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About CPT

Why we wanted to bring back the CPT Autopilot

The CPT has been produced over the last thirty years by three previous companies. It is a solid design with much to commend it. We have decided to service and produce CPTs in order to keep them available. Our goal is to provide good service and produce a reliable and cost effective autopilot.

The CPT on our own boat is ten years old, has never failed and is still using it’s original belt. It has logged about 8,000 hours sailing the California coast, including three trips to Mexico, and has steered our 40' 24,000 lb ketch while sailing through gales in 15-20' seas.

History of the CPT Autopilot

The first CPTs were manufactured in 1969 by Orinda Controls, and utilized a metal bead chain to turn the boat’s wheel. In the early 1980’s they were improved with a belt drive and manufactured in Florida as “The Autopilot”. A later model was called “The Autopilot II”, and offered wind-vane and anchor alarm accessories. Many of these CPTs are still in active service on power and sail boats. In the late 1990’s Scanmar manufactured the CPT until 2003. CPT Autopilot Inc began producing the autopilot in 2008.