I just installed a CPT. It was easier than I expected, in part due to an amazing level of support by CPT. Instructions were clear, and when I had a question they were super-helpful on the phone (actually have been on a couple of different questions as I moved toward purchase. Never pressure to buy, just helpful discussion of what it could do in my somewhat-weird use model.)
The unit is clearly not like the Raymarine -- you cannot set a numerical heading; rather, you just tell it to 'hold heading' (and it has a tack mode, too.) The electronics appear a lot less sophisticated -- just setting a rudder gain and response deadband; nothing 'smart' here -- though I am as yet unsure whether that will matter in my use. If I do need more (fancy predictive stuff, adaptive handling in waves, or whatever) it seems (based on discussions with CPT and Pelagic, though no one has tried this) that one can control the CPT motor via a Pelagic controller, i.e. a controller of the 'very smart' algorithm variety. Separately, if one cares, a number of parts are clearly machined, as opposed to injection molded.
Anyway, I had an extremely good interaction with the company as I moved toward purchase and then was working to install. That matters, because the installation brackets are semicustom to fit your pedestal/wheel/whatever configuration, so there is a good bit of work on their part to get it right (based on a measurement form you provide) prior to shipping. They did that remarkably well, and parts were labeled very clearly for the installation process.
Aside: while installing, another boat come down the fairway and... looking over at us they said, 'hey, are you installing a CPT?' Turned out they had one too, and like theirs. Maybe there are more of these out there than I had thought.
