Auto pilots are worth their weight in gold! Particularily with todays higher gas prices. Coupled to a gps they keep you on course against wind and tide thus saving fuel. I have yet to see a person hold a straight course. It usually ends up being a faint S along the course line, which make the route longer and using more fuel.
However there are a few down sides to autopilots. First they go where the gps tells them to go, if the gps is programed wrongly it will take you over what ever obsticle there might be. For example if you happen to chart a course form you slip to a destination on the gps it will take you directly there, over land, rock and what ever.
Next there are a few areas that you need to watch out for! Although You know selective avalibility has been turn off, thanks to Pres. Clinton, there are some areas that are still turned on locally. This is done to protect what ever you got close to for GPS guided attacks. One of ours around here is the Nuclear Power plant, one minute your 300 yards off the coast trolling and the next your 2 miles out, you think "boy this boat moves quick". No you just got hit with a selective availbility GPS jammer. Once you pass out of the protected area your GPS will be fine.
IMPORTANT NOTE here If you have your GPS is coupled to a AUTOPILOT when you hit one of these protected areas your boat is going to make a hard turn, throwing you out of your seat, so hang on! Of course the turn will be towards the land because the gps thinks it is two miles off course. The gps will tell the auto pilot to make a hard turn to get back on course.
As for which is best for you boat! I don't know how the boat is set up it depends on how the power assits works. Some pilots attach to the steering wheel others use a pump on the ram.
Well that about covers that!
Mike -
