Drive Units
Autopilot Drive Units - Hydraulic, Linear & Rotary Drives
Professional autopilot drive units including hydraulic pumps, linear drives, and rotary actuators. Our collection features drives from Raymarine, Simrad, Garmin, and Furuno for all vessel types.
Complete Drive Systems: Part of our Autopilots collection. Pair with autopilot computers and control heads. Essential for inboard autopilot systems. Add mounting hardware and replacement parts.
Choosing the right drive unit type
The choice between hydraulic, linear and rotary drive largely comes down to how the boat is already steered. Hydraulic pumps tap into an existing hydraulic steering system and are common on larger displacement boats where wheel steering already uses hydraulic rams. Linear drives connect to a tiller arm or quadrant and suit boats with mechanical cable or rod steering, while rotary drives couple to the wheel or steering shaft directly and are more common on smaller sailing boats.
Sizing matters as much as type: a drive needs enough force to move the rudder against load at speed, not just at rest, so matching pump or motor output to boat displacement and rudder area is worth getting right before ordering. A drive unit is only part of an autopilot system and needs an autopilot computer and control head to complete it; check compatibility across the same manufacturer's range, since drives are rarely interchangeable between brands.
If you're specifying an autopilot from scratch, talk to us about matching the drive to your steering type first.
