RELIABLE - Only three moving parts, increasing reliabilityEFFICIENT - Three times more efficient, half the battery consumptionTIME SAVING - Rudder feedback option mounts directly on driveADJUSTABLE FLOW RATE - Configure performance to suit your vessel Octopus linear drives are available with a huge range of stroke and pump sizes. Drives are suitable for boats up to 100ft (30.5m) - 64,000lbs (29,000kg) Standard drives are available with the pump either mounted on the ram or separately. The LAU custom solutions offer 8 different configurations to suit virtually all installations. Patently BetterOctopus offer a full range of powerful, low current consumption hydraulic linear drives designed for long passage making. An independent comparison by the University of British Columbia* showed that Octopus piston pumps are three times more efficient than a gear pump and can be expected to halve the battery consumption when compared to a competitor 19s unit, therefore doubling the effective range of the autopilot on one battery charge.The drives are available either with the pump mounted on the cylinder or mounted separately.Adjustable Flow RateA linear drive that does not have variable flow (unless dedicated to a range of yachts) will be operating either too quickly or too slowly in 90% of cases. Autopilot manufacturers get around this problem by adjusting the output to the pump to compensate. However, this either forces the pump to operate for longer periods of time which increases power consumption and wear on the parts, or the pump will operate at high pressure for short periods of time - also putting unnecessary strain and wear on the system.Octopus variable flow reversing pumps precisely control the speed of the ram, reducing battery consumption, pressure, strain and wear on the hydraulic system.