Outboard Pilot Hydraulic Pack Lowrance #000-11748-001

[MattMan]

With all of the new innovations in Charplotters and GPS and being more affordable for the consumer, I decided I could use and extra pair of hands. Enter the Lowrance Auto pilot. #000-11748-001

Added to my Wellcraft Coastal 252 (2004+)

Space has been a real challenge on this vessel. With all of the other controllers and modules, adding one more and the addition of another hydraulic pump, wasn't easy. I added my pump the outer starboard side, behind a panel. Disassembling the helm pump hydraulic lines wasn't easy. The hatch leaves limited room for tool placement to grab the fittings. Having a cup or oil catch below the helm is important, unless you want to be cleaning it up off the drivers floorboard. I used a water bottle, sliced in half with a razor, so I could place it below. Once the port and starboard lines are removed, I moved onto mounting the second station outboard pump.

SeaStar Technical support recommends NOT using Teflon tape for pipe threads. These can get into the system nd contaminate casuing the system to fail prematurely. They did approve Rectorseal Tplus2 pipe sealant.

The kit includes the T-Connector fittings and new elbows to tie into your existing system. I mounted the pump in a secure location, as you can see in the pictures. Directly across I mounted the control module NET on the outer starboard wall. Running the two short supply lines through the wire boot back behind the steering wheel, to connect to the helm pump comes next. Keep in mind, if you have an older pump, you're still using the NPT fittings. The newer Seastar pump use ORB fittings which are entirely different.

Follow the instructions to make all of your connections. You will need an add on connector to integrate the auto piolet computer to your NMEA 2000 network, which is simple to do.

BLEEDING THE SYSTEM: Is the most important part, having a partner makes this go much faster. You need the bleeding hose and adapter to attach to the fill port on the helm pump. I took some braided fishing line, tied around a screw, and into the bottom of the new SeaStar Hydraulic fluid. HA5430...tied the other end around my VHF radio, mic mount in the hard top. This keeps the quart of fluid suspended above the helm. Then you have a partner back on the steering cylinder and open the bleeder, and turn the wheel slowly to port. Half of the quart will empty to your catch container at the cylinder. Close the bleeder valve. Repeat the same procedure for Starboard. You repeat the entire process on your Lowrance display auto piolet menu. Using the manual auto piolet control. Essentially you treat the steering wheel helm pump and auto piolet pump as two stations. Follow the instructions from SeaStar bleeding instructions and you'll be good. Make sure you COMMISSION your auto piolet following the instructions from Lowrance.

It's a lot of fun to play with out on the water. I use it to run precise trolling patterns on my trails, or auto piolet back to the dock. Unless you have AIS you may not want to put 100% confidence as you wouldn't want to run into a fisherman in a canoe. lol.

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