Can a B&G Zues control a raymarine Evo tiller pilot?

[PaulMcC]

One of my potential winter jobs is to fit an autopilot to my boat and being tiller steered and fairly heafty the only real option looks like a new raymarine tillerpilot. So I'm thinking of the new raymarine evolution tiller pack which comes with the control head, compass, computer and drive unit.

However the other thing on my list (although maybe not for this winter) is to get a chart plotter and if/when I do, I'd really fancy a B&G Zeus unit because I prefer the idea of looking at the fancy sailsteer display rather then the chart view most of the time. The Zeus user guide talks about how the unit will interface automatically with simrad autopilots and act as a control head for them. Unfortunately the simrad units mentioned aren't suitable for tiller steering.

So my question is, will the Zeus be able to control the raymarine tiller pilot via NMEA? And if so, what happens to the raymarine control head? (Do I not need it? Will it interfere, etc?)

Any thoughts before I try to get an answer from either of the manufacturers?

Thanks
PS. There is nothing NMEA linked on the boat at the moment

 

[vyv_cox]

The Zeus plotters output NMEA2000. Assuming the tiller pilot is the same there should be no problem. If the tiller pilot is NMEA0183 you might need a converter, which mostly seem to cost about £100. Zeus Touch is being discontinued, which means there are some cut price bargains to be had. Zeus2 is the latest model, which does seem to have more bells and whistles than the older one.

 

[pvb]

The Zeus plotters output NMEA2000. Assuming the tiller pilot is the same there should be no problem. If the tiller pilot is NMEA0183 you might need a converter, which mostly seem to cost about £100. Zeus Touch is being discontinued, which means there are some cut price bargains to be had. Zeus2 is the latest model, which does seem to have more bells and whistles than the older one.

The Zeus plotters (Touch and Zeus2) also have NMEA0183 input and output.

 

[vyv_cox]

The Zeus plotters (Touch and Zeus2) also have NMEA0183 input and output.

Even though I am on the point of buying one I'm not certain of exactly what they do. I have now found some more info that confirms what you say, NMEA 0183 can be output to a number of listeners. I was under the impression that it would only output GPS data to the VHF.

 

[r_h]

For a tiller steered boat it's also worth considering the Octopus cable drive: http://www.octopusdrives.com/products/type-rs-drive

In the last couple of seasons we've done 9,000 miles on a 36 footer with one linked into a Simrad AC42 course computer and then to both a Zeus Touch and Triton pilot control heads, and have been pleased with the result.

 

[pernordentoft]

Hello Poul

Did you make it work?
I have a Raymarine x 5 course computer, and I have just bought a cheap B&G Zeus t8.
Does the Zeus replace the Raymarine controlhead?

Best regards
Per