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Old 21-02-2014, 16:42   #16
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

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Dockhead, sorry to switch gears, but what do you think of the Furuno TZTouch compared to the touchscreen Zeus?

I'm thinking the old non-touch Zeus, although rugged, is not a smart choice due to being outdated. Right now I'm narrowed down to B&G/Simrad or Furuno.
Sorry, I have no experience of the Furuno system. I've used Raymarine, Garmin, and Simrad/B&G, but no experience with anything Furuno.
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Old 21-02-2014, 16:46   #17
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

Simrad and B&G pilot computer (AC12 or AC42) are the exact same unit. Navico Tech support confirm that to me.
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Old 21-02-2014, 17:11   #18
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

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Wasn't TZTouch just launched last year? The charts look the exact same as Navico, how is it dated?
I meant TZ in general not TZ touch and furuno has not been quick to keep TZ current

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Old 21-02-2014, 17:25   #19
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

We are looking for a 40-ish cruiser and may get an older boat such as an 83 Norseman 447. What would the installed price be for a complete suite of electronics cost?
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Old 21-02-2014, 19:09   #20
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

To get any reasonable answer, you will need to define "complete suite" at a minimum. The installation will likely cost per hour, so you will need to define the boat and accessibility also.

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Old 21-02-2014, 21:05   #21
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

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We are looking for a 40-ish cruiser and may get an older boat such as an 83 Norseman 447. What would the installed price be for a complete suite of electronics cost?
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ke-121025.html

You may want to look at this thread for more information regarding a few complete systems from different manufacturers.
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Old 21-02-2014, 21:08   #22
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

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Originally Posted by PeterSailor View Post
Simrad and B&G pilot computer (AC12 or AC42) are the exact same unit. Navico Tech support confirm that to me.
Good to know, thanks. I guess I'll contact Navico tomorrow morning and ask them about what exactly I'll need.
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Old 22-02-2014, 08:59   #23
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

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Here is a revised setup that I have put together. I cannot figure out the proper B&G autopilot pieces to fill the puzzle. Is there any reason whatsoever to choose a B&G pilot over Simrad?

-B&G Zeus 12 Touch (mounted at helm)
-2 Triton T41 displays (mounted at helm)
-B&G 4G Radar
-B&G ZG100
-B&G WM-3
-B&G Triton Pilot Controller
-Navico NAIS-400
-Navico GoFree Wifi-1

Is all I'm missing here the autopilot computer, compass and drive unit? Or is there more to this system that I'm missing?
By "Triton Pilot Controller" do you mean the keypad? That is not enough to control the pilot - controlling the pilot will mostly occupy one of the Triton 41's. Unless you plan to use the Zeus as a pilot controller, but in that case, you don't need the keypad.

Two Triton T41's will not be enough, if you are using one to control the pilot.

I use my Tritons like this:

Helm:

1. Pilot, alternatively, GPS, wind, depth.

Scuttle:

2. Depth/Speed
3. Wind
4. Compass or GPS

So I think the absolute minimum installation would require three of them, set on the following screens: Pilot, Depth/Speed, Wind. And you will really want the awesome Compass screen, and the extremely useful GPS screen, and now there are new wind histogram screens and other interesting things.

I made a big mistake when I installed my system assuming I would use the Triton displays like my old ST60 displays (I had four of them at my scuttle: Depth, Speed, Wind, Close-Hauled Wind). In fact the Tritons display vastly more information and in a much different way, so they are used differently. If you have space to put them, even five of them is not overkill.


Concerning the rest of your system: You have not mentioned the following:

NMEA2000 transducers (or combined single transducer) for boat speed and depth

Wind transducer

Other things you might think about:

Maretron engine wiring harness with NMEA2000 output

Another Triton or a Maretron DSM 150 or 250 for your nav table (the Maretron DSM's have a Weather screen which gives Ground Wind, a barograph, and all kinds of other useful weather data -- fantastic for the nav table).

Maretron temperature box which will take up to four temperature sensors -- extremely useful.

I have a Maretron fuel flow system -- a luxury on a sailboat, but very cool.

You might consider NMEA2000 ultrasonic tank level transducers -- also very cool.
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Old 22-02-2014, 11:10   #24
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

The pilot controller keypad is certainly sufficient to control the AP with a single Triton. It completely controls the AP just by itself, but does not have any type of display feedback. You can use it alone to set the AP to wind angle, compass course or navigation route.

Even when used with a Triton display, that display is a multi-function display with 9 configurable pages of data. The AP data will take one of those pages. You just push a button to change between pages. Although we have a separate AP control head, once set, we rarely look at it. I don't see a real need to have a Triton dedicated full time to the AP.

I appreciate your appreciation of electronics Dockhead, and we have possibly more than many boats ourselves, but there are ways of having and using all the data available by using minimal equipment. It is rare when passagemaking that we even look at our instruments that often. Certainly not to the extent that we need a vast array of dedicated plotting and graphic units feeding us continual data.

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Old 22-02-2014, 11:12   #25
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

You understand that Dockhead, in fact always wanted to be the engineer on a three seat 747. It's just repressed gauge-itis. 
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Old 22-02-2014, 11:57   #26
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

Dockhead, thanks. I'll check out some of the Maretron stuff. The fuel and tank level transducers are intriguing to me as the boat has four large tanks for fuel and water.

I have to agree with Mark about the displays. The Caliber's cockpit is on the smaller side to begin with, and I want to keep the electronics to a minimum. I think 3 Tritons in the cockpit will be plenty. As Mark said, I will probably use the "dedicated pilot" Triton with the controller mounted next to it, but once I have set my course, I can always change pages and use the display for something else, and then switch it back to the pilot controller when needed. One Triton will be a dedicated wind gauge, and since depth is going to be displayed on the chartplotter at all times, I can use the other Triton as a depth/whatever gauge.

As far as the transducers, I was planning on using what comes in the B&G Triton Speed/Depth/Wind package. Are these sufficient enough, or should I plan on beefing these up?

I just contacted Kato Marine for an arch/davits/hard bimini design. Waiting to hear back from them. I plan on mounting the radar/antennas on the arch along with davits, and hopefully have a rigid steel bimini incorporated to the arch to support the solar panels.

I also contacted Schroeder Yacht Systems in Urbanna, VA. I have read a couple good reviews of their work on here and will most likely do all of the work there since it's close to where I'll be picking up the boat.
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Old 22-02-2014, 13:59   #27
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

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Originally Posted by colemj View Post
The pilot controller keypad is certainly sufficient to control the AP with a single Triton. It completely controls the AP just by itself, but does not have any type of display feedback. You can use it alone to set the AP to wind angle, compass course or navigation route.

Even when used with a Triton display, that display is a multi-function display with 9 configurable pages of data. The AP data will take one of those pages. You just push a button to change between pages. Although we have a separate AP control head, once set, we rarely look at it. I don't see a real need to have a Triton dedicated full time to the AP.

I appreciate your appreciation of electronics Dockhead, and we have possibly more than many boats ourselves, but there are ways of having and using all the data available by using minimal equipment. It is rare when passagemaking that we even look at our instruments that often. Certainly not to the extent that we need a vast array of dedicated plotting and graphic units feeding us continual data.

Mark

Well, certainly, you can switch to another screen after you've set your pilot, but it means juggling essential data. I don't think anyone would ever want to be without speed, depth, wind even momentarily, so I think that 3 Tritons are just about rock bottom minimum if you are using the keypad.

Sure, you can do without the GPS or compass screens (or the several other extremely useful screens), but why? These are really fantastic. The GPS screen is particularly fantastic for those of us who navigated for years with paper and GPS -- so great to have all that data in one place -- time, position, COG, SOG, DTW, BTW, etc.

The compass screen gives you a graphic display of your heading, with a caret to show BTW -- it's fabulous.
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Old 22-02-2014, 14:14   #28
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

OK so is this the whole autopilot system?

-B&G Triton T41
-B&G Triton Pilot Controller
-B&G Triton Pilot Computer, High Current
-B&G Micro-C Rate Compass
-B&G Type 2 Linear Hydraulic Drive
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Old 22-02-2014, 14:46   #29
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

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Originally Posted by goboatingnow View Post
You understand that Dockhead, in fact always wanted to be the engineer on a three seat 747. It's just repressed gauge-itis. Attachment 76588

Dave
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Yes, probably suppressed childhood dreams are responsible . . .
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Old 22-02-2014, 14:49   #30
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Re: Complete Electronics Outfit - Caliber 40

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Originally Posted by DDabs View Post
OK so is this the whole autopilot system?

-B&G Triton T41
-B&G Triton Pilot Controller
-B&G Triton Pilot Computer, High Current
-B&G Micro-C Rate Compass
-B&G Type 2 Linear Hydraulic Drive
What's the "Pilot Controller"? There's no control head in this system. Do you mean the keypad:


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You do need that.

In my opinion, you can do much better than the B&G compass for similar money. The best in class is the Airmar H2183, which is three-axis stabilized with much better dynamic accuracy. This makes a significant difference in pilot performance.
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