even though my boat was only a 21' I liked the boat running a little off course and then steering back using my autopilot. it gave the lures different action as the boat made its turns and we wasn't going in a straight line.

we have a 26' Sylvan now but use a kicker with the EZ steer from the outdrive to the kicker with the main steering done with autopilot. but we haven't used it enough yet to see how it's going to work. we troll with the wind 98% of the time. if I see steering with the main autopilot isn't working for us I may check into an autopilot for the kicker. I was going to get the Garmin reactor 40 but it doesn't work on my 2000 9.9 mercury. It's recommended for 05 or newer kicker motors. I also have a 02 9.9 four stroke Merc that's had very little use and it shows. but it is a tiller electric start and has a 20" shaft. but it's too old for the Garmin to work. I plan on selling it one of these days if I ever get around to doing it.

if you have a trolling motor that has course steering I would just use the TM for steering and use you motor to push the boat.