280 Autopilot

[Larry Long]

Has anybody installed an autopilot other than Autohelm/Raymarine on their Hunter 280? If so; what is it, and are you happy with it? I am preparing to replace all of the instruments on my boat and really would prefer another brand. Thanks for any relevant information.

 

[Steve Dion]

Simrad/Navico WP

Larry:Take a look at the Simrad/Navico units. They have 2 models for a wheel WP10 & WP30. The WP10 does not have an interface and seems to have just slightly lower rating. One big advantage of the Simrad/Navico unit is the ease of installation. The entire unit mounts on wheel. Just run the wires down the pedestal and hook them up and you are done. The only other thing is the calibration. You should be able to pick one up for under $800 with a remote module.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Happy Simrad owner.

I second Steve's recommendation, for the price a WP30 is hard to beat. Just make sure you talk to the company about mounting to one of those large fiberglas pedestals. The stock unit is made for the round 4 to 6 inch column.On a recent return from Canada my WP30 steered the entire way in following five to six foot seas and 28 kt winds. Newer and lighter Hunters with Raytheons had to hand steer for six hours! My boat displaces over 19000#.