Chart plotter advice please

Ceejay

Ceejay

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I’m not too well versed in the world of electronics and The mysteries of NMEA so would welcome some help.
I currently have a Furuno GP32 GPS installed with integrated depth/speed transducer and masthead wind transducer. There is also a Navicontrol autopilot aboard, but this is stand alone.
I would now like to fit a chart plotter at the helm binnacle but am undecided whether to make this a stand alone basic unit, or if I fit something less basic, would it be possible to integrate it with the existing Furuno setup? If integration is possible, would I be able to connect through the Furuno repeater which is already mounted on the binnacle? Lastly, would it be a straightforward matter to connect the autopilot to the new chart plotter?
Any advice much appreciated
CJ
 
I think your Furano GPS will output some NMEA 0183 data, but to see whether it will integrate with a new chartplotter yo need to read its manual and see what NMEA sentences it outputs, and check the specification of any new chart plotter you consider buying to see if it will receive the sentences you want, as input. It can get complicated and NMEA 0183 is not at all straightforward, with some units making the NMEA data circuit via one NMEA output wire and the 12volt ground wire, and others using two dedicated wires. Actisensense used to publish a very useful guide to NMEA 0183 on their website, but I cannot now find it. If anyone can find a link to it I think it will be very useful to you.
I doubt your autopilot will interface, and on my boat I made no attempt to do so when installing my new instruments. Modern NMEA 2000 instruments are much easier to connect together than older NMEA0183 kit, because NMEA0183 is not really a single completely unified standard. It is also a single talker, multiple listener standard, whereas NMEA 2000 is fully multiplexed. All of the above means that if you buy new kit it is a good idea to get NMEA2000 stuff, as it makes adding more, or replacing older kit easier as any NMEA2000 equipment, regardless of manufacturuer is going to exchange information with any other.

Edit: If you do get an NMEA2000 only plotter all is not lost as Actisense sell an NMEA0183 to NMEA2000 gateway that provides a simple route to get data from an older system. I use one to get wind data from an ancient VDO Logic wind system to my NMEA2000 network.
 
Ceejay said:
I’m not too well versed in the world of electronics and The mysteries of NMEA so would welcome some help.
I currently have a Furuno GP32 GPS installed with integrated depth/speed transducer and masthead wind transducer. There is also a Navicontrol autopilot aboard, but this is stand alone.
I would now like to fit a chart plotter at the helm binnacle but am undecided whether to make this a stand alone basic unit, or if I fit something less basic, would it be possible to integrate it with the existing Furuno setup? If integration is possible, would I be able to connect through the Furuno repeater which is already mounted on the binnacle? Lastly, would it be a straightforward matter to connect the autopilot to the new chart plotter?
Any advice much appreciated
CJ
Click to expand...

I'm not personally familiar with your autopilot, so i'm working from the manual here. The AP has two separate NMEA 0183 inputs, so you can connect the Furuno instruments to one (assuming a spare 0183 output) so the AP will steer to wind. You can connect the plotter to the other 0183 input (assuming you buy a plotter with an 0183 port) so that the AP will steer to a waypoint. I would expect that to all work OK as the AP is using standard NMEA sentences.

There isn't much integration to be done with your setup to the plotter. You could connect the AP output, which would give you heading data from the AP. Or, you could possibly connect the Furuno equipment to send wind and depth to the plotter.

I would suggest a Garmin Echomap 7x or 9 x plotter, making sure it has the NMEA 0183 port (most, if not all of these do). Good value plotters that have 0183 and N2K capability and come with full UK chart coverage.
 
Norman_E said:
I think your Furano GPS will output some NMEA 0183 data, but to see whether it will integrate with a new chartplotter yo need to read its manual and see what NMEA sentences it outputs, and check the specification of any new chart plotter you consider buying to see if it will receive the sentences you want, as input. It can get complicated and NMEA 0183 is not at all straightforward, with some units making the NMEA data circuit via one NMEA output wire and the 12volt ground wire, and others using two dedicated wires. Actisensense used to publish a very useful guide to NMEA 0183 on their website, but I cannot now find it. If anyone can find a link to it I think it will be very useful to you.
I doubt your autopilot will interface, and on my boat I made no attempt to do so when installing my new instruments. Modern NMEA 2000 instruments are much easier to connect together than older NMEA0183 kit, because NMEA0183 is not really a single completely unified standard. It is also a single talker, multiple listener standard, whereas NMEA 2000 is fully multiplexed. All of the above means that if you buy new kit it is a good idea to get NMEA2000 stuff, as it makes adding more, or replacing older kit easier as any NMEA2000 equipment, regardless of manufacturuer is going to exchange information with any other.

Edit: If you do get an NMEA2000 only plotter all is not lost as Actisense sell an NMEA0183 to NMEA2000 gateway that provides a simple route to get data from an older system. I use one to get wind data from an ancient VDO Logic wind system to my NMEA2000 network.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply Norman_E.
I really just want a plotter at the helm to aid pilotage, without having to keep popping down below (dodgy hips and knee joints) to check the instruments there., so perhaps a basic plotter is the answer and if it can be made to speak to the Furuno that would be a bonus.
My Autopilot works fine as a stand-alone so happy to leave things as they are. I would never leave it alone for longer than it takes to grab a quick sandwich anyway.
I'm fine with mechanical issues, but electronics is way out of my capabilities and will remain that way, so I’m fortunate that the manufacturer installed Furuno system has performed faultlessly for 12 years.
CJ
 
PaulRainbow said:
I'm not personally familiar with your autopilot, so i'm working from the manual here. The AP has two separate NMEA 0183 inputs, so you can connect the Furuno instruments to one (assuming a spare 0183 output) so the AP will steer to wind. You can connect the plotter to the other 0183 input (assuming you buy a plotter with an 0183 port) so that the AP will steer to a waypoint. I would expect that to all work OK as the AP is using standard NMEA sentences.

There isn't much integration to be done with your setup to the plotter. You could connect the AP output, which would give you heading data from the AP. Or, you could possibly connect the Furuno equipment to send wind and depth to the plotter.

I would suggest a Garmin Echomap 7x or 9 x plotter, making sure it has the NMEA 0183 port (most, if not all of these do). Good value plotters that have 0183 and N2K capability and come with full UK chart coverage.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that’s very helpful. I appreciate the recommendation.
 
V1701 said:
If that's the case I wonder whether Navionics on a tablet could be a solution, inexpensive, portable & gives you some redundancy as well?
Click to expand...
Or a bit of paper with the pilotage written down. I find the very act of working out the pilotage and writing it down gets it in my head, but will be seen as an old fuddy duddy.
 
Another consideration wrt CP's is the cartography type and presentation that they use. You should go and try before you buy. Also one type of cartography cartridge can give you better coverage / value for money than another.
My personal preference are Cmap Vector charts, others prefer raster scan charts because for any given chart, the level of detail remains the same for every level of zoom, where as with vector, the amount of detail shown can vary with the level of zoom. That doesn't bother me, as my CP has the facility to hold the current detail level even if you zoom in or out.
As you can see, there is lots to ponder over!
Some like touch screen, some don't . . . . etc.
 
I think it’s also important to be more specific than just “integrate”. Exactly what information do you want to send where, in order to do what with it? For instance, there seems little point in connecting your old GPS to a plotter which will almost certainly contain its own GPS anyway. Lots of people seem to ask questions like this with just a vague idea of “networking things” or “making them talk to each other”, without even considering the question of whether they have anything useful to say.

Pete
 
If you want a low cost plotter with 0183 connectivity then the Matustec range offer excellent value, and include AIS transceiver functionality.

I started with the HP-628A but found the screen a bit small, so upgraded to the HP-1228A, which is simply excellent. They also offer the HP-828A with an 8" screen. They do need a separate CMAP chart card, but are still excellent value.

I bought both of mine direct from Huayang in China, and have had no issues except the set up instructions were missing, but I have these details should anyone need them.

Also available is the generic Onwa range, although these do use different software. They are supplied by as UK Agent, and include a range of free chart software, but are slightly higher cost.IMG_2089.jpg
 
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I recently went through a similar process for a friend who is partially sighted. I'm one of his "stand-in" skippers as he can no longer see well enough to manage on his own.
We selected the Garmin Echomap as it allowed integration with the existing Nmea0183 instruments plus potential future proof with N2K capabilities.

I have also recently had excellent service from the UK Onwa distributor if you decide to go for a cheaper option.
 
eastlands said:
I recently went through a similar process for a friend who is partially sighted. I'm one of his "stand-in" skippers as he can no longer see well enough to manage on his own.
We selected the Garmin Echomap as it allowed integration with the existing Nmea0183 instruments plus potential future proof with N2K capabilities.

I have also recently had excellent service from the UK Onwa distributor if you decide to go for a cheaper option.
Click to expand...
Do you have a website link for the UK Onwa distributor please.
 
Thanks for all the responses, I’ve ordered a Garmin Echomap plus so I'll take it from there and see how it goes.
 
PaulRainbow said:
I would suggest a Garmin Echomap 7x or 9 x plotter, making sure it has the NMEA 0183 port (most, if not all of these do). Good value plotters that have 0183 and N2K capability and come with full UK chart coverage.
Click to expand...
Bought my Garmin 95SV from Maintsprite Marine in Maldon & it comes with all the telephone backup on wiring issues ( actually local to me so I just drop in & ask!!). if, like me, you have limited capabilities in electrics it can be a godsend & well worth the slight extra one might pay. It does have the NMEA 183 ports as well as N2K
 
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