Hi Brian,
Thank you for the info on checking in!
It amazes me too how many hydraulic ram autopilots end up leaking and going on the fritz. Or even just hydraulic steering systems. When I towed that 52' steel sailboat for 150 nautical miles into Bermuda (see "Bermuda Nightmare" video series) it was partially because that boat had lost it's hydraulic steering as well. I'm glad I have chain/cable steering on my Westsail 42. I did install a Furuno hydraulic RAM autopilot, but have wondered if a chain driven electric autopilot would have been more reliable, like on Eric Forsyth's Westsail 42 Fiona (see "Fiona Engine Room Tour" video.) I also have a CPT wheel pilot as a backup, and a Raymarine tiller pilot connected to the wind vane fin on my Aries wind vane as a 3rd backup. I wouldn't go offshore without my Aries..
Thanks and happy sailing!
Drake