History of Customer Testimonials
We decided to bring back the CPT because of its reliability, not only from personal experience, but from the abundance of testimonials. These are excerpts from some of the letters than have been sent to CPT over the years.
October 2024, Endeavor 37
We did a quick sea trial then immediately headed offshore for a couple of days. The new autopilot handled over 250 miles of it brilliantly, with only some minor fiddling here and there to adjust for sea state. This is a well designed product with exceptional customer support and I am happy to recommend CPT to anyone in need of a new autopilot.
Gaylen
October 2024, Bénéteau Sense 43
More than one year ago you helped us get a CPT Autopilot installation planned, delivered and installed on our Beneteau Sense 43.
This year we decided to sail our boat from northern Spain to Madeira (750 nm). This was also the first longer trip we were taking on after the installation of the CPT.
We left the Galician coast of Spain end of August with 20 – 26 kn of wind and some really nasty and short waves. We had mounted the CPT in preparation of the cruise, but we used the Raymarine Autopilot initially, partly because we were used to it, partly because we wanted to use the wind vane mode.
During my watch of the very first night, at about 02:30 AM (is there a better time…?) I noticed that the boat suddenly went off course and started turning uncontrollably. Our Raymarine Autopilot had failed: it displayed “off course” and had stopped steering the boat. I took manual control of the boat, enabled the CPT, and despite the rough seas the CPT continued to steer the boat without any problem.
After sunrise we tried to find the cause of the cause of the problem. At first glance it looked like an hydraulic system failure, so we decided to keep the Raymarine offline and continue the rest of the trip with the CPT. This worked flawlessly until we arrived at Porto Santo near Madeira several days later. It turned out that the Raymarine was not defective, it seemingly was just overloaded due to the nasty wave, but we were so relieved that we had a working and reliable backup with the CPT!
Everything worked out extremely well, and we are very happy with the CPT and its performance.
Thanks for the good work, and again thanks for the awesome support you gave us so far!
Cheers
Martin
April 2024, Pacific Seacraft 37
Thanks for the advice! I rely on your expertise to ensure the installation is as good as we can make it.
We have had such windy conditions here in Oriental it has been hard to get out for the sea trials. For my first effort the winds were light and I turned on the unit to hold me into the wind so I could raise the main. That went fantastic! It held the boat directly into the wind while I went to the mast and raised the main, and even had to shake out a reef from my last sail. But for the rest of the day the wind was so light I really didn’t get to do much testing…..
The next sail was MUCH windier. The CPT again held me directly into the 15-25 knot wind (with a 2-3 foot chop) and I got the sail up fine. I sailed upwind with the sails balanced nicely and the CPT kept me on course. On my Pacific Seacraft 37 if the sails are trimmed properly there is almost no need to steer with or without an auto-pilot going upwind – a great advantage of the boat’s design. It really holds course well. So I expected it would do good… Returning back to port on a broad reach, once again the CPT held course excellent – probably better than I could steer! Winds were quite gusty and it was choppy (the Pamlico Sound gets relatively rough on a northeast wind with a 75 mile fetch). I was very pleased with the performance. Turning back into the wind to lower the main I was having trouble keeping the boat into the wind, and the CPT struggled too. But it was windy and rough – to be expected I suppose.
Overall I think the CPT is working well, and this week I intend to try it out much more. Thank you so much for all your support!!
Steve
March 2024, Beneteau Oceanis 390
I’ve had the CPT installed for a few years now. It seems bullet proof.
The only issue I ever had was the screw to hold the drive wheel in place letting go after a couple of years. I re-positioned it, re-tightened it with a drop of lock-tite. That has been it. While I carry a spare belt, I have not had to use it. The unit works great under sail and under power, adjustments are easy, and, as a stand alone product, any other failure of GPS, NMEA bus, etc, doesn’t affect it. Tweaks to reflect conditions (off shore with high winds and waves to ghosting along on
bays) are intuitive. The tack feature helped me when I needed to tack upwind in a 90 foot channel single-handed.
Installation was pretty straightforward, but I did call with a couple of questions, and support was great. Similarly, I called after a couple of years to get recommendations for taking spares for a trip to Bermuda, and they found my info quickly, and helped out. I am very much a satisfied customer.
Thanks!
Jochen
May 2022, Wauquiez Pretorien
Eron, wanted to say thanks for all the help the last few weeks. She installed easily and steered us effortlessly for 160 miles straight over the weekend. She is a little beast; we’re very impressed.
-Scott & Iris
March 2022, Gulfstar 41 CC
This autopilot is hands down the best I’ve ever used.
Thank you again for your help and the awesome product!!!
Justin
January 2021, Beneteau 343
Just a quick note to thank you and the the folks at CPT for the help and quality wheel pilot and great product support.
The package arrived safely last Wednesday. I began the install the following day. The hardest part was running the 10 gauge wire from the 10 amp breaker at the navigation station to the helm. The brackets and mounting hardware are of high quality and perfect sizing.
The dockside checkout went well and we took the boat out yesterday for a sail. The pilot held a good course and was simple to use. Both me and my wife quickly became confident on the CPT to steer the boat.
Regards,
Shawn and Michelle
November 2020, Jarrack 33
Just wanted to say we couldn’t be more satisfied with our autopilot. Season was extra long here and we lived in our boat (all season). We sailed over 1400 nautical miles and CPT was practically always on as soon as we had left the dock. Its amazing we had absolutely no problem with the autopilot during the season and we could rely on it even in 18 m/s (34 knot?) winds.
In the future we are planning to get a windvane for longer passages. I think that with CPT would be a perfect combination.
S/Y Veerable, Finland
January 2020, Island Packet 29
Due to some consulting and travel, it was a few weeks between the dock trial and the sea trial for the CPT, resulting in my having forgotten the recommended initial settings. Too lazy to go below and read the manual, out we went in my IP29 with 20 kts sustained, gusting to 28 kts, and 3 foot seas. We rolled out the stay-sail, single-reefed the main and lowered the traveler. Once she was on her feet 55 degrees off the wind, I engaged the CPT. For almost a minute, I honestly thought something was wrong, as she did not react move. Finally, a huge wave pushed her down and off by around 10 degrees and the CPT gently, but quickly corrected. A few minutes later, a huge gust rounded her up and over a wave lifting her 10 degrees to windward. Again, a quick and gentle correction. We spent an hour on each of two challenging tacks — beating and a broad reach with following seas. Both my long-time racing/cruising buddy and I are amazed at how the CPT held the course in these conditions. And it’s easy to see why she uses to little energy. I’ve used a half dozen tiller and wheel pilots on full keeled boats. While any autopilot does fine in easy conditions, I’ve seen most suffer to maintain a course in these conditions. Even without fine tuning the settings (Rudder was at 5, Deadband at 3.5), she did magnificently.
Thanks for a great product — I am so glad I did the research for this easy to install, reliable and well designed product.
Ted
April 2018, 78ft LOA / 73ft LOD ULDB Cruising Ketch
Hi,
We have now installed the autopilot provisionally and used it for a week in different conditions. Installation was very straightforward, took less than one hour. We are still looking for a permanent place for the control box, though. The pilot works very well, has no problem steering our 78´ketch, is very quiet and uses very little power. It adopts without problems to sail changes, changes in balance. Although, this is a well-balanced boat in itself. In flattish water, low rudder settings (1-2) work well. At low speeds, like when heading into the wind to set sails, the rudder setting goes up to 5. Making larger turns by autopilot leads to overshooting, but the boat finds its course within a few oscillations. Here a counter rudder adjustment, like in the old commercial autopilots, would be useful, but would make the unit more complicated. Attached are links to two clips. One beam reaching in light conditions, and the other on a broad reach at 10-11 knots boat speed in about a 15 knots breeze.
Best Regards!
Martin
S/Y Spirit of Ziana, 78´LOA 73´LOD ULDB cruising ketch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSBAq-6dtAE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nri-QxkUNf0
October 2017, 40ft sailboat
Will shared a video of his recent CPT Autopilot installation.
April 2017, Tartan 37
Thanks for the help and advice on purchasing the CPT. Install was easy, and we just used it on a crossing from Florida to the Bahamas. I did a video review here.
Thanks again, Zach
February 2017, Brewster 42
I am sending you this note to commend you for your excellent service. We received the CPT autopilot in record time and were able to make our voyage to the Bahamas on schedule.
I was very impressed on how well the CPT autopilot worked. We are using a Garmin 741xs as our primary chartplotter. We use the compass function on the Garmin as it shows how far we are off course and what degree the course adjustment should be. We adjust the CPT using the (+)(-) buttons and watch ourselves come back on course. It couldn’t be easier.
Sincerely,
Bob
February 2017, Passport 40 S/Y "Malaya"
Hi All,
… I am impressed with the simplicity of CPT Autopilot both in installation and use. I also find they are pretty easy on the ships batteries. I have also been very happy with the customer service I have received when it has been necessary to call. It is refreshing to actually call a business and speak with a human, not have to leave a message for a later call back or be told to contact them online. I realize in this day and age that this business practice may be somewhat out of date but it is in my opinion the best way to maintain customer satisfaction especially if the call is for a problem.
I am hoping before long to start writing articles and producing videos of sailing and cruising skills. These videos and articles will be based on my 40 years and over 100,000 miles of experience sailing literally dozens of different boats as well as my years in the marine trades in a variety of skills.
Hopefully I can in the process spread the word about CPT autopilots.
Thanks
Al Hatch
“The Old Salt”
svmalaya.blogspot.com
November 2016, Catalina 36 "Tipping Point"
I have been meaning to give you feedback on this autopilot, now that it is at the end of our season I can tell you how your technology worked for us on the Tipping Point, our 36’ Catalina.
Well to keep it short, fantastic, this autopilot functioned amazingly under sail as under power. When underway we typically set the deadband around 4 and see what the minimal effort is required by this unit to keep on course, extremely low power consumption. On a few long trips we learned that dealing with gusty winds this unit still remained loyal to its assigned duty, this Autopilot is so good that it has name. My wife and I call him Skip. I would be forward and yell out to my wife, “where are you heading” and she would respond .. Let me talk to skip and find out…
The biggest risk of having this autopilot is to remember that you have to stay alert and keep your eyes open ALL the time because this system is so good it can give you a false sense of security.
I wish I can give you negative feedback about its operations so you can improve upon it but I have none!
Thank You!!!!
Ed
Captain, Tipping Point
October 2015, Bruce Roberts 38'
Dear CPT,
This is a letter to thank you for the extraordinary customer service.
This was first realized to me when I was installing the unit. You took all the time that was necessary and walked me through the process. Then our CPT performed flawlessly for a long time. It was after about ten thousand miles in offshore conditions and regular use that our CPT needed some attention. We were half way between Hawaii and Vancouver Island. I sent you an email over the Ham radio and you responded immediately. You identified the problem and instructed me on how to deal with it. We were no longer in hand steering and this felt amazing because we were motoring across the Pacific High. The high had just shifted and was stretched out in front of us. Yeah CPT!
Anyway you outdid yourself when you insisted that we ship you the unit once we were no longer offshore. You tuned things up and you even replaced the motor that we had worn out through the grueling offshore sailing. You also shipped the unit back to us, and all us this without any charge.
Basically what I am trying to say here is that you are greatly appreciated to us in this day and age. Your business style is much like your product itself, in that you provided the strait up goods. The CPT autopilot is simple and easy to use. There are no NMEA feeds or Bluetooth connections. Your autopilots are waterproof, powerful and very effective. I am a professional mariner on the West Coast of Canada and I know a good instrument when I use one.
CPT all the way!
Thanks again,
Sincerely,
Ian Copping
September 2015, 40' Ketch, Portugal to Azores
Hello CPT,
We had some difficulties with the delivery of Antalya, but not related with autopilot which behaved nicely. The boat was 2 years in a yard, and September is not the right time to bring the boat to the Azores. The delivery skipper had had return to Lisbon to correct some smaller problems with sails and the structure of boat. He had good reason! There are no yards between Lisbon and Azores!!!! But I was told your autopilot behaved bravely in every sailing condition. I was very happy to know that!
Next year I’ ll gave you more news. Of course, more good news.
Best regards
Fátima
S/Y Antalya
February 2015, Peterson 46, "Tainui"
John wrote an entry on his blog about his CPT purchase: Tainui’s Travels
July 2014, Hunter Legend 37.5
I had an opportunity to sea trial the CPT. In a word.....fabulous! We had 25 knot winds, and I was beating the whole way. Had full sail up (too much) and even over powered, the CPT held strong. Tacking was so much easier as a single hander. Just let the buttons go, and tack she went. I also was heaved to for lunch, and the CPT was great! My boat was a difficult installation because of how she is configured, but with help....it all worked out.
Thank you very much!
Ben
June 16, 2014, Westsail 42
Well, my autopilot finally arrived. The unit was so simple to install, from start to finish took an hour. It’s so easy, everything fitted perfectly and I am very impressed with the quality of the unit. I am a boatbuilder and have installed a lot of autopilots over the years and this is the best I have ever seen.
Thanks again for all your help.
Regards George
Marquesas, French Polynesia
June 2014, Sailcraft 36
In over 4000 nm of use (down the West coast from Washington to the tip of Baja, down the Pacific coast of Mexico and back into the Sea of Cortez) and through many sea conditions, the CPT has performed flawlessly. When we initially bought the CPT we thought we would only be using it for motoring since we had a Hydrovane for sailing. We found that even for sailing it performed beautifully when we used it, and drew very little power. Taking into account the simplicity and ease of installation, the price points and phenomenal customer service, the CPT is unbeatable.
Thanks so much for a great product!
All the best,
Alan and Lindy
S/V Enchante’
April 2014, 46' Venus Ketch “Silver Fog”
I purchased and installed your CPT autopilot in September of 2011 on my 1985 46' Venus Ketch and could not have been happier with the reliability, thus far, at which it operates.
Over all, since I have installed the CPT autopilot–which, by the way was very straight forward and easy to install in less than two hours–has become an integral part of my cruising/sailing life. Last year I completed a singlehanded six month cruise from Redondo Beach, CA up the Oregon coast in the North Pacific and I couldn't imagine doing it without the CPT as my autopilot. Every time I activated the CPT, I found myself becoming more and more confident that it will function exactly as expected. Several times during my cruise, I found myself in weather and conditions that would test any crew’s abilities. However, with the CPT autopilot as part of my crew, I was able to confidently and safely cruise to the next port of call.
Therefore, one of the best decisions for equipment that I have ever made was to purchase and install your CPT autopilot. You have my endorsement whenever anyone asks me my opinion about an autopilot. Without trying any other, I recommend the CPT for both ease of installation and reliability.
Best regards, Jim Morris–Sailing Silver Fog
Video
Jan 2014, Bristol 35.5 “Summer”
Hi CPT Crew-
We went out both days this weekend (it was gorgeous!) and we had a lot of fun with our new autopilot!
November 2012, Compac 27, LOA 30'
I just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with how well the CPT Autopilot performed during our recent 300 mile passage in some of the roughest waters on the ICW. Our trip south from the Albemarle Sound to Oriental, North Carolina was relatively calm, with light winds blowing around 8 to 10 knots during our three-day trip to Oriental. The CPT kept us on course with ease and allowed for a very relaxing trip aboard our Compac 27 sloop. Unfortunately, hurricane Sandy skirted the North Carolina coast just prior to our return trip back to our home port in Columbia, North Carolina. We weathered Sandy aboard our boat while docked in Oriental. The effects of Sandy were still lingering as we headed back home. Winds were blowing in the mid 20s with gusts in the upper 30s as we navigated through the Neuse, Pamlico, Pungo, and Alligator Rivers, and finally the Albemarle Sound. Anyone who has traveled the ICW knows how rough these waters can be in a blow. Seas were very choppy and averaging from 4 to 6 feet as we motor-sailed back home. Again, the CPT handled the conditions extremely well and kept our small 30 footer on course. There was no belt slippage and it was obvious the CPT's strong motor was under no strain with the rudder control set at 3 and the deadband at 4. One one occasion, I had to leave the helm to untangle my headsail sheet during these conditions and I felt confident the CPT had the boat under control. I would recommend this autopilot without hesitation to anyone interested in adding a rugged, dependable and easy to install wheel pilot to their sailboat.
Thanks so much for your assistance in customizing the CPT for my Compac.
Nelson
Columbia, North Carolina
Oct 2012, Alberg 37 Yawl
I am pleased with my new CPT on my Alberg 37 Yawl.
Just an fyi, I sailed back from Block Island, RI last weekend with 35kts of wind and 15 ft waves. Never touched the wheel as “Leroy” did a great job steering us home. I am pleased that we purchased your product…
Greg
September 2012, Cal 2-46
I've just arrived in Alameda, a three day trip from Garibaldi, OR, in mostly pea soup fog. Just wanted to let you know how well the CPT worked. We crossed the bar and turned it on, without any opportunity for sea trials, and it worked flawlessly in all conditions with our Cal 2-46. As it happened we were able to also get our large hydraulic autopilot working, and were able to compare the two. I couldn't help notice the very low power consumption of the CPT...at least a third of the other. Anyway just wanted to give you some follow up, and thank you especially for your personal attention throughout this process.
Steve
'Sands End'
May, 2012 Soluna Star, Hunter Vision 36, 18,500 lbs
Just wanted to thank you guys for the great service. All of the planning before installing sure made the installation go smoothly and quickly. The unit is working very effectively steering the boat.
We're off the docks and cruising the greater pacific northwest. I've attached some photos of the installation. I used an Edson mount for the compass unit. I'm already using two of the Edson mounts, one for the radar and the other for the chart plotter. The installation looks very good and the compass unit is in a very "handy" location.
Thanks again!
S/V Soluna Star
On the Inside Passage of British Columbia
February 2012, 40' Ferro Cement Pilothouse Cutter
Hi, I have installed the CPT and completed dock tested and sea trials. On my first sea trial there was no wind and it was flat calm the CPT gave a great performance. The second sea trial we had about 14 knot wind lite seas. I put the boat into the wind and set the CPT to hold course while I hoisted sails and the CPT held us in to the wind perfectly. When sailing the CPT did a great job holding course. This is the first time I've sailed with an auto pilot and I was very pleased with the freedom that the CPT afforded me.
Thanks!
Duane
October 2011, 36' custom sloop, 18,000 lbs Australia
The installation of the CPT Autopilot went well. My wheel wasnt exactly straight so I put a few shims between the adapter and wheel spokes that did the trick.
I took the yacht out to day in good weather for a sea trial. I was very impressed with its ability to maintain a course. It is amazing how the CPT does the job so quietly. In a couple of months I will take Warlock on a coastal trip down to Jervis Bay. I will let you know how I go. Thanks for an excellent product and your excellent level of customer service.
Regards,
Alasdair
September 2011, S/V ‘Eagle’, Islander Freeport 36
We have mentioned a few times along the way, how incredibly happy we are with the new CPT Autopilot that we installed before leaving Seattle. It has been simply awesome! The system is built very rugged, is simple to install, and operate. In this day and age where every one wants the autopilot to be connected to rest of the navigation system, we wanted a simple, strong, and for the most part fool proof system. That's what we got. And, other than the very worst of the weather we faced, it has handled everything we have thrown at it. Now I have no doubt that there are a lot of great autopilot systems out there, but what we feel truly makes this one exceptional, is the owner. From the day we met Jeff at the Seattle Boat Show, we were impressed with his dedication to service. When we ordered the autopilot, he went out of his way to make sure we got the exact parts that would be correct for our Freeport steering system. He communicated several times with us (in person) as we fit the system to the boat, and sea trialed it. If we had a question, he had an answer. If we called and missed him on the phone, he called back promptly, every time.
Now that we are in Santa Cruz, very near Aptos, where Jeff lives, he came down to the boat, checked to make sure everything was all right, and even had a couple of suggestions for improving the way we installed it. These changes will make the day to day operation of the system much easier for us by relocating the controller.
The next morning we had gone into town to correct a few shopping problems that we had from the day before, and got a call from Jeff. He was on the boat, had completely rebuilt the system to the new spec's we had discussed the night before. This guy is amazing!! If you are looking for a new system, give this guy a call!! As you can see above, even Lefty thinks Jeff is awesome!
So, if you are reading this Jeff, Thank You so very much.
Tom
Read Tom & Jeanne's blog here
September 2011, Lavranos L36, South Africa
Hi Guys
Thanks again for fixing our CPT. We have a locally designed and built boat, a Lavranos L36. She’s a cutter rigged sloop. Not new, in fact about 30 years old but tough and designed for the dreadful conditions around the South African coast
This last weekend we were coming back to our local port, Knysna, from a regatta and ran into bad weather - 5m swells coming from a storm 100miles out in the Southern Ocean. My wife, the only crew member, got seasick and we had an 8hr trip. There was no wind so we had to use the engine. We used the CPT together with a handheld Garmin 76 and with only the odd slight adjustment CPT kept us to within a few feet of the course.
When we got to the narrow entrance of the Knysna Lagoon the sea conditions were so bad we were unable to get through. This meant another 4 hrs to get shelter at the next bay.
Without the CPT I am sure that we would have been truly exhausted with just 2 onboard hand helming for 12hrs.
Regards, Roger
August 2011, Capricorn Cat, 45' Hughes Design Catamaran
Here are some pics and clips of your autopilot coming back from Hawaii. We probably used it 90-95% of the tim—including down wind/cross wind & cross waves! It did a great job! All four of us on the boat would recommend your autopilot to anybody—Pat
August 2011, ‘AMELIA’ Tanton 43
Thanks for the repairs that you did on my very old autopilot as after condemning it and almost saying its not worth repairing you have done a great job rebuilding it. We have refitted it to our Tanton 43 Amelia and it works like a dream in a good old English channel choppy sea in force 5 to 6 winds with quite large seas at times. The boat sailed great just on a Mizzen sail reefed down and at times we were doing 7 knots—not bad for one sail and a 13 ton yacht. You can now add Tanton 43 to your list of yachts helmed by your CPT autopilot.
I also found the roller tensioning gizmo and have rigged it up with some bungee cord to a stainless steel hook on the pedestal and works great just as in your video. I really hope that ‘George’ keeps working as it is truly another crew member while we are bending on the sails. Thank you so much
Jon and Annie, sailing yacht Tanton ‘AMELIA’
August 2010, Independence 31
Hi, you sold me an autopilot this August as you may remember. I installed it while anchored off an island on the Maine coast. I just want to say how very pleased I am with (a) your service (b) your forethought and subsequent documentation and (c) your product. It truly lives up to its testimonials. In this day and age, it's refreshing to find this kind of quality and personal attention.
Best wishes, Dave Roper
August 2010, 32' Seawind Ketch
First and Foremost I want to thank you for the recent repair of my standby CPT. I tried it and it works great! It is a pleasure to work with a company and people of your capacity. …If you folks ever need an east coast representative, I’ll be your best advocate, these units are the best product in existence.
Respectfully, Donald Bundy
June 2010 S/v Shearwater, Conser 47 Catamaran
The CPT is very very good...and has become my main unit...
I'm in big seas....12-15 foot rollers on my port quarter with the odd series 20 foot and up. Hurtling down the faces reaching 17 knots today....3rd reef. CPT flawless.
Its amazing this boat...did 21.8 knots down a wave today...and amazing the CPT took it in stride.
So you see the sort of forces CPT is dealing with. So far I am pleased with Shearwater in those rather dangerous conditions...surfing...she has never seemed out of control...scary yes but always seems under control...nothing so far feeling like tripping over keels etc. Lets hope I’m right in my analysis so far.
Am closing in on Marquesas...have less than 1000 miles to go. all the best and thanks again for staying with me.
David
March 2010, CSY 44
We must tell you that this unit works wonderfully for us! We used it on our recent trip from Florida to the Exumas. Even with strong following seas, it worked great. Better than having more crew! We named it Charlie P. (T for Tzareff), and he is now a most valued crew member. We're 40,000 lbs empty and were heavily provisioned for a month, so were much heavier than that at least on the way over. It performed exactly as expected and even surprised us at how well it handled the following seas, confused seas, and some pretty strong winds. Thanks for bringing it back! We love it!
Paul & Sue Tzareff
s/v ‘Not A Clew’
November 2009, Westsail 42
You sold me a CPT Autopilot last October for my Westsail 42 which was on a mooring in New York City. On November 1st I pushed off single handed for Bermuda and had the most hellacious voyage! I feel like I owe my life to the CPT Autopilot. The CPT steered flawlessly under power, under sail, while motor sailing, and even in very rough heavy weather conditions. The only break the CPT got when was I had to hove to in sustained 40 knot winds gusting to 56(!!!) for 2 days. After the storm I encountered a 52 foot, 40,000 lb sailboat in distress. S/V ‘Cha Cha’ had lost all steerage, engine, ability to raise any kind of sail, nav lights, bilge pumps, and had no way to generate electricity. She had been adrift for 2 days under bare poles. I (and the CPT) towed that boat 150 miles to Bermuda! The CPT Autopilot not only proved herself, but deserves a medal! Also, the drive belt tensioner worked fabulously.
Drake Roberts
s/v ‘Paragon’
2009, Ericson 38
Well, it’s in and I love it. …Sea trials went great! The unit is extremely quiet, I like that. Going between Richardson Bay and SF in 26 knot wind it performed pretty darned well. We had the belt too loose so it skipped some gears in a heavy wind, tightened it later so that problem should be gone. But it did an exceptional job. Using the remote for steering under power was a dream, kinda like using a computer mouse. Overall, it was very easy to install, it works, very well, has low power consumption, and it's quiet. Two thumbs up!
2009, Tayana 37
I was so happy to see the CPT back on the market. We bought ours in 1993 and installed it on our Tayana 37. I was concerned at first because anyone who has sailed the Tayana 37 knows how bad the weather helm is on these sea cows. But the CPT made us the envy of all the other Tayanas we encountered during our three year Americas tour. Those that had them, loved them.
We sold the Tayana when we returned in 1998 and the one thing that really tickled the new owners, was the CPT. and it continues to work flawless for them. It seems that electronics on a boat need to be upgraded or repaired every couple of years. But the CPT is the best investment I ever made, just turn it on and let it do the work.
We have purchased a 45 foot Europe sedan trawler, (another Tayana), and although the current course setter works most of the time, I found it inadequate in rough pacific NW storms, it just gives up!!! I read your info on the new systems and I think it will handle this boat with ease.
Thank you for making such a quality autopilot
Capt K.M. Murphy
Sea Hunter
2009, Valiant 40
Eron...Many thanks for the fine work that you or your guys did on my CPT. It is like working with a totally different animal. I used the pilot last weekend and was totally surprised with the precision and ease of finding a course and maintaining it.
Thanks for the manual dodger which works excellently as a fine course tuner.
Best Regards.....Jim Lavers www.bkvsailing.com/2009, Custom Perry 46
We did take our windvane off Content as part of the refit for two reasons, one the vane clanked in a seaway and at anchor and since we sleep at that end of the boat, it always kept us awake. The BOOM was shocking, even when the vane was lashed down hard, or soft with bungee cord. But, the second reason was—we got the CPT and it steered us flawlessly, under sail and power, on the nose with the Baja bash north and downwind in 40kts. So we didn't need the vane.
2008, Westsail 42
CPT crew: Nice work on such a killer product. We are just finishing a five night passage to El Salvador from Mex. We did the quick installation, dockside and sea trial, then left. We learned how to use the pilot easily and are very impressed. We did our trial run across the dreaded Tuhuantepec. I used the remote control to navigate up a canal following a bar pilot. We had about every condition variation on the trip. Thanks soooooooo much. It makes our other unit...seem like a toy.
2001, Morgan 50'
We are very happy with your autopilot. We use it all the time on our Morgan 50'… Last year in a gale enroute from Florida back to N.J., we were in very heavy weather for 28 hours and would have been exhausted hand-steering. The autopilot served us very well through it all. Kept us on course 100%!
1999, Hans Christian 33
During our voyage from Long Beach to Seattle we encountered two blue-sky August gales with winds over 55 kts. The autopilot continued to steer even though the cockpit was almost constantly thigh high in saltwater. In fact, the pilot spends its entire life mounted on the steering pedestal in the wet Pacific Northwest, and has never failed us in over 13 years. While it doesn’t have a fancy shaped case and a digital display, it is simple, robust and reliable, a perfect match for…our heavy cruising sailboat.
1998, 40' Center Cockpit Cutter Rig
Charlie:…we also had a very modern and sophisticated autopilot…and as a back-up, picked up a CPT from a cruising friend. The modern pilot failed on us again, repair was going to be expensive and parts not easily accessible in the middle of the Pacific. The CPT ended up doing a lot of the work in all sorts of conditions. Our cockpit was flooded at one point, but when we next needed the CPT, it worked as if nothing had happened. Interestingly, the CPT was the quietest unit, even quieter than the windvane, that has a quiet kind of clang to it. At the moment we are refitting and preparing for a circumnavigation. The CPT is coming with us…Our unit, though old is extremely reliable, strong and very quiet.
1998, Dutch Harbor, Alaska
The unit, which we affectionately call Otto, has worked endless hours without complaint over uncounted miles. It was originally purchased in Oct. ‘88, 10 years of virtually trouble-free operation. Thanks for a great product.
1998, 40' Sloop
Mr. Pukit…I’ve been using my CPT Autopilot for over 8 years now and in the last four years alone I have put over 15,000 miles under my keel while charting the islands of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos. Of those miles…somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 to 90% were while under the control of the CPT Autopilot. From flat calms under motor to 40 kt winds and 15' seas, my CPT Autopilot has handled my 40' sloop, IV Play, safely and dependably. I really like the low noise of my CPT Autopilot. My other belt-driven autopilot, long ago regulated to a locker as a spare, would drive me crazy, buzzing and whining with each turn of the wheel. I originally purchased my unit because of your display at the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show. Your display unit was mounted in an aquarium, underwater and running. Even with this I was skeptical that it would remain waterproof in the long run. I have to admit that through the years it has indeed proven waterproof. Rain, spray, even the occasional wave has failed to violate its waterproof integrity. All in all I wish most of the items that I have invested in for my vessel satisfied me to the extent that your product does. I am leaving…for the Turks & Caicos and my CPT Autopilot will definitely be doing most of the driving.
1997,Tayana 37
Jim: We wanted to take this opportunity to tell you how wonderful we think your CPT autopilots are. We have now been cruising for about two years and the CPT has truly become a part of the crew! Several months ago, while at a marina in Ixtapa, Mexico, at least 4 boats were waiting for their autopilots to be repaired or had all gone to their back-up systems. None of them were CPT’s! The 3 boats at the dock that were all very happy with their autopilots ALL had CPT’s. We recently made a passage from Mexico to Costa Rica and encountered the Tehuanepec & Papagayo winds. Our CPT worked even in the 30+ knot winds. Thanks for making such a good product.
1993, CSY 44
CPT:…This unit has performed flawlessly and almost continually from Virgin Islands to Block Island, Rhode Island to Venezuela and back!!! It handles my 39,000lb CSY 44 in up to 50 knot winds! (for the past 2½ years).
1993, 35' Rasmus
CPT: Gwen and I would like to give a big “atta boy” to our CPT Autopilot for the flawless and efficient way it handled our 35' Rasmus, Princess Del Mar on our recent three ocean voyages. We used the pilot 100% of the time in all conditions from the mid-Pacific to Florida, via the Indian Ocean & the Cape of Good Hope. Even though Princess was equipped with a good workable steering vane, we chose to use the Autopilot for its ease of operation, its far superior course holding and its amazing reliability and economy of power.
While other cruisers complain that they cannot use their autopilot as much as they would like because of mechanical failure and/or high power consumption, we have found “The Autopilot” to be trouble-free and power efficient. Obviously we endorse your product very highly, and we now understand why it is called “The Autopilot”.
1993
Sirs:…The Autopilot I got is the old Orinda Control that you converted for me 3 years ago…13 years old, this month and 36,000 miles—not bad for the old girl!
1993, Countess 44
Sir: I just finshed a trip from the Bahamas to Europe and back to the Bahamas with it and I’m happy to report that on this first trip of any consequence that it really got used. It steered the whole way, over 8,000 miles, and didn’t have a problem until we were about 150 miles from our destination in the Bahamas. I simply removed it and installed the spare CPT which I had on board and within 15 minutes we were back in business.
1991, Irwin 37
Charlie: The unit worked perfectly during the cruise in all of the usual and unusual conditions one encounters with the best of planning. This cruise provided a situation where the remote of the autopilot allowed us to continue for 6 hours in a fog so dense the visibility was reduced in some cases to less than 50'. To make matters worse, we were in the middle of the worst crab trap field I have ever seen in many years of cruising the Gulf of Mexico. By standing on the pulpit with the autopilot remote we were able to successfully steer through the maze without a single close call. I do not believe we would have had the same success using a lookout on the pulpit giving directions to the cockpit. I’m certain the required reaction time or misunderstood instructions would have wrapped a number of lines around the prop. We were about ready to drop the hook when we decided to try the remote unit as stated with excellent results.
Our Irwin 37 deep draft sailboat which in honesty handles like a tank in smooth water under power. I can say the pilot performed beautifully under any and all conditions. We encountered a similar boat in Key West with a competitive unit, the motor of which burned out after 3 days.
1991
Jim: The unit has worked great until my new dog decided to chew (shred) the two wire bundles that come out of the bottom of the set. The unit is 4 years old and works fine. Also, I purchased a second unit for a German cruiser friend for his 36' sloop, and at last report he had gone several thousand miles and is delighted with the performance.
1991, 65'
Charlie: After the Trans-At, we decided to sail on to the Azores & Mallorca. Our [other brand] failed b/t Daytona & Bermuda. It’s the unit that was on the boat when we purchased it in 1990—3rd failure. We put CPT in service and all is well. The one sent to Bermuda was my back-up. We’re at 38 degrees N, 46 degrees W making 7 knots towards Horta, 12' to 15' following seas, 2nd reef in main, reefed jib, 15 to 20 kts of wind out of the SW, broad reaching. CPT has not slipped or groaned once, sure beats standing at the helm—Yes, this is a mid-Atlantic testimonial. PS—The Trans-At was too exhausting with a 65' and a wife and 2 kids for crew!
1991, Pearson 424
Sirs:…I would appreciate your servicing this unit…I have had the unit for 12 years and have been very happy with it. I also recommend this unit to anyone interested in purchasing an autopilot.
1991, 43' Perry
Mr. Pukit: I installed my Autopilot II aboard our 43' Perry designed cutter 3 years ago, and have since sailed through the Bahamas, 3 years in the Carribbean, up the Pacific side of Central America and then across the Pacific to Tahiti (current location) on our way to Tonga. The Autopilot II has performed flawlessly for over 8,000 miles through a 3 day, 45 knot gale with 15 foot breaking seas, as well as the prolonged calms of the doldrums. …I will highly recommend the Autopilot II for anyone considering serious off-shore cruising.
1990, Morgan 46
Mr. Pukit: The CPT worked superbly in heavy seas and winds in all directions of sail, exceeding all expectations.
1990, Vagabond 47
Charlie: I want to report the results of your recent “heart and brain” surgery upgrade to my 1979 Autopilot. As you know, I was most reluctant to have anything done to something that has worked so well for so long…I’m from the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school.
Shortly after getting our 1979/1990 Autopilot upgrade from you, Ann and I set off for six weeks in the Exumas in our Vagabond 47. Your autopilot never missed a beat and it did perform better than our old friend (which I didn’t think was possible). Of all the gear I have aboard, your Autopilot is the lowest maintenance—all I do is hose it down every now and then…Thanks Charlie, for talking me into upgrading my old pilot. As good as it worked, your new electronics are better! We hope to see you in a couple of months at the Miami Boat Show.
1989, Ocean 60
Charlie: The good ship Alaskan Sea Cur was hardly ready for sea and it was three long weeks at Little Harbor Marine just to make ready for sea trials. On that momentous day, while the electronics tech was attempting to interface the $4,995 [other brand] Auto Pilot, we lost the steering. They spent another week replacing all the bearings, and that was fortunate for this is an interesting steering system. Shaft drive driven bevel gears from the wheel turning a short quadrant, with 1½ turns lock to lock. That’s right, just over ½ turn and you are HARD OVER! Needless to say, if you let go of the wheel, it’s too late to “close the barn door”. And of all the $90,000 worth of electronics, guess which one never did work. Right again, the [other brand] autopilot.
Alaskan Sea Cur is an Ocean 60, a 62' 36 ton schooner with a tough steering system and, as mentioned, an autopilot that would only steer hard over immediately, and it’s tough to get to Panama by going in circles. Time to go and no autopilot. As the owner said, “it should not be a problem to hand steer, you have crew!”
Fortunately, I just happened to have brought along my own Autopilot II, so with a quick fabrication of a bracket, two holes drilled in the cockpit side, and presto the autopilot is installed. The question was could it steer this vessel. While doing a fine job of handling my 38' sloop, what would happen on this schooner? I imagine you know the rest. It works just fine and we have completed a 6,300 mile delivery, and “Charlie” has been a match for every test. With the heavy load, we managed to sheer one of the sheer pins, but then I guess that’s what they’re for. So anyone contemplating saving several thousand dollars on their autopilot installation, might consider the AUTOPILOT II and a spare set of pins. Much less than some of the fancy systems around, and one happy captain, here, for I have no taste for sitting at the wheel in 20 degree weather or in the cold snow or ice. Thanks for having such an exceptional pilot, for I don’t know of another wheel mounted pilot that would come close to handling the steering problems on this schooner.
1989, Westerly 39
Mr. Pukit: I have enclosed several snaps of my installation of your product on my Westerly 39' Sealord . First, I would like to put into writing my unqualified endorsement of the CPT Autopilot.
This rugged, dandy piece of equipment took us from New York to Bermuda and back this past season, including almost a whole day DOWNWIND WITH LARGE FOLLOWING SEAS. This was possible by setting the rudder control high and the deadband low. It was an uncanny performance…Thank you for giving the sailing public a reliable, no-nonsense autopilot.
1989, 35' Sailboats
Sir: After 4 years of reliable performance of your AUTOPILOT II on several boats in the 35' range we operate, this letter of gratitude is long overdue! The pilot is one of the most reliable pieces of gear we have ever used. After several hundred hours of use on each of the units we have not had a single failure. The level of dependability and performance you provide in your product should be the standard the rest of the marine industry tries to meet. Thank you & keep up the excellent work!
1989, 46' Cutter
CPT, Inc: The enclosed Autopilot has been about 4,000 miles as my most faithful helmsman, and has done an excellent job of steering my 46' cutter Essa all over the Carribbean, from Florida to Antigua and home again, stopping everywhere in between. We have become so spoiled that when we have to stand our watch actually at the helm we feel put upon by fate. Thanks for an excellent product, and good service when we needed it.
1989, 45' Cutter
CPT: We cannot say enough good things about our CPT Autopilot II. It has been marvelous! We left Long Beach in Feb. 1987 for Mexico, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Is. From there through the Panama Canal and up the East Coast to Annapolis…For the most part of our cruise on our 45' cutter sloop we are only the two of us. Whether short-handed or with a full crew, a good autopilot is essential. From Annapolis we sailed down the coast through the Bahamas to the Virgin Islands, where we are now
1989
“Willie” has performed with perfection over 10 years now. I have been very satisfied. Looking forward to Willie II.
1989, Columbia 43
Charles, The Autopilot II is performing very well on my Columbia 43. It is my 4th autopilot, and it is the first one that worked immediately after installation, without any problems.
1987, Pearson 36
Dear Charlie,…I bought my autopilot in late 1979 when I was preparing for a year’s cruise aboard our 37' one tonner. My boat was squirrely off the wind, so I wanted a pilot which would really crank the wheel fast and be a miser on power. Your autopilot has been simply sensational. From 1980 to 1986, we’ve logged about 15,000 miles, virtually all of which was under autopilot—we hate to steer. Coming back from the Caribbean, we sailed from Conception Island (Bahamas) to Georgetown, Exumas in a 25 knot downwind romp. We averaged over 8 knots from anchor up to anchor down! Our only steering was through the reef outside of Georgetown.
About a year ago, we sold our one-tonner and bought a small ship—a Vagabond 47. It’s a 40,000 lb. Garden full keel cruising boat with hydraulic steering. Well, we’ve kept our wonderful pilot after talking with you, and fitted it aboard. The steering is 6+ turns lock to lock, so when combined with the boat’s great weight, “responsive” wouldn’t be a word I’d use to describe the boat’s handling. You’ll be pleased to know that the pilot works just great. I crank the rudder up to a 6, set the deadband as low as possible and the course is perfection itself.
Charlie, your autopilot has done more to enhance the experience of sailing (and to relieve the burden of steering under power) than any other single piece of gear on the boat. Our longest passage was 13 days during which we hand steered only about 4 hours. We motored up and down the Waterway and Erie Canal from North Carolina to Cleveland using the autopilot most of the time. I can’t imagine sailing without an autopilot; how else could you watch the dolphins under the bow, or land a nice fish, or daydream, or sail short-handed?
1986
…Your Autopilot II leaves the aforementioned pilots way behind. The best test for a pilot is to be on a reach or running in about 25 kts of wind. I ran for about 10 hours under these conditions and did not touch the pilot. I really believe you have a fine product.
1986
…Of the three different pilots that I have, this is still my favorite pilot, So Charlie, take good care of my old Faithful and send her back as soon as possible.
1986, 36' Hinckley
Charlie, Let me congratulate you on the outstanding achievement your autopilots. This was the first year that I have used one of your units and it did an exceptional job of steering my 36' Hinckley Pilot, Indu.
…Indu finished 1st in class crossing the finish line ahead of all the boats in its class. Most of this success was a result of your excellent unit. Your CPT unit was far superior to the [other brands], and the “waterproof” French unit that I have tried in other races over the past 8 years of single-handing. Your CPT is now a permanent member aboard Indu.
1984, Westsail 43
Sirs,…the autopilot has proven a good friend. We’ve sailed for nearly 4 years now and have not experienced any of the difficulties associated with other autopilots, although the chain drive was the weak link. I believe the new drive will be superior. Except for the stretch of the chain, I couldn’t be happier with this unit. I’m a commodore in the SSCA and in the near future I hope to write a blurb in the bulletin about my experience with the autopilot. I have two babies aboard with a wife that regularly succumbs to seasickness, and a reliable autopilot is a virtual necessity. At first I was suspicious of the cost and effectiveness so I bought two, one would be a complete spare. For 4 years and 25,000 miles, I’ve never opened the other box. Thanks.
1983, 50' Motorsailer
We have just returned from a 4000 mile voyage in our 50' motorsailing vessel, “Bon Voyage”, using your Autopilot entirely throughout a circumnavigation of the Gulfs of Mexico, Belize and Honduras. During the time of the voyage, we encountered seas from flat calm to 18 foot with high winds, under both sail and power. Your Autopilot operated PERFECTLY throughout the voyage, with one exception during the last two days of the trip: when a Cuban Patrol Craft intercepted us off the golfo Guanacabibe, we forgot to disengage the Autopilot when we swung the wheel hard over, and broke the chain!
We are VERY satisfied with your unit, and indeed my wife would refuse to sail on extended passages if we did not have it. We carry no crew besides ourselves and AUTOPILOT keeps it relaxed and restful aboard for us.
Please feel free to refer any potential clients to us for a sincere and glowing recommendation of the dependability of AUTOPILOT.
1983, Hunter 30
I am the owner of an AUTOPILOT steering device which I bought along with my Hunter 30 sailboat in 1979. The unit was installed by the delivering yacht yard and performed as advertised…which is to say, great.
1982, 55' Schooner
For your info, the unit I have was purchased from Orinda Controls in San Francisco. I have used it to pilot my 28ton 55' schooner named “Osprey” from Manzanillo, Mexico to the Marquesas, Papeete, Leeward Islands, Cooks and now I’m in American Samoa. Total mileage is approximately 5,000 miles in all conditions. Rarely did I have to disconnect the unit because of weather. I can recommend your autopilot to anyone...
1982, Pearson 36
Dear Pierre, I don’t write many fan letters, but this is one. I’ve just returned from a 10 month cruise to the Carribbean aboard my 36' Pearson one tonner which saw 5,000 miles pass below the keel. During this cruise, your pilot steered absolutely flaultlessly in conditions ranging from dead calm to downwind tradewind runs of 25 knots.
I can think of no other single item which I fitted aboard my boat which was so worthwhile and trouble free. It was simple to install, easy on the batteries, a cake to operate, and always attentive to its duty. On several occasions, I’ll swear it steered around ships at sea!
If you ever need an enthusiastic testimonial, you’ve got mine. You have a dynamite autopilot and I’m proud to own one.
1981
We are bouncing over the very blue waters of the Pacific Ocean at approximately Latitude 20 degrees N, and Longitude 118 degrees W between Acapulco, Mexico and the Hawaiian Islands. We’ve had a perfectly beautiful 5 months of cruising the west coast of Mexico and are now reaching further out—3,100 miles out!
Each day we have a conversation about how much we appreciate your autopilot. It has been a good, steady friend that has increased our enjoyment of the trip immeasurably. The chain got a little stretched out and tired so we slipped on a new one at our last anchorage and it’s running with renewed spirit now.
We’ve sailed with your Orinda Controls Autopilot in choppy seas with 20 knot winds for hours on end and had no course deviation. What more could anyone ask?
1980, 31' O’Day
A word of thanks to you for your fine unit. We have a 31' O’Day and during the past year have traveled some 4,000 plus miles on her. Without the autopilot this would have been an awful lot of boring open ocean sailing. It has always operated perfectly—a real joy.
1980, Hans Christian 38
This is a fan letter for the Orinda autopilot. Life aboard for the two of us is so much easier and pleasant: meals together, sail handling together, time to sit together and watch the sun set. Thanks to that reliable little box.
Our first passage on our Hans Christian 38 with it installed was from Salem Mass., to Norfolk, VA and return. We were at the helm less than 10% of that passage. Summer winds failed on the last part of the trip, so what might have been a tedious 36 hours under power became a relaxing part of the trip with the helm ignored…
Thanks for a good product and a real boon to shorthanded boats.
West Brattleboro, Vermont, Hans Christian 38
1980
…It was great all through an offshore trip from Fl to Mass—even through 3 days & nights of a tropical depression. It even steered with a following sea under bare poles in 40–50 knot winds.
Go to the top of this page