Glossary · On-board systems
Autopilot
Also called: Pilote automatique, pilote, pilot
A computer and actuator that steer the boat instead of the sailor.
Single-handed, the autopilot steers almost all the time. It can hold a compass course or an angle to the wind. Racing autopilots use motion sensors and algorithms that anticipate waves and gusts; their quality makes a big speed difference. An autopilot failure is one of the most crippling breakdowns single-handed.
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No source yet · updated 30 Sept 2026