Autopilot and copilot questions

[-Henno-]

I am considering buying a better electric soon and have some questions that maybe one of you guys that owns one can help me with.

I am looking at getting the RT55-AP and have heard raves about the autopilot. I have had a quick look at the unit itself and from memory it has the autopilot button on the head. Do you just turn it on and off when you are heading the way u want. The reason I ask is coz my position on the boat is up the back away from the bow mount and I wouldn't want to run up the front to put the autopilot on and off all the time when I'm on my own.

If I get the copilot can I turn the autopilot on and off with it? Can the foot control still be used or do you have to unplug that to plug the copilot in?

It would be good if the missus could drive me out of snags with the foot control from the front of the boat when I hook up and vice versa me for her with the copilot from the back.

I just don't wanna do what I usually do and go out and buy the thing and find out it doesn't work the way I thought it would.

Cheers
Mark

[gone_phishin]

G'day themooks,

I've got a RT55 with autopilot and the only hassle is the on/off button on the head, but my youngun' just hits that for me when I need it. It works a treat as it remembers your last direction so if you change in the sticks or in the creek bed, she will follow the new course every time without having to turn off and on for each course correction. Found it great up at Awoonga over Easter for flicking along the edges of the sticks and just pushing the on speed control and kicking off again when ready.

Don't have the copilot but again, the youngun' uses the foot control up the front , or me down the back, depending on what we're doing and don't have any major hassles.

Just as a point of interest I find the RP55 weed resisting prop cavitates fairly often in tidal waters. Anyone else have a problem with the new props?

Geoff

Whoops! Sorry I should have posted this response here rather than the other thread!

Geoff

[Darren_R]

Hey, The foot control can not be used at the same time. If the auto-pilot is turned on you will not have to touch it again. Once it has been turned on you can alter your course and it will continue in that direction untill told otherwise. That is the beauty of the co-pilot. You CAN be down the back and control all direction and speed including auto-pilot with the remot attached to your rod or where ever you decide to attach it. There is no need to touch the motor again unless you want to turn off the auto-pilot. You can drive out of the snags with the Auto pilot turned on because it will re-set itself when a new direction is chosen. You can not turn the auto-pilot off with the co-pilot but there realy is no need too.

[Fitzy]

Hey Folks,

The Co-Pilot & foot Control CAN be used at the same time. If there's a conflict, the foot controller will win.
However, If you have the Auto Pilot turned on & you make a course alteration, the Co Pilot will not work.


You cannot turn the Auto Pilot ON or OFF from a Co Pilot. You need to turn it ON or OFF at the head of the unit.

Cheers,

Fitzy..

[-Henno-]

Ok guys there seems to be some conflicting ideas here. How do you plug both in at once Fitzy? Can they be ganged into the same port on the control head? Coz according to Scrotty you can't.

And I thought I have heard that if you make a course alteration with the autopilot on that it just picks up that alteration and keeps autopiloting you on that new course. Hmmmm.

If what you are saying about the foot control having priority is true Fitzy, and the missus is up the front with the foot control and i'm up the back with the copilot she'll wanna go left and I'll wanna go right and it will end in tears! Probably my tears by the sound of it..

[Fitzy]

Ok guys there seems to be some conflicting ideas here. How do you plug both in at once Fitzy? Can they be ganged into the same port on the control head? Coz according to Scrotty you can't.

The Co-pilot has another plug out of it for the foot controller to plug into.

And I thought I have heard that if you make a course alteration with the autopilot on that it just picks up that alteration and keeps autopiloting you on that new course. Hmmmm.

That is correct. It will use the new direction. However I'm told by Minn Kota techs that "If you have the Auto Pilot turned on & you make a course alteration with the foot control, the Co Pilot will not work." I'll try that one out for myself next time I'm using one.

If what you are saying about the foot control having priority is true Fitzy, and the missus is up the front with the foot control and i'm up the back with the copilot she'll wanna go left and I'll wanna go right and it will end in tears! Probably my tears by the sound of it..

Take a clean hanky with you..........



Cheers,

Fitzy..

[-Henno-]

Thanks for that Fitzy. I'm happy to go ahead with the purchase now.

I just solved my problem with input conflictions from both units. The cord for the foot control is long enough for me to use from the back and the missus can have the autopilot up the front! I win!

[garygusart2000]

does anyone know where in Vic. I can have a look at one of these co-pilot units also how much $ are they cheers
Gus

[Fitzy]

does anyone know where in Vic. I can have a look at one of these co-pilot units also how much $ are they cheers
Gus

G'Day Gus,

Probably JV Marine would be the best bet. RRP is $429.

Cheers,

Fitzy..