Tell me about your recent, successful electronics refit

[Jammer]

Did you complete a major electronics refit in the last year or two? Are you happy with it? If so, I'd like to hear about it -- what you installed, why, where you bought it, who did the work, what cartography you purchased and how that's working out, etc.

[ranger58sb]

Partial refit, Summer 2022... to complement the existing original (2006) Raymarine autopilot, a Garmin MFD/radar/DST installed circa 2016, and an Icom M400BB also installed circa 2016.

Replaced a dead (original 2006) Maptech plotter with a Furuno TZT16 (TZT3) for redundancy and different cartography. Added Furuno AIS B+. Added another Furuno (Airmar) transducer, a fishfinder version, for redundancy. Added an Icom M510 for redundancy, and for the auto foghorn and listen-back hailer features.

NOAA (and USACE) cartography, both raster and vector, another reason for going with Furuno. There's some 3D stuff, and sat photos too -- although we don't use either of those very often. Free annual NOAA/USACE updates (unlike the Garmin system with their annual update fee).

We had prior experience with Furuno on the previous boat; we installed their NAVNet 3D system back when, which was the cat's meow at the time. And we also bought into the Furuno system them because it's completely compatible with TimeZero, which we still use on the ship's laptop (and on the home office computer).

BOE Marine was both supplier and installer (they're local to us).

If the Raymarine AP craps out, we'll replace it with Furuno. If the Garmin radar craps out, we'll replace it with Furuno... and another TZT3 MFD.

-Chris

[cr180]

All new B&G with Zues3 MFD, Triton displays, radar, depth, and autopilot. Installed myself. Biggest challenge is routing new cables for NMEA 2000 network especially to mast head wind instrument. Not rocket science, plug and play once get components mounted and cables installed.

You can save by using MFD as autopilot controller. The B&G Triton display functions as a backup autopilot controller.

With regard to cartography, we do the Bahamas, so needed Explorer Charts electronically which is available on C-MAPS. C-MAPS compatible with B&G, SIMRAD, and Raymarine. Garmin has discontinued offering Explorer electronically.

Can’t comment on pricing. Prices have increased.

[s/v Jedi]

I installed did several electronics refits myself, the first one in 1978. Raytheon, B&G, Furuno etc.

There is not one brand that is good with everything. Luckily you can mix and match.

I know it’s expensive but you can’t go wrong with this package: https://defender.com/en_us/b-g-trito...-000-14502-002

I have added a 9” Vulcan display with 4D radar and their autopilot with a triton keypad (you don’t need a separate autopilot display).

I also have some Furuno displays, different brands for radios, ais etc.

The only charts I bought for the Vulcan were the Bahamas Explorer charts. The unit came with US East Coast charts installed.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by cr180

With regard to cartography, we do the Bahamas, so needed Explorer Charts electronically which is available on C-MAPS. C-MAPS compatible with B&G, SIMRAD, and Raymarine.

Good point. I didn't think to mention earlier, C-MAP cartography is optionally available for the Furuno systems. Used to be Navionics, too, before Garmin acquired Navionics.

-Chris

[Chotu]

Installed:

Raymarine Axiom 9
Raymarine EV-200 pilot control computer
Raymarine p70 control head
Raymarine hydraulic pump for autohelm
Raymarine EV-2 compass/gyro/etc

All cartography for the USA came pre-installed.

There is also a Raymarine forward scanning sonar/sounder thing that I have not installed yet. it came free with the axiom 9.

at first I had pretty different versions of the software running on all of this stuff so it didn’t work.

I was trying to just use the auto pilot by itself. I had to buy the axiom 9 in order to reprogram the auto pilot components to work nicely with each other.

and honestly, the system has performed without any problems whatsoever for the last several months and 1000 miles on the auto pilot.

so I am actually pretty happy with Raymarine at this point. But still frightened by all the stories I read on here

Everything was purchased between defender and west marine. Whoever had better prices.

[ABJ87]

How about semi successful?

Tartan 37
2021/2022
- Vesper XB8000 AIS / GPS / Wifi Gateway
- Standard Horizon GX1800 w/ ram Mike
- Furuno wifi Radar
- B&G Wind , depth and speed with Triton display in cockpit
- 2 iPads with Navionics , Aquamaps etc…

Very happy with the setup. Zero issues.

2 years in B&G speed, wind and depth have failed just outside warranty.

2023 installed Raymarine I70 wind, depth speed package. Retained the existing triton display in the cockpit and installed I70 at the nav station.

Again happy with the setup, no issues.

Looking to upgrade the autopilot to a below deck system. Leaning towards the Garmin Reactor 40 with Raymarine linear drive.

[Chotu]

Jeez. I forgot to add the raymarine i70 masthead wind stuff because it's not installed yet. Its awaiting the rigging. It's bought but just sitting around

[RocketScott]

It's been a few years now but I upgraded our Ockam system with a NMEA 2000 backbone to feed garmin displays and a few other things. Also switched to an ultrasonic wind sensor

Unless someone is interest in Ockam I won't bore everyone with details

[SV Confianza]

We were struck by lightning, and all Nav related electronics had to go. Local electrician (ex-bell labs guy) was approved to do the work by the insurance.

I have realized that there are a lot of Raymarine haters here, but we're quite happy with our setup, except for a couple of issues:

Raymarine axiom 12
i70 multifunction
Quantum 2 Radar
i60 wind display (I still like having the needle)
EV-400 Autopilot
Cam 210 augmented reality system

Problems:
Axiom 12 and EV-400 had to be sent back after some troubleshooting from the electrician because it was having trouble connecting to the autopilot. Ended up with new stuff without an explanation.

The original Axiom 12 has too slow of a processor to handle the Navionics Platinum charts and lots of AIS targets. It gets jittery. It also will do that with these charts in some places if you set the detail too high. Probably why they relatively quickly came out with newer models with faster processors.

I struggle with some radar noise that I haven't been able to figure out, but I honestly haven't spent much time troubleshooting it.

Positives:
It's very easy to set up, and even set up redundant equipment. I'm installing a backup autopilot, and from what I've seen, you can just add it and switch on a whim.

The touch screen works extremely well, even when wet. I quite like it.

The multifunction display is very useful and very customizable. And so are data overlays on all views on the chart plotter. I'm not sure why people complain about the interface to much. Once you get used it it, I find it better than Garmin and B&G

The Augmented reality stuff is fun to play with. I'm not sure that it's useful, but, well, it's fun, and that's good enough for me. I originally bought it because I'm red/green color blind, and I wanted some technical aid for channel markers. It's not precise enough for that use and/or my camera's not in the right place.

The autopilot integration with the chart plotter and autopilot external display both work great.

I'm sure that there's much more to talk about, but overall, I'm very happy with the system. I don't have enough experience with B&G systems or Garmin systems of this level of complexity, so I couldn't really do justice to compare them. But when I am on other people's boats, I find myself wishing I had mine.

[mvweebles]

Just finished a refit of my displacement trawler and went with Simrad (Navico, who also makes B&G). A primary reason for selecting their NSS EVO3 gear was their MFDs have a dial knob in addition to touch screen. Touch screens work fine when sitting still. Underway, I find a knob more stable.

These days, install is pretty easy for even a modestly skilled DIY person - N2K is pretty much plug and play if you stay within the brand's family of products. However, configuration can be a bit frustrating if you have more than just basic sensors.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Just finished a refit of my displacement trawler and went with Simrad (Navico, who also makes B&G). A primary reason for selecting their NSS EVO3 gear was their MFDs have a dial knob in addition to touch screen. Touch screens work fine when sitting still. Underway, I find a knob more stable.

These days, install is pretty easy for even a modestly skilled DIY person - N2K is pretty much plug and play if you stay within the brand's family of products. However, configuration can be a bit frustrating if you have more than just basic sensors.

Many do not realize that you can add remote controls to Zeus and Vulcan plotters (as well as to their Navico family products). This one is in portrait orientation, there’s also a landscape orientation version.

[sv_sharky]

Partial and in progress: Garmin xHD radar (55 watts vs 1500 watts of the old radar) to Open CPN, and open cpn chartplotter w/ resistive touchscreen (waterproof and useable in wet), with duplicate display and keyboard at nav station below. Love it. $0 + $500 for the outisde screen, $350 for inside touch screen and a few other things like a long usb/hdmi cable etc.

Tiny Pilot autopilot, steered way better than the old raymarine, and better than most crew even in a chop and downwind. Highly impressed, steers like it's on rails. Old drunk fish autopilot sitting there as backup w/ waterproof automotive plugs ready to be re-connected. $140.

[Mal Reynolds]

On a refit I did 4 years ago, I ripped out a B&G 2000 system and replaced it with NKE. Sailed 20,000 miles from SF to Maine the long way with no problems except the NKE Wifi box. (NKE has since replaced with newer version.) Autopilot performance was vastly improved, brain was paired with an L&S hydraulic drive unit. NKE selected as I perceived it to be more reliable than B&G.

Raymarine radar/chartplotter was replaced with Furuno stand alone radar 1815. Great unit.

Vesper Watchmate 850 (now off market) for AIS. Great unit.

No chartplotter, used PC navigation on a rugged laptop (Expedition for routing).

Standard Horizon VHF w/ AIS receive for backup and ease of calling/waking up ships if necessary.

Also installed Echomax XS active radar reflector.

All good around Cape Horn and back up to Maine.

You might notice there is no NMEA2000, or MFD. Yup. Network down, everything down until you find the problem. I was not OK with this given I was going offshore non-stop.

Everything was great.

Ronnie Simpson has the boat now, getting ready to compete in the Global Solo Challenge leaving in late October from Spain. He's had to replace the NKE wifi box and wind instrument. For backup navigation he added a Zeus3 chartplotter. That's it and he's off solo around the world non-stop.

[hjohnson]

Ericson 27.

We had been running Silva Nexus instruments for well over a decade. It eventually started having issues and we were running into limitations of the old technology, but really liked the wind display, and actually like the transflective monochrome LCDs (easy to read in bright sunlight).

We eventually replaced them with Garmin. Mostly because Garmin has acquired the instruments, so the new depth sounder and speed log fit into the existing Nexus throughhulls.

But the other nice thing is that Garmin had transitioned the whole thing to NMEA2000, so we were able to also integrate with our Simrad TP32 autopilot, Vesper XB8000 AIS, furuno compass, icom vhf, and most recently our electrical system and alternator controller.

It’s very cool having everything tied together. And the Garmin instruments do seem to be pretty well made and reliable. The Nexus wind instrument, which Garmin has continued, seems to work especially well in light sir conditions which are often the norm here in the Salish Sea (PNW).