DT,
I've had it on my CCP since 96 and transferred the unit over to my WAC. The new units are plug and play and don't require an additional ECU (I believe that's correct) so they are really easy to install.
Is it needed? Well...
If you travel a good distance and the sea is not unruly, it works very well. Once you find the sweet spot on your tab settings under calm seas and minimal load, you can "zero" that into the unit and it will try to maintain that attitude while your traversing your course. It makes adjustments to the tab setting when the weight distribution (people move around) changes while underway. Sort of a cruise control. I personally like it a lot. Long runs across south Biscayne Bay, Card Sound and Barnes Sound were great areas to use it. I still use it for my Gulf runs but at times the sea is more confused up here.
Still, it's kinda cool to set it and watch people move around and the boat adjust to that weight shift or a change in sea conditions.
Like a number of things for the small boater, probably a frill rather than a necessity (like the tab position indicators, I have both) but worthwhile IMHO.
Good luck.
