New Auto pilot Raymarine vs simarad

[obiec]

Well I am going to be buying a new weal pilot or auto pilot for my 33 foot boat this year. Dose any one have any insight as to quality between the brands I am looking at a Raymarine weal pilot , how ever simrad has a nice one also that is a little easier to install. I presently have a Raymarins belt drive but I am going to be doing a lot of miles next year and I wont to put it away as a spare.

[Sailmc]

If your belt drive is new enough you might save some money by using your contol head with a new 4000 drive however the newer computers are much better than the old. My personal preference is for the Raymarine. I have had both the first and second generation of wheel pilot and have had a few minor problems with both but they can be owner serviced with the exception of the actual electronics.

[Denr]

I evaluated both units when I purchased a new wheel pilot a couple years ago. The Simrad had a larger motor, drew less current, had a higher speed than the AH 4000. (Advantage Simrad) I also know a number of owners that have experienced problems with the control head micros-switches failing on the Autohelm unit. (Advantage Simrad) The housing on the Simrad is manufactured out of aluminum, the Raymarine out of plastic. (Advantage Simrad) The Simrad had fuzzy logic software at the time, the Raymaine did not although they may have it today. (Advantage Simrad at the time) The installation for the Simrad was very simple as the fluxgate is on the control head, the Raymaine unit required that the fluxgate be mounted in the bilge area. (Advantage Simrad) The only negative the Simrad unit has is that you must reach around the wheel to make course corrections, reaching through the wheel could result in a pinched pinky. (Advantage Raymarine) although I reach through the spokes anyway, don''t try this at home,I am a professional.

[TDanz87646]

Denr
Isn''t the Simrad the original Robertson model. Simrad boughtr out Navico and Robertson to corner the market. The Robertson enjoyed the best reputation in the marine industry.
Joe

[WHOOSH]

Joe:

"Isn''t the Simrad the original Robertson model. Simrad boughtr out Navico and Robertson to corner the market."

I believe it depends on which type of Simrad a/p you are referring to. Simrad''s line of cockpit-mounted a/p''s are simply Navico''s former line-up with a different colored plastic.

Jack

[Maine Sail]

I removed a Raytheon and installed a Simrad WP30 two years ago and have never looked back. I sail a 36 foot sloop and this thing even does well down wind with a following sea! I linked it to my Garmin GPS plotter and I can literally run over the Nuns/Cans in the fog if I''m not careful. It can steer a better course than I can for longer periods and I have not had one problem with it in approx 2200 nm.

[majoun]

Simrad has done a very poor job of providing support for Navico (and probably any other company it acquired). That did not sit well with the Navico owners who needed repairs or advice.

I went thru the comparison last year: that''s why I went with Raymarine. Besides, it matches up well with my other Raymarine electronics. No problems encountered, and installation was very easy.

[WHOOSH]

Just to ''second'' Majoun''s comments, I found the new, consolidated Simrad organization abrupt in ineffective in addressing successive poorly molded parts on my Navico cockpit-mounted a/p. Perhaps in the interim 2+ year period, they''ve become more capable (and motivated) to support products with a Navico heritage...but I think it''s good ''Darwinian Retail Theory'' for all of us to support companies that treat us right in the first place, while avoiding those that don''t.

Jack