MFD -plotter dilemmas

[BWCY420RS]

Hi

reaching out to the brains trust. We (the Admiral and I) have spent the last 6 months sailing our new-to-us boat and have settled on some instrumentation upgrades. the boat was built in the 2000's and has an original Raymarine ST network with ST6000 smart pilot, ST6002 smart pilot controller, ST60 Tridata (depth, speed and sea-temp) and ST60 Wind instrument at the helm and an ST6002 smart pilot + raytheon RL70 radar at the nav station. In the innards of ther boat there is a raymarine fluxgate compass, autopilot computer, and sonar transponder and on the mast a raytheon raydome. We have been using ipads with Navionics as an interim.

So, what are our options?

we would like... MFDs at the helm and at the nav station, a new lower energy chirp radar. The MFD at the helm needs to have an option of switches and buttons (not just touch screen)

We really (heavily emphasised) do not want to replace everything, so a degree of backwards integration is essential.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Ross

[HankOnthewater]

Hi Ross, I was planning to put a similar thread up as yours, as I have a similar dilemma. I have also Raymarine instruments (including 2 plotters).
I am also looking to upgrade.
Sofar I have found, when sticking with RM:
- windindicator will fit all new MFD and new instruments
- depth sounder (you call it sonar?) may be used again, but cost of that is minimal, may as well get a newer model
- your radar can not be used as yours is an analog one, will not talk to a current MFD (for you that does not matter as you said you want a new one anyway)
- still on radar, RM has only a 24 NM rader in the radome series
- you did not say what auto pilot computer you have, likely it won't work, with the current gear
- your current autopilot drive may be OK as will be the rudder feedback unit
- Not sure about the fluxgate compass, if you can keep the autopilot computer, I guess you can keep that as well
- RM has a hybrid series, touchscreen and knobs, or you can buy an additional panel for the touchscreen that allows you to use the MFD with the knobs on that panel

If you go with B&G or Furuno:
- only autopilot drive and rudder feedback unit can be used
- all other items need replacing
- unless.... you keep your RM tridata, assuming it is in working condition, and keep it completely separately from your new gear, but a few things won't be available, like VMG, STW on MFD, can not use autopilot to sail to wind

If you go with Garmin:
- all your current gear needs replacing
- as above, you can keep your tridata again, in addition to all the new gear.

I got above information from the vendors over the last 6 weeks, when I asked "If I go with your brand for my upgrade, what can I keep of my Raymarine gear? (mine is still working).


With the various threads lately, it sounds that RM, B&G and Garmin all have poor aftersales service, and by the looks of it, one needs it. Fisherman (in Oz) seem to use mostly Furuno.

I have not made a decision yet, but I am leaning towards buying from a near local guy (dealer), who is very knowledgeable. And if I have any problem in the warranty period, it is his problem, and after the warranty period, ...... i guess it is my wallet's problem.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by BWCY420RS

the boat was built in the 2000's and has an original Raymarine ST network with ST6000 smart pilot, ST6002 smart pilot controller, ST60 Tridata (depth, speed and sea-temp) and ST60 Wind instrument at the helm and an ST6002 smart pilot + raytheon RL70 radar at the nav station. In the innards of ther boat there is a raymarine fluxgate compass, autopilot computer, and sonar transponder and on the mast a raytheon raydome. We have been using ipads with Navionics as an interim.

So, what are our options?

we would like... MFDs at the helm and at the nav station, a new lower energy chirp radar. The MFD at the helm needs to have an option of switches and buttons (not just touch screen)

Our boat was originally delivered with a Raymarine SmartPilot S2G AST, with the ST8001 control head.

Other original displays have been replaced, some by POs, some on our watch.

When I finally got around to networking our autopilot to something... it turned out I only needed to connect two wires to NMEA0183 terminals on an MFD and on the SmartPilot.

The MFD sends control sentences to the AP, the AP responds, Voila!

-Chris

[George_SD]

You can convert old sensors to STng via ITC-5 and then use an adapter to convert that to N2K standard plug.

[sailingharry]

It sounds like everything except for your chart plotter/radar solution is functional and meets your current needs. It is basically how my boat came to me, a full set of Ray instrumentation including autopilot, and a furuno n2k chartplotter. Wind, depth, speed, autopilot all continue to run on the old sea talk bus and work brilliantly. This boat has a seatalk to 0183 that puts the data into the chartplotter and that works well.

A better answer in my opinion is what I did on my last boat. This device https://www.westmarine.com/raymarine...-11013927.html
Small, cheap, and absolutely perfect communication between old raymarine equipment and any n2k device. If you are using Ray equipment for your chartplotter, it is simply the case of plugging it in. If you use any other equipment for your chart plotter it is a simple cable between this device and your chart plotter. Or you can cut off a stng cable and put on an n2k plug, depending upon what your exactly how it is.

Unless you do not like the existing Ray Marine instrumentation, this is a very solid way to go. Everything you currently have will continue to work.

The itc5 as mentioned up thread will allow you to convert your existing sensors (wind and water) to N2K if you want different instruments. But if the cabin mounted Ray instruments and the autopilot and its control are suitable for retaining, the itc5 is a bad solution.

[s/v Jedi]

With this device you can interconnect NMEA2000, NMEA0183 and SeaTalk, plus you get wifi access to everything

https://www.yachtd.com/products/wifi_router.html

[BWCY420RS]

Thanks everyone. your time and effort in writing replies is very much appreciated

Cheers

Ross

[GreenWave]

Raymarine just released a new MFD, so the older Axioms are likely on sale. Lots of good advice upstream. And your autopilot will be able to talk to your new MFD with the proper converters. Just plan on getting the new digital radar and connect direct to one of your new MFDs.