Autopilot for a trawler

[rgano]

Expanding on my earlier.....I installed a SP-70 unit on my cable-steered Grand Banks in 2013. Reusing the big electric drive motor of the old Benmar analog AP was a great cost savings. I bought the services of a local marine electronics guy to bench check the motor for usefulness and to attach a couple of pigtails to it which would connect to the Sitex SP-70 I bought through him for 2400 bucks. He came to the boat to do a site check, and was available in case I needed him once I had the unit installed. I did not need him and enjoyed the AP linked to my Garmin plotter for a couple of years before selling the boat. Total cost was less than 3000 bucks.

 

[nobles9596]

anther vote fro the Si-Tex Sp70

 

[Lepke]

If you're looking for a cheap autopilot, whole used systems show up on ebay.

 

[Snapdragon III]

I vote for Comnav. Amazing customer service.

 

[sean9c]

Actually Comnav makes both the Sitex SP-70 and SP-80. They are sold as Comnav pilots outside the US, Comnav 1440 and 1460, I believe.

I vote for Comnav. Amazing customer service.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Things to ponder. In these situations, I give the same advice:

Keep it in the family.

Keep it all Garmin or Raymarine or Furno etc.

Easier to install and troubleshoot in the future.

 

[backinblue]

Things to ponder. In these situations, I give the same advice:

Keep it in the family.

Keep it all Garmin or Raymarine or Furno etc.

Easier to install and troubleshoot in the future.

I agree. I can't get my Simrad AP to follow a course on my Garmin GPS, even though the Garmin sees the AP on the nework and provides a guided course, the AP reports "no guidance information".

I haven't dug into it deeply yet but initial responses I've received is that I need a Garmin AP for that function. Doesn't smell right to me.

 

[jleonard]

Things to ponder. In these situations, I give the same advice:

Keep it in the family.

Keep it all Garmin or Raymarine or Furno etc.

Easier to install and troubleshoot in the future.

Mine was so easy to hook up to the garmin chartplotter. Like I said it was only one wire I believe. And it followed the GPS right on the money every time for the 14 years I owned the boat.

 

[backinblue]

I've contacted Garmin and they tell me they are sending the guidance data to the Simrad AP but that they can't control the AP (these are 2012 devices). Waiting to hear back from Simrad why it will not follow the course provided by Garmin. Maybe it's operator error.

 

[Jc180]

Note that the Si-Tex SP-120 color system is about the same price as the sp-70. Anyone have the SP-120 color?

 

[Dwk]

The Si-Tex 120 is their newest autopilot. All the component wires are attached to the back of the display thus taking the place of the processor previously used with the SP -70.

 

[Simi 60]

Things to ponder. In these situations, I give the same advice:

Keep it in the family.

Keep it all Garmin or Raymarine or Furno etc.

Easier to install and troubleshoot in the future.

Depends

I have nothing on board of the same family and prefer unlinked stand alone unit's
When the cylons attack, our vessel will be fine.

 

[Simi 60]

If you're looking for a cheap autopilot, whole used systems show up on ebay.

Yep, got a complete commercial quality TMQ AP500 as a straight swap spare for ours for $400 delivered.

It'll probably never die but if it does, nice to know another can be in and running in half an hour.

 

[fgarriso]

Raymarine is installed on more small trawlers than any other, if that makes any difference to you.

 

[Steve1.0]

I also installed a Garmin plotter connected to a Ramarine AP. That was on my Morgan 45 ketch. I could track to a point (or a route) on the plotter, heading hold or sail on a wind angle. It all seemed to play nicely. Only one wire. That was NEMA 83. Don't know if the NEMA 2000 will talk to the 83(with the backbone and all)

 

[sean9c]

I've a SP-120 on order, like so many things manufacturers are struggling to keep inventory and I was quoted 3 weeks for delivery.
I looked at a number of other pilots and like this one. It's a redesign from the older 120 with a better processor and larger drivers that will then allow a larger pump. So it's not just a 120 that they've made color.
I was also hoping that I could find a pilot that had a rudder position indicator that would work in all modes. The SP-120 does that.
I'd considered the SP-70 since I'm short of helm space and the handheld would have helped with that but it's a pretty old pilot. Being built by Comnav I'm sure it's reliable.

Note that the Si-Tex SP-120 color system is about the same price as the sp-70. Anyone have the SP-120 color?

 

[Alisske]

The SITEX -sp70 autopilot is what we have installed and won't break the bank. The control head has a 30ft line so you can control the autopilot from varies locations. Thanks to BOOMERANG on this forum the installation went well without any problems.

Just installed a Sitex 120c a short while back. Simple install and i like the way it functions. The octopus motor is quite too. (Was concerned about noise)

Additionally, their customer support was awesome. (Called and they picked up anytime i had questions)(I had the rudder feedback unit, SITEX head unit, and GPS all wired and talking to each other)