Help needed on autopilot!

I have an autohelm 6000 on board that is no longer working. Everything I've read about this unit points me in the direction of having to replace this unit with a more up-to-date model. Parts or repairs are no longer offered for the 6000 through Raymarine.
If I replace, do I need a complete system of computer, fluxgate, hydraulics etc? I assume it would be better to replace everything new. What are your recommendations for a new unit for a 44ft sundeck. I do like it simple, but not like our local shrimpers who just tie their wheel with a piece of rope.

You'd need everything new except a pump, unless as preventative you want to replace it.

I would look at Furuno's Navpilot 700 series.

A lot pop up on ebay...I just have the control head, compass, pump and rudder sensor for my setup....sometimes the control heads on ebay go for under $500.

Here's what we went with:


Evolution Autopilot | Autopilots from Raymarine

I've read good reviews on the Evolution autopilot. How hard of an installation would the Evo be for a DIY. Do I need a marine electrician? I'm fairly good at most electronic gear.

Use your existing pump. Determine what wires go where on the pump.

Remove the rudder angle indicator (if you have one) and install the Raymarine RAI.

Run the RAI wiring forward.

Determine the location for the Actuator Control Unit and Sensor Core, and install.

Determine the location for the P70 (button controls) or P70R (rotary knob controls) and install.

Per the instructions, connect the power and pilot wiring. If you don't have a NMEA 2k setup, get the Actisense NGW-1-STNG (or similar) N2k to NMEA0183 gateway to interface with your GPS Chartplotter.

Run the dockside commissioning program, and you're done.

It's a very simple install.

Here's a writeup on how easy it is. We have the ACU-400, and it took all of 3 hours to install the system.


The Marine Installer's Rant: Installing the Raymarine Evolution autopilot

Dang it man, you guys are great! In less than 2 hours I've found which units are good and even how to install it! This forum is the real deal. Again many thanks for your quick responses. Leaning toward the EVO right now but will look at the Furuno and Garmin (all other nav systems are Garmin on board...might be easier to interface with GPS/Chartplotter?) system as well.

ragin cajun said:

Dang it man, you guys are great! In less than 2 hours I've found which units are good and even how to install it! This forum is the real deal. Again many thanks for your quick responses. Leaning toward the EVO right now but will look at the Furuno and Garmin (all other nav systems are Garmin on board...might be easier to interface with GPS/Chartplotter?) system as well.

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Never been a fan of Raymarine. Personally the Furuno is the most robust unit. Garmins are good too, but you have to use their pump. To convert any of these AP'e you'll need a nmea starter kit. Garmin makes an affordable N2k starter kit, and the Furuno If-Nmea2k2 for converting the data to your old gps and vice versa.

I have a Autohelm 6000 and a 7000 on my boat. The 7000 went blank. I found one on ebay. The guy that sold it repairs them. He gave me $125 back when I sent him the broke unit. Mine just had a bad LCD screen. He said it a common issue. The seller is kodiakjack99 on eBay . I just put new Raymarine displays on, e125 and e127. They work perfectly with the ten year old Autohelm equipment.

Lafayette? I'm in Baton Rouge, the boat's in Springfield (down I-12). Before you spend the big bucks, maybe check out what some of the big shrimp boats use, Port of Iberia is pretty close, or Morgan City. These guys make a living w/ their equipment. I have the ComNav 1001, pretty reliable setup.

It is rare that most boaters do anything more than use auto or track to a very limited degree.....

If you do great..but most of us barely scratch the capabilities of the 1990s autopilots....if mine goes bad I will be looking backwards rather than forwards just for simplicity and economy.

psneeld said:

It is rare that most boaters do anything more than use auto or track to a very limited degree.....

If you do great..but most of us barely scratch the capabilities of the 1990s autopilots....if mine goes bad I will be looking backwards rather than forwards just for simplicity and economy.

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KISS
I don't like letting the boat drive itself. Auto is all I use.

I put in the EVO last year to replace a bad SPX course computer. One caution, if you don't have Raymarine support close buy you will need a Raymarine MFD so you can update the software. I now own an a67 because of that. Each piece has separate software (EV1 sensor, ACU, and P70. I really like the P70R display with the knob you turn to change heading.

Had some initial problems but they were all software.

Tom

psneeld said:

It is rare that most boaters do anything more than use auto or track to a very limited degree.....

If you do great..but most of us barely scratch the capabilities of the 1990s autopilots....if mine goes bad I will be looking backwards rather than forwards just for simplicity and economy.

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Your post here better explains where I'm coming from. Simplicity would be first priority. I do not need all those bells and whistles for zig-zag, follow the contour, etc that many auto-pilots offer. Use of auto heading is really all I'm looking for. I prefer to steer to my own waypoints when a change of direction is called for. I still use paper charts in conjunction with GPS. Auto-pilot will be used for long, straight hauls between between waypoints. I have little commitment towards electronic steerage that have multiple changes in headings.

Rajin Cajun, Pls check your profile page for a Private Message I sent you

psneeld said:

It is rare that most boaters do anything more than use auto or track to a very limited degree.....

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Couldn't agree more! I've tried all the bells & whistles on my AP but only use "Auto" when I want Iron Mike to drive.

Gulf Comanche said:

Lafayette? I'm in Baton Rouge, the boat's in Springfield (down I-12). Before you spend the big bucks, maybe check out what some of the big shrimp boats use, Port of Iberia is pretty close, or Morgan City. These guys make a living w/ their equipment. I have the ComNav 1001, pretty reliable setup.

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+1 Comnav, best in the market, many ships use the exact same unit used in pleasure craft. Thats on my list for spring, right after the bow thruster ( what can I say, I'm getting older ).