Installing an autopilot can add more to your boating pleasure than any other electronic device. Boaters who install autopilots quickly come to consider them essential gear. Autopilots provide an added safety benefit: the person on watch can tend to other duties at the helm, such as reading charts and instruments, plotting courses, or just enjoying lunch. Of course, the convenience of an autopilot does not relieve the skipper of the responsibility for keeping a proper lookout.

Recent technological advances have made autopilots more practical and more affordable for both power and sailboats of all sizes. Plus, with modern circuitry and electronic wizardry, their power drain is minimal - many autopilots can be powered with a simple solar panel/battery system.

Autopilot manufacturers publish tables to help you select the right type and size unit for your boat. Remember, these are general guidelines - problems arise when a boater purchases a unit that is inadequate for anything but calm, friendly conditions. You'll really appreciate your autopilot when everything's breaking loose and what you need more than anything is another pair of hands to steer the boat. As you search for the right unit, there are several factors to keep in mind:

1. Use the weight of your boat when it's fully loaded when comparing recommended displacement figures.

2. Look at your boat's specific helm characteristics. How much load (or resistance) does your helm impose under extreme conditions? How much power (thrust) will you require?

3. Determine the kind you need to adjust the helm to counteract heavy downwind seas. An appropriate helm response time will save power, as well as wear and tear.

4. Figure out how far the helm must be turned to determine how long a "throw" your unit must have. This is a function of the type and size of your rudder and the efficiency of your particular steering system. Options A windvane mounted atop the mast or on the transom allows sailboats to follow a course based on wind direction. Positioning interfaces connect the autopilot to a Loran or GPS so it can follow a course to a waypoint, or correct for set and drift. Systems like Autohelm's SeaTalk® and Navico's Corus components allow you to integrate the autopilot with other electronic instruments.

A handheld remote control allows you to control the helm and make course changes from anywhere in the cockpit. Dodge capability allows you to make quick, temporary course changes to avoid a floating object or another boat. A man overboard function lets you push a button and gives you accurate range and bearing back to the victim in the water. An off-course alarm does what the name says, and is also used under wind vane control, or to alert you to a swing at anchor. A watch alarm prevents dozing by making you push a button every few minutes to prevent the alarm from sounding. A joystick available with some models acts as a power-assisted manual steering control for fast rudder response.