 Kicker, which puts an actuator on the kicker and leaves the main engine alone. Boats trolling on the main engine simply use the main autopilot's pattern or heading modes at trolling speed, where all the systems work well enough.
Batteries and installation on a trailer boat
A single cranking battery is not a good autopilot supply. Fit a second house battery with a VSR or DC-DC charger, run a fused feed of adequate gauge to the pump, and mount the course computer somewhere dry. Trailer boats live outside; every connector needs dielectric grease and a drip loop. Have the installer show you the modes, the alarms and how to disengage before you leave the shop.
Bar crossings
Recommended
Systems that suit trailer boats and outboards
The Hydraulic and Compact Hydraulic packs are the trailer-boat default, particularly with a GPSMAP.
VRF packs for Simrad-equipped boats; depth contour tracking for working drop-offs.
- Fitting any autopilot to a boat you use for bar crossings without practising manual takeover
- Powering the pump from the cranking battery alone
- Cable-steered boats trying to run a hydraulic pilot
Questions
Frequently asked
Can I fit an autopilot to a cable-steered tinny?
Only the Navico Outboard Pilot cable-steer pack, when available, or by converting to hydraulic steering. Most owners convert; hydraulic steering is a good upgrade on its own.
How much does a trailer-boat autopilot cost fitted?
Indicatively $4,000–7,000 for a hydraulic pack fitted by a marine electronics shop, more if the boat needs a second battery and wiring.
Recommended systems at a glance
- Below-deck systemGarmin
Garmin Reactor 40 (Hydraulic, Mechanical, Steer-by-wire and Sail)
- Indicative
- $2,900–$5,200
- Editor score
- 83
- Outboard / trailer boatFuruno
Furuno NavPilot 300
- Indicative
- $3,600–$5,200
- Editor score
- 77
- Below-deck systemSimrad
Simrad AP44 with NAC-2 or NAC-3
- Indicative
- $3,300–$5,800
- Editor score
- 77
- Outboard / trailer boatGarmin
Garmin Reactor 40 Kicker
- Indicative
- $2,200–$2,800
- Editor score
- 57
Where these boats sail
Other boat types
Autopilot commissioning and boat-specific training
Every boat type above ends with the same advice: a handover on the water, a settings card, alarms set and a failure drill. The training section explains what good instruction looks like and where to find it.