Raymarine S1000 autopilot

Winyah · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:12 pm Post subject: Raymarine S1000 autopilot

I want to install an autopilot with wireless remote control to be used primarily for trolling on Lake Superior. I was planning on going with the Raymarine ST 6001 and adding the remote. A marine electronics dealer in Duluth is recommending the Raymarine S1000, particularly if I want to use it primarily for trolling. The S1000 would be cheaper, but I am looking for something that will actually work at slow speeds and has input for trolling patterns. Anyone out there with experience with the S1000?
Thanks,
Gary on "Winyah"

starcrafttom · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:33 pm Post subject:

If you want to use the trolling patterns you HAVE to use the s1 sytem. the trolling features will not work on the st6001. Thats straight from the raymarine tech at the boat show. And the s1 will workjust fine under 3 mph regardless of what the raymarine site sayes, also from the horse's mouth. I have the st6001 and have looked into this. Had I known about the fishing features of the handheld I would hve gone that route. Hope this helps.

Byrdman · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:50 pm Post subject:

Do yourself a favor and look beyond Raymarine...particuarly if your objective is trolling.....and you have a motor of 15 hp or less. Can not find my literature right now... Sherryl "helped" me clean up after I returned from the NW....but use your search engine and run TR-1 Wireless Remote Auto Pilot. You can even change the speed....and it tracks true even in reverse....

Nothing against Raymarine....I have a boat full of it, but mine is not wireless. The TR-1 is often used in the river systems and tighter paterns and things are their norm. Great looking stuff

Byrdman · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject:

http://www.nautamatic.com/gold/CustomerQuotesGold.cfm

My bad.... it is 6-20 hp for trolling.

Winyah · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:41 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the info Starcrafttom and Byrdman. I sure like the idea of speed control on the remote, but I have two Honda 40's and no kicker. I think I'll have to try the S1000 unless someone out there has a better way to go. As I'm writing this, the better and better that speed control while you're playing a fish sounds!

Hunkydory · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:27 pm Post subject:

I have used the S1000 since early last summer. I also run twin honda 40's on a 22. The S1000 beat all my exspectations. Simple to use and would smoothly steer the boat using only one moter or would make precise smooth turns at speed wheather in manuel or complete auto. The fishing patterns work well and can be adjusted from very tight to as large as desired. Only one problem it would not work under 2.5 mph for me. Being my wife and I are more into explorering than fishing this was not a consern to us. For a cruiser, considering cost I don't think it can
be beat. For fishing I'll leave that advice to someone else.

Jay

Winyah · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:04 pm Post subject:

Hunkydory
Our dealer told us the same thing about the 2 1/2 mph limit but says that the "newer" models are effective down to 1 1/2. Maybe.......
What did you mean when you said--"smoothly steer the boat using only one motor." Did you disconnect the rod between the two motors or did you mean only one ram cylinder?

Winyah · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:06 pm Post subject:

Hunkydory
Never mind---I know what you mean by one motor. Getting old and not thinking too fast. Thanks a lot for your help.

gljjr · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:21 am Post subject:

From everything I have heard about autopilots the ONLY one that truly works at trolling speeds is the TR1 Gold. But the pump, and piston are far too small to move twin 40's. The TR1 Gladiator will work but not be as accurate at trolling speeds according to the gentleman that I talked to at the TR1 booth at the SBS.

Godfry Paul · Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 16

Is anyone using the little S100 Wireless SeaTalk Autopilot Remote Control from Raymarine?

The advertising reads well but I wonder how it actually works in the real world.

Hunkydory · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:48 pm Post subject:

Paul

Have it-use it. The S100 is the controll for the Raymarine smartpilot S1000 wireless autopilot system. Like I said earlier in this thread it beat my exspectations. It steers the boat wonderfully at speeds above 2.5mph on mine. To me the S100 wireless controll is what really makes it great. Being able to controll the autopilot from anywhere in the boat is wonderful!!!

Jay

1

Godfry Paul · Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 16

Thanks Jay.

I'll definitely add that to my list of new electronics.

Smile

Hunkydory · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject:

Paul

You probably know this but in case you don't. You need hydraulic steering to use the S1000. I had to change over to it.

Wished We would have had the hydraulic steering and S1000 before our last 2 trips to Alaska.

Jay

DodgeRam · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:56 pm Post subject:

Hi Jay , been thinking of installing one of those in SEARAM , at 2.5 mph does it work good when there is a bit of a wind . Can you install it by your self , what kind of $ we are looking at ?

Gary, SEARAM.

Hunkydory · Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 10:40 pm Post subject:

DodgeRam

The S1000 uses a gps for control instead of a compass. This may be the reason for no controll under 2.5 mph. At any speed above this it controlls extremely well in any condition I've been. In most cases it steers better than me. The controll for conditions can be adjusted automatically or manually. I had a sportpilot autopilot used with mechcanical steering. To me it was worthless. Very little controll in most any condition compared to the S1000.

For me it was fairly easy to install. My only problem was the gps input output signal to the controller was wired backwords by Raymarine. Took quite awhile for me to figure that out.

I bought it through West Marine for $1100.