[CA] [CA11] Weighing Options - Autopilot for a 185 Runabout

[rengnath]

Hi All,

I have a 185 open bow runabout with a 3.0 Mercruiser/Alpha I Gen II outdrive with cable steering. I troll approx. 125 hours a year on the great lakes and want to add an autopilot. My boat has basically been converted from a ski boat to a fishing machine and having the convenience of autopilot would be worth it's weight in gold to me. The Evolution has really caught my eye and now I'm weighing my options. Here is what I found my 2 options to be(prices are best online prices I could find, and I will be installing myself)

Components for adding autopilot with my current cable steering system:
Raymarine ACU-200 Actuator Control Unit - $650
Raymarine P70RS Autopilot Controller - $490
Raymarine EV-1 Sensor Core - $500
Raymarine SeaTalk Cable Kit -$135
Octopus OCTAFMDRESYSA Sterndrive System - $1037
Octopus Rudder Feedback - $205
Approx cost: $3017


Components for adding autopilot and converting over to hydraulic steering:
Raymarine Evolution EV-150 Autopilot System Kit - $2000
Kit Includes
E70329 p70Rs Control Head
E70096 EV-1 Sensor Core
R70160 Evolution Cable Kit
E70430 ACU-150 Actuator Control Unit
M81120 Type 1 12v Hydraulic Pump
SeaStar Solutions Steering Cylinder
HC5328-3 - $470
SeaStar Solutions Helm SeaStar HH5272 - 520
SeaStar hydraulic tubing and fluid - $150
Approx cost: $3140

So I know hydraulic steering is ultimately better, but the install will be a pain. In addition, I won't be keeping the boat forever. The octopus drive would be simple to remove, and I will be able to put it on my new boat or at least sell it used.

I found one person on another forum that converted over to hydraulic steering and used the EV-100 system which is several hundred dollars cheaper. The problem I'm seeing though is the hydraulic cylinder that SeaStar recommends for my boat has a capacity of 139cc and the Type .5 drive pump that comes with that EV100 system is only rated to 110cc. I'm not sure if he used a different cylinder or if he is using an undersized drive pump. Can you use an undersized drive pump and if so, what are the issues? If I could use the EV-100 instead of the EV-200, the hydraulic steering conversion would be my choice.

I'm leaning towards the octopus option with my current cable drive, but would like to know if anyone has had success with this option, using the Evolution autopilot, and trolling at speed around 2 knots.

I'm open to any feedback or other options you might have in mind. I appreciate your help and look forward to the conversation.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum rengnath,

I'm using your option 1 on my '01 22' Stingray 220DS w/cable steering and Mercruiser Alpha 1 Gen II outdrive. The combination of components have proven outstanding. I have had the Octopus Remote Sterndrive onboard my boat for than ten years and it has proven extremely reliable. As you have suggested, it both easier to install and may easily be removed for use with another boat ... not quite so for the hydraulic option. Given that the cost difference is only about $100, you will make that back many times over in reduced installation time.

[rengnath]

Thanks Chuck.

After thinking about it more, I think option 1 will be the best option. It certainly sounds like the Octopus drives are worth it, even though they are a bit spendy. Glad to hear yours has been in operation for over 10 years as well. I'll start ordering the components and prepare for this winter's project.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome.

[rengnath]

I have one more question regarding this installation after reading through the instructions. I have a GPS installed on my boat but it only has NMEA 0183 and I don't have it in a network. I was not planning on buying anything other than the EV-200 Power Autopilot, Octopus Drive, and a Rudder Reference sensor.

While reading the instructions, I see the following recommendation for installation:

Compatible speed data source. The Autopilot uses speed data when making calculations relating to navigation. As a minimum, this information must come from a GPS Receiver providing SOG (Speed Over Ground) data, or ideally from a dedicated speed sensor.

Will the Autopilot operate without this? It states that is is only recommended (not essential), but then states as a minimum, the information needs to come from a GPS providing SOG. I am not sure that I will be able to get SOG from my Lowrance Elite 5 to the SeaTalk network.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

rengnath,

Evolution autopilots support three types of speed input and descending the list below will provide increasingly better performance from the autopilot:
- manually specified cruise speed
- SOG from GPS sensor
- Speed Through Water (STW) from a paddlewheel transducer

Should the Lowrance Elite 5 feature a NMEA 0183 communications interface, then it may be interfaced to the system's powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone via a NMEA 0183 to SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 data bridging device (ex. Actisense NGW-1-ISO-STNG, etc.).

[rengnath]

Thanks, Chuck.

So to clarify the manually specified cruise speed, where would I input that?

I plan on using the unit for speeds around 2 knots only. Can I set this in the settings and then when I'm ready to troll, just hit the auto button and start fishing?

To confirm, the Elite 5 does have an NMEA 0183 output. It is not networked in any way other than being hooked up to a VHF radio. In some searches I am finding that it does not support autopilots, so I am not sure that it will provide SOG.


Thanks for the help.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

rengnath,

I would recommend testing performance of the autopilot alone using manually entered speed and trolling. Should the performance not be sufficient, then it would be recommended that the GPS/Chartplotter be interfaced to the autopilot in the manner specified. While I strongly suspect that SOG is included within the GPS sentences transmitted by the third party GPS/Chartplotter, you may want to verify that this is so with Lowrance or at least respond with the list of NMEA 0183 sentences supported by the third party GPS/Chartplotter.

[rengnath]

Thanks for confirming this is possible, Chuck. I will be getting it installed in the next couple months but will have to wait until spring.

I did find a Raymarine eS78 at West Marine on sale so I may upgrade my current unit, since the eS78 would be nice to plan out routes on.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome. BTW, interfacing the eS-Series MFD to the Evolution autopilot should a cinch, will supply the autopilot with SOG, and will then permit use of the autopilot's Track mode feature.