Collection: Autopilots

Keeping a boat on course across open water requires a system matched to your hull, steering setup, and power supply, and the components here cover everything from complete drive units to the sensors and wiring that tie a system together. B&G and Simrad cater to performance sailors and powerboaters who want tight integration with their chartplotters, while Garmin's rudder feedback sensors and extension cables suit boaters already running a Garmin navigation ecosystem. SI-TEX offers hydraulic and rotary options for inboard installations, including second station kits for vessels that need helm control at more than one position. Octopus Autopilot Drives fills a critical gap with conversion and potentiometer modules designed to bridge older or mixed-brand setups, with kits specific to Simrad, Garmin, Coursemaster, Furuno, and others.

Before choosing any component, confirm your steering type (hydraulic, mechanical, or power steering), your system voltage (12V is common but not universal), and which autopilot head unit you are running, since feedback sensors and drive units are rarely interchangeable across brands. Check cable lengths against your actual helm-to-drive runs, because extension cables are sold in specific lengths and undershooting creates real installation headaches. If you are building out a second helm station, verify that the kit includes everything needed for your configuration, as some rudder feedback units are sold without linkage hardware.