Thinking buying a Pelagic Heavy Autopilot next week for my Arends. Anyone have first hand experience with these?

I'm after an autopilot that drives the rudder stock to provide redundancy to the pedestal. I have a Raymarine fitted boat but don't mind the idea of the autopilot as a completely seperate system.

Prices and my current priority list is:
1. Pelagic Heavy System Complete (same electro hydraulic linear ram as B&G) $4,900 delivered + import fees $500? =$5400

2. Raymarine EVO2 with mechanical linear actuator $5600 including rudder feedback sensor

3. B&G with same ram as 1, appears to be about $7+k but it's hard to accurately price up.

Those prices are without remotes, the Pelagic is cheaper here to.

A cruiser, just want a reliable but relatively high performance offshore autopilot. Am a right in thinking the best solution is the Pelagic? All use a 9 axis head to the processor to drive the pilot.

Hi, no experience with them, but interested in what's available for down the track so I'll keep an eye on peoples thoughts here. Can I suggest looking at the Australian Coursemaster autopilots as an option too.

On my fishing vessel I used a TMQ AP4 as did nearly all the other boats in he port. Mate used a Coursemaster and it was troublesome. Mine was used with a Hydrive ram which was another first class Australian product. The GPS drove the TMQ and it was a matter of setting in the number each morning and the TMQ did the rest. The hydraulic steering to the wheel is disconnected and the ram is driven directly by the hydraulic pump. The pump is driven almost continuously by the electric motor. In a trawler with the main engine running that's not a real problem but you can still hear it over the engine. Even laying in your bunk you can feel the pump running as well. On a motor sailer it would be OK but on a yacht it would drive you crazy.


chsmith.com.au/Products/TMQ-Autopilot-AP4.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw8e-gBhD0ARIsAJiDsaWZQtmXVCNuA1RLUeIl1Y1Ij-F5Z2yFrPztNok60ce733_CGGP5rSIaAolwEALw_wcB

chsmith.com.au/Products/TMQ-Autopilot-Hydraulic-Drive-Packs-LSRV224-2L-pump-24v.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw8e-gBhD0ARIsAJiDsaWWjEIY2-P29HJr-EzZGhS3zAST8Njoc7hm3FvPlPJ7lpC-NuB94mcaAgISEALw_wcB

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2bish said..
Can I suggest looking at the Australian Coursemaster autopilots as an option too.

I have aCourseMaster 950 Auto Pilot - have had no trouble with it for the past 8 years & connects to my Raymarine plotter with no dramas.
I just put a route into the plotter, connect the auto pilot with one button press & away we go. It will sound an alarm (optional) when about to change course but if you don't acknowledge it will still follow the route. It will also just follow a heading & has the ability to tack which is very handy when single handed.
The CourseMaster 950 Auto Pilot is connected to a Raymarine T2 Long Linear Drive which steers my 20t boat effortlessly. I did have an Octopus hydraulic drive but decided to go with the Linear Drive because it was bigger.

How does the Coursemaster go sailing to wind input rather than following a course (behaving like a wind vane), can it be done? The commercial autopilots don't seem to be strong in this area?

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EastCoastSail said..
How does the Coursemaster go sailing to wind input rather than following a course (behaving like a wind vane), can it be done? The commercial autopilots don't seem to be strong in this area?

Yes, it does a great job sailing to wind input. I usually just steer on the wind angle I want to go & press the button & then you can adjust the wind angle on the go if needed - it does other stuff as well.

Lazzz, thanks I have downloaded the Coursemaster manuals and will read and understand.

Have a look at this drive unit too:
www.ebay.com.au/itm/314374164828?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-154756-20017-0&ssspo=h9AvsBkBRbW&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=IrMXZr0BTm6&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Are you planning to drill into the quadrant or attach the drive to a tang located in the emergency tiller slot, or some other method of attachment?

Spoken to a Sydney based Raymarine, Coursemaster and B&G autopilot dealer and repairer. After that call I will go with a Raymarine EVO2 linear actuator for quietness, power usage, it will meet all my needs and should be easier to fit.
Plan on fitting the arm to the rudder stock below the quadrant using a dowel pin into the new lever arm. But first I have to move my hot water tank to gain space.

would love to see a picture of your plan / install if possible

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EastCoastSail said..
Spoken to a Sydney based Raymarine, Coursemaster and B&G autopilot dealer and repairer. After that call I will go with a Raymarine EVO2 linear actuator for quietness, power usage, it will meet all my needs and should be easier to fit.
Plan on fitting the arm to the rudder stock below the quadrant using a dowel pin into the new lever arm. But first I have to move my hot water tank to gain space.

Good to hear, I did a bit of research myself after seeing your post with my own upgrade in mind, and I landed on the Ramarined linear drive as my likely choice too. So quieter and lower power draw, what did they say about reliability?

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EastCoastSail said..
Spoken to a Sydney based Raymarine, Coursemaster and B&G autopilot dealer and repairer. After that call I will go with a Raymarine EVO2 linear actuator for quietness, power usage, it will meet all my needs and should be easier to fit.
Plan on fitting the arm to the rudder stock below the quadrant using a dowel pin into the new lever arm. But first I have to move my hot water tank to gain space.

Don't forget to check out the Garmin linear drive which I think looks a lot better than the Raymarine and should be compatible with the other components of the Raymarine system.
I believe that the Jefa and the Garmin class A drive are the same unit and that the Garmin is actually manufactured by Jefa although the Garmin unit is priced a bit lower.

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2bish said..

EastCoastSail said..
Spoken to a Sydney based Raymarine, Coursemaster and B&G autopilot dealer and repairer. After that call I will go with a Raymarine EVO2 linear actuator for quietness, power usage, it will meet all my needs and should be easier to fit.
Plan on fitting the arm to the rudder stock below the quadrant using a dowel pin into the new lever arm. But first I have to move my hot water tank to gain space.

Good to hear, I did a bit of research myself after seeing your post with my own upgrade in mind, and I landed on the Ramarined linear drive as my likely choice too. So quieter and lower power draw, what did they say about reliability?

The examples they used were Sydney to Osaka boats running Raymarine Linear Drives in the past, they have have been reliable with few repairs. The biggest gain noticeable was the new systems B&G, Raymarine etc with 9 axis compass over older generation systems such a Course Master.