An autopilot or a wheelpilot is a device used to steer a boat automatically that is usually electrical, hydraulic or mechanical in nature. A similar mechanism called a self-steering gear may also be used on a sailing vessel. The comparison chart above contains individual components and complete systems that can be easily retro-fitted to your boat. Many of these systems feature rudder position feedback sensors and computerized control units where a compass heading can be entered.

An experienced sailor can jam a deck chair under the wheel and trim the sails to keep a boat sailing on the desired tack heading, but for the rest of us, these marine autopilot systems offer the best degree of control and are well worth their cost. If you are looking for a complete above-deck system for a sailboat with a wheel helm, the Raymarine Wheel Pilots above are some of our best selling units because they are complete systems at very affordable prices. Autopilots designed for sailboats or for powerboats only are noted in the descriptions above - all others may be used for either power or sail.

Rudder position sensors can be a real pain to install, which is why Raymarine has gone to great lengths to eliminate their requirement on new autopilots (older autopilots cannot function properly without them). However, it makes sense to include one if at all possible so there is feedback to the control unit (a.k.a. controller). This can make the entire autopilot system more accurate, even if it is a toss-up for reliability versus cost.

Note: Using an autopilot still requires you to have someone on deck to keep a look-out.