[C320-list] Auto pilot

[John Cheek via C320-list]

I am in the market for an auto pilot for my 320 1995 Catalina.
If anyone has installed one recently, then I would appreciate your
recommendations.

Thanks in advance for your help.
John Cheek

[Arthurpiotrowski via C320-list]

Hello,

I installed EV100 last year, with the core sensor installed in the aft stateroom, on the bulkhead, port side. No issues, but I remember that self calibration process took much longer that what’s advertised , whole day on the water. Very nice unit. I hope it helps.

Art Piotrowski
“Maggie” 1996 #330

> On Apr 18, 2026, at 08:38, John Cheek via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
>
> I am in the market for an auto pilot for my 320 1995 Catalina.

[M K via C320-list]

Hello All,

I have a Raymarine EV 100 in the box with the install scheduled next
weekend. Planned to install the ACU in the aft locker on the bulkhead
adjacent the access door from the stateroom, but I am curious where others
have placed it? Also would like the same suggestions for the EV -1 sensor
placement?

Many thanks,
Matt Knoll
MaryAnne 96 #315

[Brian McLamb via C320-list]

Exactly where you planned on placing it. Mine had been there since my
install in 2022 and works great.

Brian McLamb
S/V Serenity #1075

[Mark Seyler via C320-list]

I installed an EV100 autopilot, locating the ACU in the lazarette, beside the access hatch from the aft cabin. I installed the EV1 Sensor in the cockpit locker, on the side of the "breadbox" cabinet. Both locations have worked fine. My sensor location might not work if you kept a lot of ferrous metal in the breadbox, though.

Mark Seyler
S/V Reality,
Catalina 320, #232
New Orleans, LA

[Paul Alldridge via C320-list]

Our ACU was installed behind the panel in the saloon

The compass in the cockpit locker

The overriding thing though was we needed a rudder transducer for it to work properly. This has just been installed under the walkway between the two aft lazarettes

Kind Regards

Paul Alldridge
#636

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[Troy Dunn via C320-list]

If you can make it happen, the beat location on the C320 is mid ship next
to the mast, which for most hulls means under the salon settee. The
ideal location is dead center but our boats don’t allow that.

The EV-100 is a fairly sophisticated computer with the ability to
anticipate steering angles based on the 9 axis sensor in the compass. The
further away from the center of gravity (or roughly mass) the harder time
the computer will have doing this.

It is certainly arguable how well the EV 100 does this, without the RPS
installed…clearly not well.

As long as the sensor is somewhat close to the centerline of the boat, how
close it is to the front or back is probably 'less' important. How much
probably depends on how sporty the conditions get.

FWIW

Troy Dunn
Hull #514

[Troy Dunn via C320-list]

I meant to say best location.

>

[M K via C320-list]

As always this board does not disappoint. Thank you all for the input. I
had been leaning toward installing the rudder position sensor, but landed
on trying it without as my boat allowance is getting low again. It seems
like it will really enhance the overall performance of the AP...

[John Cheek via C320-list]

Thanks, is anyone using hydraulic?

[Roger Sullivan via C320-list]

I recently installed a CPT autopilot. I am working on a blog post about it.
WIll post soon.

[John Cheek via C320-list]

Thanks, please let me know when you post the blog...

On Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 2:26 PM Roger Sullivan via C320-list <

[ptormey 4square.net via C320-list]

Two years back I swapped out the Raymarine wheel pilot for the EV100 RAM drive.

If you look at the rudder on your 320, you see that the post is about a third of the way forward on the rudder. This means there's a lot of torque arm on the back two thirds.

I found the wheel pilot was frequently overpowered in following sea's.
Which is to say, when the ocean got rough, I couldn't count on the autopilot.

I would definitely make the same decision again.

There is a well-written article by Jeff Hare on C320.org on how to make that conversion. I followed his advice exactly and it worked out perfectly.



Pat

Pat Tormey
Blue Skies S/V
Newport RI
________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Roger Sullivan via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2026 2:08 PM
To: C320...@catalina320.com <C320...@catalina320.com>
Cc: Roger Sullivan <sullivan...@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [C320-list] Auto pilot