Can of worms - please open! Nav kit!

[skyflyer]

I'm looking for some very generalised advice about purchasing a new chartplotter, autopilot and other instruments before some smooth salesman at the LBS talks me into buying an expensive mistake!

I appreciate that everyone will have their favourites but my question is more about integration with existing kit as much as anything else.

The current fit (on 32ft cruiser) is all Raymarine from about 15 years ago! (Original fit)
The ST4000 autopilot actuator (wheel drive) is knackered and no spares available although possibly the 'box of tricks' still outputs a reasonable command, its just that the wheel control gives up!(have fitted new belt!)

I dont have the exact model numbers of all the other instruments but think they are ST50 series; the GPS is a 4 satellite unit which gives basic textual info like Lat Long, COG SOG VMG and waypoints but is a mammoth exercise to program and set up

Tri-data seems OK as is ST50 Wind. GPS, TriData and Wind are repeated in cabin.

What type of connection will simply integrate with what we have?

Is there a new actuator/drive for the wheel that can be driven by existing electronics?

We are thinking 7" plotter or bigger - any suggestions tips?

I appreciate this is a bit "how long is a bit of string" but some general guidance would be useful. All the magazine reviews etc tend to look at the item in isolation rather than consider integration, fitting and so on.

I guess what I really want to know is what to avoid! What traps are there when replacing - or worse, mixing - old with new!

Cheers

Graeme

 

[PetiteFleur]

My last boat had fully integrated Raymarine ST 50's with depth, wind, GPS etc etc. All repeated below but when I got my present boat all it had was an ancient Seafarer depth sounder and a defunct Decca unit. I initially thought I also would have to get all the gizmo's but in practice only fitted a cheap s/h Garmin GPS 128 and a Yeoman chart plotter. I keep muttering about a new echo sounder but it's still working as long as you remember that after 20 metres the decimal point moves so it reads 2.1 metres !! Oh and it has no offset - when it reads 1 you are aground!
So, why not just fit the minimum, depth and GPS and add others if you feel you need them.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I think you need to talk to someone like MES to get a better idea. It wont be difficult to get a drive that could be powered by your current autohelm - its simply a 12v DC motor with voltage reversing to drive in different directions so it wont be much different to later models or to other makers. The plotter is another issue altogether - it may well be that even modern Raymarine wont talk to the instruments though I think it might do so.

From personal experience I would not assume that kit from different makers will happily talk using NMEA 0183. I have a modern Garmin and a modern Icom to prove that is the case let alone my Raymarine plotter not talking to my Simrad pilot.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I'd replace anything that needs replacing with the current Raymarine equivalent, because the Seatalk protocols will allow old to talk to new. End plugs on cables are now different from the ST50 era, and Raymarine agents will sell you a very expensive ST50/ST60+ cable. However, you can just cut off your old ST50 plug, put 3mm spades on each individual wire, and plug those onto new instruments if you want to save beer money.

 

[skyflyer]

Saving beer money is my main priority!

Had a quick chat with a technical bod at Raymarine today who said that I could trade in the defunct ST4000 for a new wheelpilot and get 25% off. Its a sort of deal they do because they no longer support the old kit. He says that is only time they sell direct to public but I have a nasty suspicion that in a competitive arket the dealer prices are probably more than 25% below raymarine's list price anyway! (anyone know?)

Thanks for all info so far - keep it coming if anyone has anything to add

 

[pvb]

He says that is only time they sell direct to public but I have a nasty suspicion that in a competitive arket the dealer prices are probably more than 25% below raymarine's list price anyway! (anyone know?)

Yes, you're about right. I had the same experience when my C120 plotter stopped working. I took it to Raymarine, who tested it and pronounced my Raystar 120 GPS receiver was dead (and of course unrepairable). They offered a Raystar 125 at 25% off RRP, but this was only the same sort of discount that many retailers were offering. In my case, it was worth buying from Raymarine because I think they absorbed the cost of testing the C120.

 

[prv]

Saving beer money is my main priority!

So why ditch all the instruments that (if I'm reading correctly) still work fine? I admit I only skimmed your post, but it seems like all that's not working is the autopilot. Fix that (by replacing with new if necessary) and you're good to go.

Pete

 

[KenMcCulloch]

If you have a means of accurately measuring distance through the water, a compass, some charts and an echosounder you will be fine.

 

[Topcat47]

Don't be fooled into thinking all equipment with an NMEA 0183 interface will talk to each other, my plotter and Radio need different versions of the interface to operate so I can have either one or the other, but not both.

 

[pvb]

Don't be fooled into thinking all equipment with an NMEA 0183 interface will talk to each other, my plotter and Radio need different versions of the interface to operate so I can have either one or the other, but not both.

That sounds unusual. My 20 year old instruments interface fine with my relatively new Raymarine plotter, using NMEA0183.

 

[SAWDOC]

If you have a means of accurately measuring distance through the water, a compass, some charts and an echosounder you will be fine.

Presumably you mean a hand bearing rather than a steering compass?
That is not sufficient to tell you your position accurately in some areas and could in extremis result in the loss of your boat. I agree with the sentiment but I would include a basic GPS as a modern essential.

 

[skyflyer]

So why ditch all the instruments that (if I'm reading correctly) still work fine? I admit I only skimmed your post, but it seems like all that's not working is the autopilot. Fix that (by replacing with new if necessary) and you're good to go.

Pete

I have explained poorly! It is precisely BECAUSE we intend to keep the working stuff that I am concerned about integrating new and/or replacemnt items!

The shopping list is basically for our first chartplotter and a replacement autopilot.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice and comments