T70281 Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot

The Raymarine EV-100 Wheel Pilot is designed for wheel-steered sailing vessels, suitable for small and mid-sized yachts up to approximately 7,500 kg displacement. It provides automatic course keeping by using a compact electric drive that attaches directly to the boat’s wheel. The EV-100 Wheel Pilot is built with do-it-yourself installation in mind – all components can be mounted in the cockpit without the need for specialized tools or complicated setup. This makes the system especially popular among owners of sailboats around 30–35 ft who want to equip their boat with an autopilot themselves.

The EV-100 Wheel package with SKU T70281 is intended for retrofit upgrades – the wheel drive unit (motor ring for the helm) is not included in this pack. This allows you to reuse an existing drive unit (for example, from an older Autohelm/Raymarine pilot) and upgrade to the Evolution system while saving cost. The T70281 kit provides all the other required components: the p70s control head, EV-1 sensor core, and ACU-100 control unit, along with the necessary SeaTalkng cabling. With this configuration, you get Raymarine’s latest electronics and steering algorithms, integrated with the mechanical drive you already have on your boat.

The EV-100 Wheel autopilot can steer your yacht accurately in a variety of conditions. The system is self-learning – it automatically adjusts to the effects of wind and waves without requiring extensive manual calibration. When connected to a wind instrument, the pilot supports Wind Vane mode, maintaining a set angle to the wind – a valuable feature for upwind sailing. A Track mode is available for following GPS routes, as well as preset steering patterns (for example, for trolling or holding station) to assist with specific maneuvers. All modes are easily controlled via the p70s control head, which provides clear feedback and convenient push-button controls.

As part of the Evolution series, the EV-100 Wheel Pilot integrates seamlessly with other onboard electronics through the SeaTalkng/NMEA2000 network. This means you can control it not only from the p70s panel, but also from a Raymarine multifunction display (e.g. Axiom or Element), adding extra convenience and integration. For smaller sailboats with tiller steering, Raymarine offers the EV-100 Tiller version, while larger, heavier yachts (above ~7.5 tons) should consider moving up to an EV-200 Sail or EV-400 Sail autopilot with a more powerful drive unit. The EV-100 Wheel Pilot has proven to be one of the most popular autopilots for boats under 40 feet, thanks to its reliability, affordability, and ease of use – it significantly reduces the workload for single-handers or small crews, making cruising safer and more enjoyable.