Raymarine Auto Pilot connected to ANY NMEA 0183

[Matt19020]

I finally purchased a RAYMARINE S1 Wheel Pilot Autopilot (probably over kill for my needs...but I like gadgets!)
I have two Questions?

(1)Has anyone connected a Raymarine autopilot to a non-Raymarine GPS? Can you plot a course using the NMEA 0183 from ANY chartplotter (in my situation specifically a Lowrance)...which uses NMEA 0183 & 2000?
Also .....I have A Raymarine ST40 Wind meter which I would eventually like to connect to the Auto pilot with the "Sea talk" connections....My Wind meter is mast mounted right now but I would think about relocating it to the the stern as Delevi has done here
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 90#p146792 due to the mast rotation.

My question about this is:
(2)Is there a great deal of accuracy lost due to the wind indicator mounted only about 12 feet from the water opposed to about 36 feet if mast mounted?

[Hamin' X]

From the S1 Manual:

Your SmartPilot system can receive route information from:

• • a SeaTalk navigation instrument or chartplotter.
  • a navigation system transmitting data in NMEA 0183 format.

You should be fine with your chart plotter. I have sailed boats with wind indicators in both locations and have not noticed any appreciable difference.

~Rich

[Québec 1]

Rich,
I just got the S1 also and am reading through the manuals before starting the install and they indicate that you can connect it to any other element via the nmea input on the smartpilot computer. I want to connect it to my Garmin GPS map 188c sounder. The problem is I need some sort of cable which would go from my garmin to my s1 computor. Up to now I found this

http://www.consumersmarine.com/modperl/ ... 006&r=view

which seems to mean that I have to change my cable on my Garmin..which seems like quite the hassel! Have not found anything on any other site explaining the process.
Q1

[Hamin' X]

According to page 98 of the GPSMap 188 manual, you have the outputs already in the cable that you have. If you don't have your manual handy, you can view it here:

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/GPSMAP18 ... Manual.pdf

~Rich

[Québec 1]

According to page 98 of the GPSMap 188 manual, you have the outputs already in the cable that you have. If you don't have your manual handy, you can view it here:

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/GPSMAP18 ... Manual.pdf

~Rich

Your right it says so right on page 98. I'll check my cable tomorrow but now I have to figure out how to connect pin 14 to my S1 computor and connect all my other pins to my Garmin sounder at the same time right? Seems to me I will need some kind of cable unless I'm missing something big here eh!
Q1

[Oskar 26M]

You shouldn't need any special cable and you should also be able to connect more than one 'listening device' to your GPS provided it has a NMEA 0183 output.

My Siewa Seahorse's main cable is 8-core and connects to all the pins on the GPS. I took that cable to a junction strip then used 2 pairs of speaker wires to make parallel connections from NMEA-out and ground to both my SPX5 Course computer and to my Navman VHF radio. Both listening devices work like a charm.

[c130king]

I too am researching this topic. Both for my new S1 Wheel Pilot and the soon to be purchased VHF/DSC.

My Garmin GPSMap 478 sits on my pedastal and plugged into the cable that is hard wired to boat power. That same cable has the NMEA output. But it is definitely not long enough to reach the radio and S1 computer which will be in the cabin. Is it possible to just buy more wire and extend that NMEA output wire so that it can be fed down through the pedastal and then routed to the radio and autopilot computer? Any issues with that ?

Thanks,
Jim

[Shane]

I too am researching this topic. Both for my new S1 Wheel Pilot and the soon to be purchased VHF/DSC.

My Garmin GPSMap 478 sits on my pedastal and plugged into the cable that is hard wired to boat power. That same cable has the NMEA output. But it is definitely not long enough to reach the radio and S1 computer which will be in the cabin. Is it possible to just buy more wire and extend that NMEA output wire so that it can be fed down through the pedastal and then routed to the radio and autopilot computer? Any issues with that ?

Thanks,
Jim

No problem with that Jim. But with a couple of projects on the go my suggestion would be to try to think about all the cables you're going to be pulling -I'm not sure what additional requirements autopilot will add to that; fluxgate and all- and try to get any cables with factory connectors pre-installed snaked through early in the process. If the last cable you go to install has a big 'knob' of a connector on it, that could make it more challenging than you may prefer . Bare end wires aren't nearly as bad .

Regards,
Shane

[c130king]

Shane,

Thanks for the info. I will ensure that I have a plan for everything before I start and figure out all the wires I need to route and how/where they get routed.

Can't wait to get back.

Cheers,
Jim

[captain frank II]

My Garmin 478 has 2 wires labeled nmea out : Do either one go to the NMEA labeled - pin Ramarine 1000 tiller pilot?

and do either one/both of the garmin "in" nmea in wires .....go to the pin labeled + on the Raymarine.

or do I have all this confused.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

Here is how my Eagle (made by Lowrance) is connected up to my AP and other things.

I plan to just connect my DSC radio up in parallel to the AP. There is suppose to be enough signal strength to drive 3 devices.

It was a bit of a puzzel as the Eagle used the port on the back that is used for the NMEA connection also for the "Speed through Water" connection. I ordered the NMEA cable to which I cut in and found the unused wires need for the "Speed through Water" connections. It took some trial and error as the colors were not the same.



I felt it was best to use the cable made for NMEA with the resistor and diode, but it probably would have worked to connect it up to the correct pins of the "Speed through Water" cable as well.

[c130king]

My Garmin 478 has 2 wires labeled nmea out : Do either one go to the NMEA labeled - pin Ramarine 1000 tiller pilot?

and do either one/both of the garmin "in" nmea in wires .....go to the pin labeled + on the Raymarine.

or do I have all this confused.

Captain Frank II,

I have the same Chartplotter. Here is a link to download the manual...if you do not have your original one handy.


Garmin GPSMap 478 Manual

Look on page 117 and there is a schematic drawing. Not sure if that will help but it looks to me like you do go to the pin labeled "+". If you get it figured out let me know. I will be installing mine this Summer when I get back to the U.S. (I hope).

Cheers,
Jim

[Québec 1]

I too am researching this topic. Both for my new S1 Wheel Pilot and the soon to be purchased VHF/DSC.

My Garmin GPSMap 478 sits on my pedastal and plugged into the cable that is hard wired to boat power. That same cable has the NMEA output. But it is definitely not long enough to reach the radio and S1 computer which will be in the cabin. Is it possible to just buy more wire and extend that NMEA output wire so that it can be fed down through the pedastal and then routed to the radio and autopilot computer? Any issues with that ?

Thanks,
Jim

Looked in the pedestal and found the nmea wires! Thanks for the info guys.

Also the flux gate compass does not squeeze behind the dagger board of my 2003 26M. Does it have to be directly behind it or can it be just leaning against it and secured to the head bulkhead under the mirror and the sink?
Thanks to the guys who are helping out here. ..sure makes the job easier. ..gives me a bit more piece of mind .
Q1

[bastonjock]

when possible i try to keep the equipment all by the same manufacturer.I have a DSC/VHF and i plan on a new chartplotter so ill purchase the the one made by the vhf manufacturer.I would start off with ensuring that one paired up set works before i added any more and if signal strength starts to become a problem,then increasing the size of the cable can solve that one.If you are going to extend any cables its best to use through crimps as long as you have the correct tool.

[Terry]

Also the flux gate compass does not squeeze behind the dagger board of my 2003 26M. Does it have to be directly behind it or can it be just leaning against it and secured to the head bulkhead under the mirror and the sink?
Thanks to the guys who are helping out here. ..sure makes the job easier. ..gives me a bit more piece of mind .
Q1

Ok Quebec You have an '03 M like me and there is one optimum location that beats all others for the fluxgate compass. Bear in mind that the Raymarine instructions recommend locating the compass between 1/3 and 1/2 way along the waterline which is 23' 2". Measuring from the hull stern transom to the daggerboard you will find the distance exceeds 1/2 the waterline, No good. But now you know how far it is from the hull stern to the daggerboard so you go inside and measure back a few feet from the daggerboard trunk and Voila, you arrive at the companionway ladder which should be about 8-9 feet forward of the transom. Now you should have a little storage lid just under the bottom step of the ladder which provides access to the bilge area. You want to mount that compass against the fiberglass right close to the cabin sole between the two SS ladder poles that are bolted there. That is as close to the waterline you will get, it is abeam at the centerline and between 1/2 and 1/3 of the waterline and as low in the boat you can get. In fact, this is the most superior position in the entire boat for the fluxgate mounting. If you have a battery there, remove it and reposition it elsewhere, my battery is way back at the steering linkage starboard of center, I also have a house battery just under the aft most port seat in a plastic caseing but it does not seem to interfere with the compass. (If you have two batteries you could put one under each aft port and starboard seats to counteract each other)
Now before you start thinking you might step on the compass on your way down the ladder, you don't mount it on the side facing the galley, you mount it facing aft underneath where no one will kick it. When you go out for sea trials to swing the compass you will need to correct for 180 degrees of variation to compensate for the aft facing compass. It works like a charm on mine and I have the Raymarine ST4000+ MKII wheel pilot. Now forget about all other mounting locations and do as you are told
On edit I forgot something, The mounting surface I refer to is on an angle so I found a little block of wood and cut it on an angle to compensate and create a perpendicular surface to mount the compass on. I used two long screws to hold it in place as the fiberglass there is about 3/4" thick or more.