S100 autopilot remote - anyone use?

[ArgleBargle]

Hi

thinking about getting the Raymarine S100 autopilot remote - anyone use it and have any comments on it before i waste my money?

also, its not clear from the brochure how the "base station" avtually connects to the autopilot, i presume that part is not wireless?

thanks much in advance

cheers

[Maine Sail]

I have one, it is useful but only ok as far as the "execution" goes. No surprise from Raymarine..

My big complaint is that in STBY mode the remote shuts down and then upon start up it needs to reacquire the wireless signal, which takes about 30-45 seconds. This is pathetic!

I bought it to dodge lobster pots and it works well unless you have hit STBY and then try to turn the AP back on via the remote as it takes a little bit of time, too much time.

I have conversed with Raymarine over these flaws and their attitude is typical Raymarine, we are right, you are wrong and most folks want improved battery life.

Well, I for one could care less about battery life I want functionality, batteries are cheap and rechargeable these days. I asked them to do a re-program of mine, was very willing to pay, to add an "always on" setting but they claim they can't... Ya right...

Funny how the next model up has an "always on" function???? Go for the next model up!

Rant over..

Oh yeah the base station simply plugs into an existing Sea-Talk port. Takes longer to install the batteries in the remote than to hook up the base station..

[BOLTER33]

I bought the remote 2 years ago. I got the larger of the two . was easy to install plug and play. Works great you can go to the bow and make course changes. The one I have also give a lot of data as well, so it can be used below to get information. The only thing is it kind of hard to turn off, during charging it comes back on and sounds an alarm if the power to the sytem is not on, but when you cancel the alarm its fine.

[sailingdog]

I'd second getting the Smart Controller rather than the S100. The other major advantage of the Smart Controller is that the display can be used as an instrument repeater and show you depth, cross track error, wind speed, etc...

[Zanshin]

The base station is relatively small and plugs into the seaTalk, I plugged mine into a free one on one of cockpit displays. I use the S100 quite a bit as I singlehand. The most common use is when I sail through squalls or otherwise inclement weather and can remote-control the boat from the warmth and comfort of the dodger. I also sail quite a bit in wind-mode and the autopilot beeps when there is a wind shift and you need to stand up and press buttons on the unit to shut it off, with the remote I don't need to get up to turn off the alarm.
Given a choice I'd go for the bigger, newer display.

[Livia]

We have the remote control head in the cockpit and the smaller wireless remote (S100).

The S100 has a transmit unit that is plugged into the autopilot with a Seatalk cord - no brainer - and ours is installed in the combing underneath our winches and we get great signal across the boat.

We haven't had a big problem with ours turning off and having to wait for it to go back on...but I don't know that we go to standby often when we are using it. If we put the unit on standby, we usually go back to auto quickly.

The remote control was a present for my husband and I thought just a toy when I bought it for him but I have found it *very* useful when single handing because I can steer around logs and crab pots while putting on fenders on the foredeck or I while finishing raising the anchor and cleaning up the bow after anchoring.

[sailingdog]

Livia—

The smart controller is the larger and more expensive of the two Raymarine autopilot remotes. It has a larger LCD display and can be used as an instrument repeater. The wireless interface box is the same for both units.

[sailortjk1]

yep, just like the dog said.
We have the Smart Controller and love it.
Not only is it great as a remote auto, but it's also very nice to have a repeater in your pocket. Lets me keep on eye on Julie while she is on watch and I am off.

[ArgleBargle]

thanks for the info.

i think i'm gonna go for the smartcontroller

cheers

[ArgleBargle]

just a follow up regarding the earlier autopilot remote thread i posted.

ended up getting the Raymarine Smart Controller autopilot remote rather than the S100. confirm it was easy to install, works great.

unfortunately my instruments are simrad and my chartplotter is Garmin, so i guess i'll have to do some NMEA interfacing if i want to use all of the instrument repeating features of the Smart Controller.

thanks again for the input

cheers