[peteris]

I am looking for a selfsteer solution for a 26' sailboat. I am leaning towards an autopilot instead of a windvane, but am concerned about running out of juice powering it.

The Simrad TP20 which I am looking at states that it draws 500mah, but in past experience, you cannot accurately calculate exactly how long a battery will last based on just that.

I am thinking I will have to install 4-6 deep cycle marine batteries, and a small generator. But even then, will I have to run the generator every day?

What's your experience? Thanks!