Raymarine EV-200 autopilot on 2-cabin B361

Jul 5, 2005
217
Beneteau 361 Sandusky Harbor Marina
Hi All,

Has anyone else on here installed the EV-200 autopilot on their 2-cabin B361? There was a thread a couple years ago in which an owner of a three-cabin B361 installed the EV-200 with pictures, but my installer is struggling to figure out how to mount the below deck tiller RAM (or whatever it's called) to the rudder.

I'm getting desperate, because the EV-200 is so expensive, and I obviously can't return it now. :(
 
Apr 27, 2010
966
Beneteau 352 Hull #276 Ontario
Attached is a pic from that thread you're talking about. The other pic is showing the arm you're also talking about, I think.
It is not from a Bene. It doesn't look like there is enough room to mount an arm and I believe that's why the method in the first pic was chosen.
 

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Nov 23, 2009
437
Beneteau Oceanis 361 Clipper --
Jul 5, 2005
217
Beneteau 361 Sandusky Harbor Marina
Thanks Philip and Joker. Yes, I agree there isn't enough room for the autopilot steering arm (RAM, I think it's called?), which if I understand correctly Philip made work by having a steel piece fabricated. I think that's what I need.
 
Nov 23, 2009
437
Beneteau Oceanis 361 Clipper --
That fabricated stainless steel piece is nothing special. Anybody dealing with s/s work can make one and you can attached it at the quadrant.
 
Jul 5, 2005
217
Beneteau 361 Sandusky Harbor Marina
Awesome, Philip, I'll talk to my installer about that. Thanks again!
 
Jul 5, 2005
217
Beneteau 361 Sandusky Harbor Marina
I found out today that because I have a US made boat, the rudder and quadrant are made by a company called Tides Marine, and so the quadrant is not the same part as is found on the Beneteau Spare Parts website. I called Tides Marine and they told me the rudder quadrant is made of foam-filled fiberglass. My suspicion is that this would NOT be strong enough to attach the autopilot tiller arm for the Raymarine EV-200 autopilot.

Any ideas/thoughts on the possibility of beefing up the quadrant?
 

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Apr 27, 2010
966
Beneteau 352 Hull #276 Ontario
That's bizzar, I wonder why they changed because I believe that Philip oceanis 360 is an American made boat.
The only thing that I can see is to
1.) replace the quadrant, very expensive
2.) use a wheel drive
3.) open up an area to access the rudder shaft where the manual arm would attach. Also an expensive option. See attached pic
which is not a Bene 361. I don't know what that area looks like on a 361 but it gives you an idea.
 

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Jul 5, 2005
217
Beneteau 361 Sandusky Harbor Marina
Thanks Joker, I think if I can get a different quadrant I would do it, so that's not off the table by any means. I've already spent a fortune on this, and can't return the EV-200 which is now half installed, so another $800 or whatever for an aluminum quadrant is painful, but doable. The cost for installation of the quadrant is an unknown though.

I'm reluctant to go with a wheel pilot because my boat, especially fully loaded, is I think above the weight range a wheel pilot is expected to accommodate, which is why I spent the extra on the EV-200.

My installer thinks we can still make it work, possibly by having a piece fabricated like picture number 2 of your post above (post #2).

In any case, I'm hopeful, but a little sick to my stomach knowing I may have a half-installed EV-200 that I cannot use.
 

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
I have a 323 and it has a hydraulic autopilot installed. I really don’t think a wheel pilot would have been sufficient, and my boat is 4 feet shorter, and lighter than yours.
The hydraulic cylinder is through- bolted to stainless steel backing plates on the starboard side of the transom and the rod is attached to the steering quadrant. The pump is in the starboard lazarette. The rudder position sensor had to be installed “upside down” because of the limited clearance between the quadrant and the cockpit floor, so the port and starboard leads to the course computer had to be reversed when connected. The setup had been trouble free for 14 years.
I had mentioned this somewhere in another thread. It was dealer installed as a part of a sales promotion when I bought the boat.
I have the actual installation instructions provided by Beneteau. Unfortunately, I am literally a thousand miles away from the binder I keep it in, and will not be able to get to it for at least a couple of weeks.
 
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
The ev100 wheel is good for a 16,500 lb boat, the 323 is only 9325lb and the 361 is 13,349 lb . My boat is just over 12,000 lb and I upgraded from 4000plus .The st 4000 plus drifted a lot . The ev100 stays dead on course even in rough weather.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Regarding the wheel pilot. I run an EV100 on my 15000 CAL35Cruiser. It is excellent.
I recognize and plan for limitations. Down wind Force3 or better with 8 foot following seas, I will be at the helm standing watch. 2-3 foot seas and moderate 13 knot breezes and the boat in a balanced sail state no problem for the AP. Motoring and in moderate conditions no problem for the AP.

As soon as you start to question take control and the EV100 will serve you well.

If you want to beef up your AP and want to have it cover heavy weather sailing the the EV200 or 300 are your tool of choice.

Currently I sail in conditions that allow the AP to do it’s thing, or I take hold and if I don’t like what Mother Nature has in mind I look for a Port with a Pub.
 
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Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
I have been researching auto pilots also.
The EV-100 wheel pilot is rated up to 16,000 lbs., with some owners complaining about it handling quartering seas.
The EV-200 with type I linear drive is rated to 22,000 lbs.
Base cost of EV-200 is approximately 2.75 ($3300.) x more costly than EV-100 wheel pilot ($1250) , excluding installation. I am leaning toward the EV-100 because of the lower cost and the boat is primarily use for coastal cruising only. My boat weight is a bit over 12,000 lbs.; therefore, the EV100 should be able to handle the task. The installation is straight forward and I can do it myself.
There is a guy who I conversed with who had a factory installed EV-200 linear drive installed in his Beneteau 343. Evidently Beneteau had a bracket fabricated and thru bolted to the steering quadrant as an attachment point for the linear extension arm. I will attach a photo of the bracket.
Wonder if you could contact Ward at Beneteau, SC to determine if they have a drawing of the bracket that they used on below deck auto pilots on the 361??? May be possible for them to fabricate and forward to you. Might have to cut out a panel of the aft end of the berth area to access the area for installation and use a water tight, locking panel to close the hole and permit future access.
 

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Last edited:
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
With the ev system you can add a rudder reference which I did,as an option which makes the system now closed loop and more accurate and it also receives GPS signal if you have it.
 
Jul 5, 2005
217
Beneteau 361 Sandusky Harbor Marina
Thanks all! DougM, do you happen to know what your steering quadrant is made of? According to the fellow at Tide's Marine, the maker of the Beneteau 361 (and likely other models) steering quadrants of that time, it is foam-filled fiberglass, with (as he said) very little actual foam used.

Big Easy, thanks for the info about the fabricated bracket. I'll reach out to Ward (if I can find his contact info) and try that avenue. :)
 

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Ben, the thought that the quadrant on my 323 was anything other than metal never really occurred to me. I have had the floorboard off a few times and it seems that I would have noticed if it was “plastic”. If it is, my hope is that it would be carbon fiber, who knows.

Mechone, you mention the weight of the 323 is 9325 lb. That is dry weight. Like any other boat, when you add fuel, water, sails, and the crap that you accumulate over a few years of ownership, you can probably add another 10%. I have no doubt that the wheel pilot would have been adequate, but I am happy that my boat was not equipped that way. Had the boat not had the hydraulic setup, I might not have spent the additional money. My objection to the wheel pilot was the fact that every boat I had been on that had one was noisy, and seemed to “hunt” quite a bit in the typical Lake Michigan “chop” that we sail in.

Probably, the other reason the 323 had the hydraulic setup was the presence of the Goiot wheel and pedestal which is designed to allow the wheel to be rotated 90 degrees about the pedestal when moored for access to the sugar scoop stern. I do know that later model years did have wheel pilots installed
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Doug,
As you can see in the photo of the 343, the quadrant is definitely cast iron. My '06 343 has a cast iron quad also. I had never seen a 343 with the linear drive until I conversed with the guy who sent the photo to me. From what he told me, he ordered the boat and specified that he wanted the EV200 installed by the factory. Every 343 that I have seen personally had a wheel pilot. I would like to install a EV200 also; would definitely be a big improvement over the 4000+ that I have now; however, I think that I will do OK with an EV1000 wheel pilot. I wouldn't be surprised if your 323 has the same quad as mine. If I had a 361, I would definitely choose the EV200 and find a way to make it work, because of the bigger LOA and additional weight.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Just motored from Victoria CA 36 miles across the Juan DFuca Strait in a straight line to Port Townsend WA USA managed by my EV100 AP calm waters with varied currents. AP worked like a champion.
 
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Nov 23, 2009
437
Beneteau Oceanis 361 Clipper --
Doug,
If I had a 361, I would definitely choose the EV200 and find a way to make it work, because of the bigger LOA and additional weight.
+1. The Beneteau Oceanis 361 I had, initially came with a ST4000+ wheel pilot with limited capabilities. Especially with any running seas the pilot could not keep a course. After changing to a linear type below deck autopilot, the autopilot could basically handle everything. The two pilots really don't compare to each other. For me it was the BEST investment I made.
 
Dec 31, 2016
319
Beneteau Oceanis 351 Charlottetown
Doug,
As you can see in the photo of the 343, the quadrant is definitely cast iron. My '06 343 has a cast iron quad also. I had never seen a 343 with the linear drive until I conversed with the guy who sent the photo to me. From what he told me, he ordered the boat and specified that he wanted the EV200 installed by the factory. Every 343 that I have seen personally had a wheel pilot. I would like to install a EV200 also; would definitely be a big improvement over the 4000+ that I have now; however, I think that I will do OK with an EV1000 wheel pilot. I wouldn't be surprised if your 323 has the same quad as mine. If I had a 361, I would definitely choose the EV200 and find a way to make it work, because of the bigger LOA and additional weight.
I can't see that being cast iron, looks aluminum to me, my 351 is anyway
 
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