Reliability of Simrad AP2402 auto-pilot???

[BozSail]

I have a 37 foot, 21,000 lb. displacement sailboat (Endeavour 37) and I'm considering having a Simrad 2402 auto-pilot installed to replace an old (non-working) Navico auto-pilot. For those who have this Simrad auto-pilot on a similarly sized sailboat... what are your experiences and are you totally satisfied with this auto-pilot? I want to be able to single-hand sail and use the auto-pilot to tack 100 degrees while I tend to the main and genoa, as well as maintain a steady course. If anyone else has a recommendation other than the Simrad AP2402, I'm open to consider other auto-pilots in the same (or less) price range ($2,800 plus $1,000 installation labor). Except, I do not want a wheel pilot.

Thanks in advance for any helpful comments or suggestions.

[witzgall]

It is best to look at the individual parts of this package, and determine if they are what you need.

We have:

Simrad AC12
Octopus linear drive
Airmar 2183 compass (labeled as a Garmin unit)
Simrad NSS7 chartplotter, acting as autopilot control head

This has proven to be a very dependable setup. The integration of the chartplotter and the pilot is very worthwhile. We have been 100% satisfied with the setup, especially 24x7 offshore.

Our boat is a deep fin keel spade/skig rudder about 15k lbs.

[colemj]

We installed the unit you are considering 9 months ago and it works very well on our 40' catamaran. It would have no problem with your Endeavour.

In fact, check out Simrad's specifications and recommendations for your boat. It may be possible you could go with the AC12 instead of the AC42 and save some money.

$1,000 installation seems like a lot - particularly since you already have an AP, so presumably the space has been cleared out, a drive mount position and bracket exists and the rudder arm/quadrant modified for the drive attachment. Those are the big time and effort sinks. If you are using your current drive and simply changing out the AP unit, then $1,000 seems almost like robbery for mounting a couple of boxes on bulkheads and connecting wires.

Mark