Kracken VS Autopilot

[Lpg]

Hello, I have a 2014 Grady 225 freedom. I fish alone a lot in the saltwater and setting Downrigger’s can be difficult because the boat wants to turn in a circle. I’m thinking about either adding a Garmin Kraken on the bow and using it to set and troll or installing an auto pilot system on my 300HP Yamaha. I know the auto pilot would be useful for other things besides trolling, but it won’t do GPS anchor or things like that that the Garmin can do looking for feedback for folks who use either. After installation and batteries, the price seems very similar between the two.

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

I use AP mostly to set my rods when trolling to keep boat tracking straight but mostly steer by my self.
You could use the Kraken as trolling motor instead of running your F300 at minimum for hours and hours (what i did)
You can also plan routes where the Kraken is following, same as AP does.

I have my Kraken in the basement and need to find time to install it but from what i know from others i will use the Kraken mainly for Spot Lock and then for slow trolling following a preprogrammed route.

A TM will do better in many things except if speed is needed, then the AP shines.
If you troll at less than 1-2 knots then the Kraken will do better, if you troll above 3 knots a AP will do better.

Chris

 

[Sea Shift]

It seems to come down to what you are going to be doing.

For me on the Pacific west coast. I am trolling a ton so the AP is great. However you bring up GPS anchor. I recently purchased the Furuno Nav Pilot (installing soon) with the hopes of using it similar to a trolling motor with one big difference. Trolling motors keep the bow into the wind while the "Sabiki mode" on Furuno keeps the stern directed in reverse allowing a slight drift. It seems like this will keep the lines in the right direction? We will see. Food for thought.

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

Yep,
i forgot to mention this as Spot Lock is not OP's requirement.
To keep bow in the wind what in most cases means the waves too reduces greatly rolling what is good for:

1. your personal comfort
2. dropping the lines with a lot of weight as rolling will not rip them out of the reel and make a birdnest
3. depth sounder reads much much better when not weaving stbd and port side due rolling, ma be lesser problem at 300ft but absolutely one at 1500+ ft.

I dislike fishing with stern to waves as a freak wave may swamp the boat but need to do it some times either by wired drift or putting the drift sock on stern what is more dangerous than just drifting with stern to waves.

For many lines best is waves from beam so that the go 90° angle from boat, however here we can have very wired wind, surface and deep water currents what can lead to no speed but lines far away or 1.5 knots of drift speed and lines perfectly vertical down.

After installation and batteries, the price seems very similar between the two.

A Garmin Reactor 40 Starter Pack is street price not more than 3000$ plus installation what should not be much.
A Garmin Kraken with 90 inch shaft is about 4500$ plus batteries, swivel plate if needed, fabricating counter-plates and installation

If you are sure that you won't use Spot Lock and don't need to slow down your speed then i suggest a AP, a TM will be a overkill and bulky on your gunnel.
Also i would guess that a protected and correctly installed AP will outlast a gunnel mounted TM.

You may contact Gil Travis aka SemperFiFishing at TheHullTruth i bought from him and deal went thru perfectly fine.
He will counsel you what model you exactly need for your boat, for AP and for the Kraken
https://www.thehulltruth.com/semperfifishing-marine-electronics-transducer-sales-135/

The GHC50 Display is considerable bigger than the older GHC20 display and afaik you don't need any GHC display and use the AP from your MFD.
I have the GHC20 and it works just fine and fit on my dash, the GHC50 will not as too wide.

Chris