Auto pilot options?

[Snipe]

Guys I need some help I am trying to buy my auto pilot and want some help. Has anyone mounted the pump under the dash? If so is it to loud? I am going with all garmin electronics so was thinking of going with their auto pilot. There is an option where I can use their package with a different Pump like sea star or another brand pump.

Thanks in advance!

[Ironworker]

Guys I need some help I am trying to buy my auto pilot and want some help. Has anyone mounted the pump under the dash? If so is it to loud? I am going with all garmin electronics so was thinking of going with their auto pilot. There is an option where I can use their package with a different Pump like sea star or another brand pump.

Thanks in advance!

Jason,

I've recently went through this exercise. I've had Garmin stuff on my other boats for 20 years but decided to change over to Furuno primarily due to their fishfinder. I'm also going with Furuno's AP. Garmin has had mixed results with their APs. If you're coastal cruising then they are fine but if you're venturing offshore then I'm not a fan. I suspect that I'm in the minority though.

In regards to location, I'm likely to locate mine under the dash in the electronics compartment I'm building which will be very similar to Bang O Rang. I may consider locating it in one of the engine boxes though.

[1962 31]

I have simrad on my commercial boat kind of a different animal, but the pump is right behind the helm and you don't hear it
I dont recall what brand is on my bert but it is in a box outboard of the starboard engine
if that helps prop not but... lol

[Carl]

I have my pump mounted in the engine compartment on the upper shelf with electronics in the head. It's not quite under the dash...but sort of is as I have an Express...so it's right there next to me.

Yes "I" know when it's working...can I hear it, sort of when trolling. How I really know it's running is I can feel it pulsating more than I can hear it.
When running...no idea its working other than boat running straight.

I have a Si-Tex 70...its a hand held remote unit. It works well for my needs...and the biggest need is to keep boat running straight so I can tend to the poles when trolling short-handed or with my wife. She is not fond of the helm when trolling. Apparently, I can get snippy if boats not running straight when running the lines in or out. My hint was her telling me and her buying me the AutoPilot.
I neither recommend nor disparage the unit...it works well till the weather turns a bit sloppy. Running is fine...trolling the unit gets confused.

[Ironworker]

BTW, One of the items that sold me on the Furuno AP is the point and shoot remote. I'm the boat driver, wire/gaff man with big fish. The point and shoot remote is going to be pretty damn handy!!!

[bob lico]

this is tough to describe but i notice nothing was ever mention over the years (20) being on this forum. lets start out or lets say you made two access drop down hatches in the cabin ceiling, next step you put up a Azak back boat from port to starboard across the entire bridge width.now you lay out your components starting with a shelf for your auto pilot pump , can for electronic components, server for all electronic displays , your three isolated terminal boards from your three isolated battery banks , a ground bar and a dc negative terminal board with cable down to main negative terminal.anf your auto pilot computer. you can make a real nice installation with all that room with easy access by dropping either one of the hatches with a dc light above. i guess i should take a photo it sure created a huge area to lay out all the components of the electrical/electronics of the boat and easy to get at or add wiring if needed.

[Snipe]

Bob there was a lot of space up there but I raised the over head in the cabin up into that space and faired the inside of the fly bridge for a larger cabin. I plan on putting all the electronics under the dash up on the bridge.

Thanks for the replies guys I have run many boats commercial and pleasure! I have used every auto pilot there is and was just wondering what was the best fit for our boats!

[bob lico]

no way in hell could i ever get anywhere near that amount under the dash . under the dash is also wall to wall with cables ,dc wiring , bells and whistles as alarm for gauges. there are multiple terminal boards for harness to gauges and and three power supply for wiring, switch legs for the numerous switches for lighting, bilge pumps, radar arch cockpit lighting ETC.FURUNO system uses a server so all devices some from down in the "hole" like smart heating sensor and flux compass all come up to bridge i mounted the Furuno chirp computer under the dashboard and there is no room what so ever.literally bundles of category six marine rated ethernet cables from server to all devices.

[Amberjack]

Which Garmin autopilot pump are people using on Bertrams? When I looked at them last year our 31's fell right between two size ranges.

[Rawleigh]

this is tough to describe but i notice nothing was ever mention over the years (20) being on this forum. lets start out or lets say you made two access drop down hatches in the cabin ceiling, next step you put up a Azak back boat from port to starboard across the entire bridge width.now you lay out your components starting with a shelf for your auto pilot pump , can for electronic components, server for all electronic displays , your three isolated terminal boards from your three isolated battery banks , a ground bar and a dc negative terminal board with cable down to main negative terminal.anf your auto pilot computer. you can make a real nice installation with all that room with easy access by dropping either one of the hatches with a dc light above. i guess i should take a photo it sure created a huge area to lay out all the components of the electrical/electronics of the boat and easy to get at or add wiring if needed.

Bob: This is what I did in my boat. I beefed up the stringers in the overhead and glassed in a plywood shelf that goes side to side and as deep as the front slope of the bridge. I keep electronics and lifejackets in it. it is strong enough that a reasonable sized man can squeeze up through the hatch and crawl around up there. There is enough room you could just about put a berth up there. The hatch is a commercially available plastic hinged hatch. Just make sure the framing is strong! The hatch is in the port ceiling panel just left of center and runs fore and aft. It sandwiches the panel to the framing. You can stand on the port dinette seat and have your whole upper body up in it easily. I put in a bus bar and added my stereo up there. The head unit is in a drop down pod on the ceiling panel. Sorry i do not have any pictures available right now. Rawleigh

[bob lico]

a great utilization of wasted high and DRY space on a 31 Bertram ,a smart job Rawleigh like i said never been discussed before so i assume most 31 brothers made some kind of access hatch and used this area because it is directly in back of the dash board on the bridge BUT dry.and nobody i know wants to lay on their back or worst yet snake themselves around the helm chairs on their stomach with out reached hands (zero coordination) for those tiny screws under the dashboard i i bring each harness wire from each engine to a terminal board and then from terminal board to the gauges all hand wired, this is the way pro electricians do it makes easy troubleshooting later on.under the dashboard is also reserve for bypass for your hydraulic lines to your steering hydraulic cylinder . just in case you get a leak in the autopilot hydraulic lines you need bypass valves to get you home from 125 miles into the Atlantic all of this is under dashboard along with all wiring to displays, radio etc. there is no room under the dashboard ever with a perfect layout from a 50 year pro.

[Ironworker]

I'm doing the same thing with my boat. The overhead liner is out. I'm cutting out the rounded back and bottom (under dash) and will glass that in vertical. I'll have both vertical and horizontal areas to mount electronics very similar to Bang O Rang.

[bob lico]

perfect ironworker you will enjoy the easy access to all your essential electrical connections and with well planed layout you know were every single connection is and more important the source of power to a device and for those of you who went the " extra mile" to isolate all your essential electronics extreme smart move, electrical surge? lightning strike? we got it covered basically electrically speaking it is not one "big" connection to the battery!!!!!! and you will not have a electrical glitch for a hundred years -----------guarantee

[JohnV8r]

I've had my Furuno NavPilot 500 pump under the helm since 2003. Control unit is above the headliner in the salon. No noise.

Replacing it this month with the Garmin Reactor 40. Primary reason is the Furuno Navpilot was not great navigating to multiple waypoints. I put a Garmin 942xs in last summer primarily for the Chirp sonar, but have been impressed with Garmin's route calculation when putting a single waypoint in and hitting "Go To." If the Garmin Reactor 40 navigates the routes the single waypoint/Go To function creates, that will be a win in my book.

I'll be able to give you head to head feedback on functions in April.

[Snipe]

Thanks John I just purchased the garmin reactor 40 smart pump a phantom 24 radar and two 942xsv and a 1242xsv and a garmin vhf. The smart pump just seemed like the way to go!

[JohnV8r]

I also ordered the Phantom 24. I’m either going to put a 1243 or an 8612 in as a second display. The reason I would go with the 8612 - if I do - is to put the Airmar B275LHW transducer in. I had a great conversation with the Garmin rep at a boat show two weeks ago about the best transducer to add to my Garmin 23 mid chirp transducer to get better deep water performance. I was blown away with some video he has on his cell phone with the Airmar. That said, it’s a big bill above just adding a 1243 and not adding another transducer.

We’ll see…