Skip to content

Independent guidance

Powered byYouSail.com.au
Marine Autopilot

Independent advice. Australian waters.

Marine autopilots
Australia.

Find the right marine autopilot for your boat, your waters and the way you sail. Independent comparisons, practical installation advice and the skills to take the helm with confidence.

Find your autopilotWhy instruction matters

IndependentNo affiliate links23 systems41 guidesAll coastal states

Brands compared

New and specialist autopilot models

Compare Garmin SmartDrive, Simrad NAC-D Performance, Furuno NAVpilot-1000 and B&G H5000. Check pack contents and steering compatibility before requesting a quote.

01 / THE NEXT STEP

Choose an autopilot by steering type

Match the drive to your steering and the system to your loaded boat.

Find your system ↗02 / THE NEXT STEP

Plan an autopilot installation

Understand the quote, commissioning and the handover before you buy.

Plan your installation ↗03 / THE NEXT STEP

Autopilot watch handover

Practical field guides for the small decisions that matter underway.

Read the field guide ↗
23
Autopilot systems covered, from tiller pilots to specialist controlsAUD, before installation
0
Boats an autopilot can see. The lookout stays with the skipper under Rule 5
1–3 A
Typical draw of a below-deck drive on a cruising yacht under way
21
Australian state and regional guides with local conditions and training

Start here

Marine autopilot types and steering applications

The steering system decides the drive, the loaded displacement decides the size, and the way you use the boat decides above or below deck. Start with the type that fits your boat.

3 systems$1,150–4,800

Tiller pilot

Cockpit units for tiller boats to about 4.5 tonnes. Cheap, removable, coastal.

Compare tiller pilot systems →
2 systems$2,900–5,600

Wheel pilot

Belt drives on the wheel for yachts to 7.5 tonnes. Quick to fit, adequate coastal.

Compare wheel pilot systems →
8 systems$2,900–14,000

Below-deck system

Course computers with linear, rotary or hydraulic drives. The offshore standard.

Compare below-deck system systems →
3 systems$1,700–5,200

Outboard / trailer boat

Hydraulic and kicker packs for trailer boats and sportsfishers.

Compare outboard / trailer boat systems →
2 systems$6,500–12,500

Windvane self-steering

No power, no electronics, steers to the wind across oceans.

Compare windvane self-steering systems →
1 system$12,000–25,000

Racing pilot

Gyro-stabilised true-wind pilots for shorthanded campaigns.

Compare racing pilot systems →

Most compared

Marine autopilot systems by boating application

Every entry has AUD pricing, drive and displacement limits, sailing modes, an Australian support note, ratings and a verdict.

See all 23 systemsHead-to-head comparisons

How it works

How marine autopilot components control steering

Understand the sensor, the course computer, the drive and the rudder reference and every other decision on this site gets easier.

AI illustration of generic marine electronics and tools arranged for installation planning
The installation starts with the whole system. AI-created equipment illustration.
How the parts of a marine autopilot connectWind sensor and GPS feed the network. The heading sensor feeds the course computer, which drives the drive unit that moves the rudder. A rudder reference reports rudder angle back. Control head and chartplotter sit on the network.NMEA 2000 / SeaTalkng backboneWind sensorapparent wind angleGPS / plotterposition, route, XTEControl head / MFDengage, adjust, StandbyHeading sensornine-axis / satelliteCourse computergain, modes, limits, alarmsDrivelinear, wheel, pumppowerRudderrudder reference: actual rudder angle
The sensor tells the computer where the bow points; the computer decides on rudder; the drive moves it; the rudder reference reports back. Wind and GPS on the network unlock Wind, Track and No Drift modes. Nothing in this loop sees another boat.
  • The heading sensor tells the computer where the bow points; nine-axis units stay stable while the boat rolls.
  • The course computer compares heading with target and decides how much rudder to apply.
  • The drive moves the rudder: tiller push-rod, wheel belt, linear ram, rotary sprocket or hydraulic pump.
  • Wind and GPS on the network unlock Wind, Track and No Drift modes.
Read how autopilots workDrives explained →

Training

Marine autopilot training and manual takeover

An autopilot can take much of the steering workload, but its modes, limits and override still need to be learned. Here is what good instruction covers.

01

Modes nobody understands

Owners engage Auto and never learn Wind, Track or No Drift, so the pilot fights the sails on a reach and drifts across channels in a tide. Others switch modes without understanding what happens when they disengage.

02

Tuning by guesswork

Gain, rudder gain, counter rudder and response are adjusted at random until the boat stops S-ing, then never touched again. The pilot hunts, wears the drive and drains the battery.

03

The lookout that lapses

The most dangerous habit an autopilot creates is the belief that someone is steering. Nobody is. Rule 5 requires a proper lookout at all times and investigations into collisions keep finding an engaged pilot and an empty cockpit.

Why instruction mattersThe competency checklistFind an instructor

Australia

Marine autopilot guides by Australian location

Seven state guides and fourteen regional guides: local wind, tide, bars, traffic, the fleet, recommended systems and where to get instruction.

AI illustration of a sailing yacht passing a wooded Australian-style headland
Plan for your local water, then the passage beyond it. AI-created coastal illustration.
Autopilot guides by state and regionNSWVICQLDWASATASNT
State guide Regional guideTap a marker to open the guide; region names are listed below.
Browse all places on this map
New South Wales3 regions →Victoria2 regions →Queensland5 regions →Western Australia1 region →South Australia1 region →Tasmania1 region →Northern Territory1 region →All 21 local guides

Decisions

Marine autopilot brand and drive comparisons

The comparisons people ask an installer about, with a verdict and a choose-if list for each side.

ProductsRaymarine EV-100 vs Garmin Reactor 40 →These product families offer different steering configurations, so compare the exact packages even when their prices overlap. The…ConceptTiller pilot vs below-deck →A tiller pilot is a self-contained tube that pushes the tiller from a cockpit socket. A below-deck autopilot is a system: a…ConceptElectronic vs windvane →Every cruising yacht that leaves Bundaberg, Coffs Harbour or Fremantle for another country has had this argument. The electronic…ProductsB&G vs Simrad vs Raymarine →Three brands, but really two hardware families. B&G and Simrad are both Navico and share the NAC-2 and NAC-3 course computers and…ProductsST2000+ vs EV-100 Tiller →Both are Raymarine tiller autopilots and both push the tiller from a cockpit socket, so owners of tiller boats between about 26…ConceptHydraulic vs linear drive →The drive is the part of an autopilot that does the work, and the choice is mostly made for you by the boat's steering.…
All 27 comparisons

By boat

Choose an autopilot by boat type

Seven boat-type guides with Australian examples, sizing rules, recommended systems and what to avoid.

1,000–7,000 kgTiller-steered yachtsAdams 10, Cavalier 28 and 32, Farr 9.2 and Farr 1020 and more5,000–15,000 kgWheel-steered cruising yachtsBeneteau Oceanis 35–46, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 349–440, Bavaria Cruiser 37–46 and more6,000–20,000 kgCatamarans and multihullsSeawind 1160, 1260 and 1370, Lightwave 38 and 45, Lagoon 40–450 and more800–4,000 kgTrailer boats and outboardsBar Crusher, Stabicraft, Quintrex and Stacer and more
All seven boat types

Guides

Autopilot operation, installation and troubleshooting guides

41 guides written for Australian conditions, each with key facts, an instructor's note and FAQs.

7 minHow autopilots work →Learn how marine autopilots work: heading sensors, course computers, steering drives, rudder feedback and control heads…8 minChoosing an autopilot →Choose a marine autopilot by steering type, loaded displacement, intended use and existing electronics. Compare…6 minPower consumption →Estimate marine autopilot power consumption by drive type. Calculate passage amp-hours and check the effects of…8 minOffshore safety →Plan offshore autopilot safety around overboard prevention, lookout duties, alarms, manual takeover and steering…7 minCalibration and sea trial →Commission a marine autopilot through dockside checks, compass calibration and sea trials. Verify drive direction,…7 minSteering modes explained →Understand autopilot steering modes: Auto heading hold, Wind, Track, Nav, No Drift and fishing patterns. Check required…
Open the guide library

Helm Notes

Practical autopilot operating tips

Opinionated notes from the editor's logbook: the habits that keep a boat under autopilot out of trouble.

On judgementAutopilot night watch control drillPractise an autopilot night watch control drill: locate standby, read the active mode and find alarm controls from the position you actually use on watch.On lookoutAutopilot watchkeeper responsibility briefingUse a crew briefing to clarify autopilot watchkeeper responsibilities. Assign lookout, alarm response and manual takeover before handing over the helm.On staying aboardAutopilot tether attachment routineReview your tether attachment routine before entering the cockpit under autopilot. Check access, jackline layout and movement with a competent instructor.
All Helm Notes

Questions

Marine autopilot frequently asked questions

What does a marine autopilot actually do?

It holds a heading, a wind angle or a route by moving the rudder for you. It measures where the bow points, compares that with where you asked it to point, and applies rudder. It does not see other boats, whales, reefs or containers, and it does not keep a lookout.

Do I need an autopilot for coastal sailing in Australia?

Not legally, but almost every cruising yacht and offshore fishing boat has one because it removes the fatigue of hand-steering and frees a crew member to navigate, trim and keep watch. For singlehanded and two-handed sailing it is effectively essential.

What is the difference between a tiller pilot and an autopilot?

A tiller pilot is a small self-contained autopilot for tiller-steered boats, mounted in the cockpit. An autopilot is the general term; most people use it for the below-deck systems with a separate sensor, computer, drive and control head.

Can an autopilot steer to the wind?

Yes, if it receives wind data from a wind sensor. Wind mode holds an angle to the apparent or true wind instead of a compass heading, which keeps the sails set as the wind shifts.

How accurate is an autopilot?

A modern nine-axis system on a balanced boat holds a heading within a degree or two in moderate conditions and steers a straighter course than most humans over an hour. In a big following sea it will wander, and a wheel pilot or tiller pilot wanders more than a below-deck drive.

Does an autopilot work under motor?

Electronic autopilots work under motor and under sail. Windvane self-steering works only under sail because it needs wind.

All 45 questions

Find an autopilot for your boat

Answer five questions about the boat and the finder gives you a reasoned shortlist. Then read the training section before you buy anything, because the pilot you can use safely is worth more than the pilot with the best brochure.

Open the autopilot finderSee what it all costs