Auto Pilot is a game changer

[PeterPalmieri]

I guess the Title says it all.

As you all know I’ve kept the boat pretty simple; engines, batteries, electronics and a small inverter. I don’t yet have all the electronics networked 100% or the radar hooked up. But we calibrated the autopilot and I can use Garmin active captain to mirror my electronics on my phone and IPad.

The iPad acts as a fish finder in the cockpit and my phone acts as a wireless autopilot controller. The obvious benefit of the autopilot in the ocean is to keep a straight line over long distances and I haven’t yet used the auto guidance/routing feature. But yesterday I managed to manually adjust the autopilot on my phone and take the boat all the way from the inlet back to the dock. Which could be a serious back up if my steering was to go out.

[Amberjack]

Good morning Peter, I’m writing from your side of the country today. Boy you guys have beautiful weather! Is it always like this?

I also just installed Garmin autopilot after years of navigational simplicity. In my case it’s to use when piloting from the cabin during bad weather allowing me to remove the primitive old lower steering station. Otherwise I rarely (never) use it as the Pacific NW is full of twists, turns and floating wood debris. Never can I troll from the cockpit for long straight stretches as fishing is always in the middle of a fleet of small boats dodging around. So it just rides along-until the next thunder storm. We sure use our boats differently.

https://imgur.com/EWKTtgf

https://imgur.com/JGlpR2M

[Carl]

I believe most of the autopilots for our boats utilize a hydraulic pump plumbed into the boat hydraulic steering system. If the wheel/helm pump dies, yes your autopilot will work for you as a backup. If the hydraulic ram goes south or a line ruptures...autopilot will not work.

I use the autopilot for keeping the boat straight trolling...mostly putting lines down outside the fleet.

[S Ritzert]

I have yet to use autopilot. I have used Garmin's electronics for about 4 years now. Previous to that I used Simrad. I love how easy Garmin is to use, very intuitive, and the active captain rocks. I do have Garmins compact reactor that I was in the process of installing on my 28, but now that I have the 31, I will save it for that.

So, as Carl mentioned. The A/P is plumbed inline with your hydraulic steering, so if one unit goes out, you have the other for backup. Keep in mind too, that you have twin engines for backup as well. Not that twin engines will give you crisp pristine steering in a bad situation, but if you are having a steering issue, head home.

[Carl]

, but if you are having a steering issue, head home.

...yeah, but not always.

My last boat the arm attaching the steering cable to tiller broke while trolling in a crowd. A few minutes of anxiety till I stopped and figured out the problem. A bit of rope tied to something under the deck gave me enough steering to keep fishing till the bite was over and made my way back in. Steering was sloppy, but it steered.

[S Ritzert]

well head home unless the bite is good then. lol

I lost an engine about 30 or so miles out. I turned around to head home, and made a slight detour to a wreck, and we dropped for snapper. we ended up catching a limit, and salvaging the day. I get not wanting to head home

[Carl]

LOL, similar minds...

Access the issue, if your there and not in danger, situation is not getting worse whats the difference is we make a slow ride in now or in a couple hours.

Salvage the day as you said...the steering will still be broke, motor will still be down tomorrow, at least we catch today

[PeterPalmieri]

Years ago we loaded up for an extended weekend to stay over at Fire Island about halfway there the block of my 454 cracked or a rod pushed through. The bilge filled with oil and the motor was done. We limped the rest of the way to our destination and enjoyed our 3 day weekend. Went home at 4 kts on one motor.

If it’s safe to do so I’d salvage the day. I remember years ago Randal said he ran his 25 for an entire season with no steering and got really good at working the throttles.

[Carl]

If it’s safe to do so I’d salvage the day. I remember years ago Randal said he ran his 25 for an entire season with no steering and got really good at working the throttles.

Peter- That was the one exception to the salvage the day thing I started out with in this post. Last year...at least I think it was last year I was in the way of a few people wanting to go in the water, so I put boat in before going over everything. I made my way directly into my slip, which was a few slips from the well. Tied up, no leaks and went home.

A couple days later we decide to go for a check out ride and maybe a little bottom fishing. Warm motors, untie, put in gear, turn wheel and its turning free...lost its prime, no steering. OK...two motors so I can at least go out, run a little with the two motors, wet some lines while I purge the system. Outside the harbor I push the throttles up watching the gauges, get on plane and temp keep climbing on the Starboard, alarm goes off. I pull down throttle and shut motor. Now I'm just outside the channel with breeze blowing me towards the jetty. Anchor goes out, grabs and its Now What time. One motor and no steering which makes for No steering and no making headway. It didn't take long to see the coolant was way down, I did have a couple gallons of antifeeze...so waited for motor to cool and started adding very slow, hoping nothing cracked, it stayed in or I found leak.

When full motor started, ran cool, I pulled anchor and bee lined it in. Next day I found a very small drip under pressure on one of the connections and one at the petcock...apparently it did a slow drip all winter. My stupidity for not checking everything over before putting boat in and taking boat for a ride without checking. The steering is from redoing the electrical when converting, the center fitting is not tight enough and will drain helm over long periods of no use...aka winter layup. Easy fix, but time consuming.

Anyway...I may or may not have fished that day while waiting for motor to cool. Kind of a blur... Lousy when the backup plan goes down.