[DG] [DG11] Upgrade Smartpilot S1 vs. EV-200

[Martin Hallsten]

I have a Smartpilot S1 (from 2006) with a linear type 1 drive unit on a 36 foot sailing boat. I am considering

a) upgrading by installing a rate gyro to the ACU

b) shift to a EV-200 pilot

My questions:

1) how much better is the EV-200 pilot compared to an S1 with rate gyro? I understand there is far more indata with a 9 axis sensor compared to fluxgate compass and turning speed from rate gyro, but what about the course computer? Can it do all this indata justice?

Since (a) is much cheaper than (b), (b) needs to be substantially better to be worth the investment

2) if shifting to EV-200, I need to change most things. I know I can keep the linear type 1 drive, but can I also keep the rudder reference unit?

Thanks,

Martin

[Derek - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hi Martin,

Thankyou for your enquiry,

The EV1/ ACU200 system is such a different and better autopilot than the S1 system you already have, even fitting a Rate transducer to the S1 will not bring the performance close to the current Evolution series.
As you say, the new EV series pilots have a very advanced sensor, detecting acceleration and rate of change very accurately, they use a much more accurate and much less filtered heading as a basis and then the other control algorithms fuse the acceleration and rate information in a very much smoother and measured way to the system.
On top of this, a lot of work was done to build related control algorithms into the performance of the EV pilots so that they are much better adapted to the reaction of the boat to the different sea conditions. the EV pilots also use much better developed drive algorithms to apply and manage the operation of the drive unit to give a smoother but more responsive control of the rudder.

All in all, spending effort and time on the S1 would give rather a limited return for the effort and investing in the EV pilots would be far more rewarding.

You would be able to retain the Drive and the rudder reference unit, replacing the EV1 sensor, ACU and the p70S control head.

I hope this helps?
Regards
Derek