A cantilever post was mounted on the inside of the cockpit, 18" forward of the gudgeons. Use of the cantilever post keeps the autopilot unit down low, where the mainsheet can't catch easily it and flip it overboard. Note that the stanchion for the cockpit rails is also approx 18" forward of the gudgeons, and therefor you can't mount the autopilot on top of the coaming, even if it were a better locations (which it isn't because of the risk of catching a line on it)