Autopilot recommendation

[ncapener]

And the winner is......Comnav.

That system will work with my existing pump
Is made in Vancouver and there are dealers/service centers on the BC coast
It is the least expensive unit
It is the most basic unit ( I have a color chart plotter and don't need another display where I am heading)
That unit has been around unchanged for ten years and has proven itself with the commercial fishing fleet

Second choice was Simrad. A year ago I was looking to replace the Navico and I tried for a week to talk to a tech rep at Simrad. I was put on hold for hours, nobody ever called me back when I left my number and emails were never answered.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[roline]

Auto started to act up, schizoid like a drunk on the helm. I took him apart and wiggled the ribbon connector from the magnetic ring sensor to the main board. It is amazing how little is in an autopilot..... Auto has been on the wagon since and behaving well. No more wild rides around in circles...
Auto is a Ray ST2000+, I've had it close to 10 yrs with no issues until this fall. I prefer the 2000+ to the 1000 being on the seatalk bus with a remote ST6001 control head.

[boatsnh]

I see ncapener & others installed the ComNav unit to drive below deck pilots..

Any comments about how these perform? I'm looking to drive a Simrad (hld350) ram and the simplicity of the Comnav 1420 has an appeal. Most vendors don't have much to say, since they don't install/sell many. I was told by 1 vendor in RI that they sell a lot of them thru their Tortola office to cruisers...Thought that had a lot to say about how bullet proof they might be.

I Wonder how much of an advantage the algorithms offered inside Raymarine & Simrad would influence the ride compared to a "dumb" pilot like the Comnav .....
I Don't use lots of electronic wind instruments & have no interest in connecting autopilot & all other devices via NMEA. I suppose if I get radar/chart overlay a fluxgate compass is pretty cheap......a little duplication, but not too big a deal.

Thanks....

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by jrd22

Comnav- right in Vancouver. Several models to choose from, they are the hands down favorite of commercial fishing boats in the PNW.

I've delivered boats with all the common pilots and run a ComNav 1001 on my own boat for 13years ....... by far the best on the market and they are right in your own backyard

[goboatingnow]

raymarine. very good , reliable and with teh SPX system and rate gyro unbeatable
Dave

[ncapener]

A year later and a trip around Vancouver Island, I made a good choice with the Comnav 1420.
Always worked, always kept the boat on track.
My only complaint is the red button lost its color after 2 months.

Neal