ST-60 connection to autopilot

capta

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,909
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Has anybody connected (or knows anyone who has) their ST-60 to their autopilot so the autopilot will sail by the wind angle instead of the compass?
I believe it is possible, but I haven't a clue where to find instructions. The autopilot is a Simrad/Robertson Ap-22.
Thanks
 
Ken13559

Ken13559

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Oct 29, 2005
2,362
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
I believe ST60 is talking SeaTalk and the other two NMEA. Any chance for it to work is via SeaTalk-NMEA converter. Could be an expensive try out unless you could get a loaner converter.
 
Joe

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,174
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Well here's the AP22 owner's manual... and the manual for the ST60. Some kind of conversion or adapter cable obviously needed. Perhaps a PM to Mainsail.
 
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DougM

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
If you have the ST60 wind instrument communicating with the Simrad autopilot course computer, the setting should be a matter of scrolling through the options on the autopilot.
I'm not certain how well Seatalk and NMEA 0183 talk to each other through a converter.
Also I am not a fan of letting the autopilot steer to wind angle. A sudden wind shift could cause a dangerous tack or jibe.
 
capta

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,909
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
DougM said:
If you have the ST60 wind instrument communicating with the Simrad autopilot course computer, the setting should be a matter of scrolling through the options on the autopilot.
I'm not certain how well Seatalk and NMEA 0183 talk to each other through a converter.
Also I am not a fan of letting the autopilot steer to wind angle. A sudden wind shift could cause a dangerous tack or jibe?
Click to expand
What's the difference between an autopilot steering by the wind and a vane gear? When sailing by a compass wouldn't it be more likely a sudden wind shift could cause a dangerous tack or jibe?
 
kappykaplan

kappykaplan

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May 1, 2011
4,902
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
I use the windvane function when raising or dousing the main. The autopilot beeps if there's a wind shift.
 
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BarryL

BarryL

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May 21, 2004
1,059
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 409 Mt. Sinai, NY
Hey,
Isn't one of the reasons for steering to a wind angle to PREVENT a tack or gybe? The wind changes, the boat course changes too, so that the wind angle stays the same.
All of my instruments are networked together and sometimes I do use the steer to wind angle setting. if the wind changes by a lot (don't know exactly how much) the pilot beeps and you need to press a button for the course change.
To the original poster - Are any of your instruments networked together? If not, you might want to do that as there are number of benefits.I have to buy the Raymaine ITC 5 to convert my ST 60 instruments from Seatalk to Seatalk NG/ NMEA2000, then it was as easy as plugging them all together.
Barry
 
M

markwbird

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Nov 26, 2012
1,654
C&C 40-2 Berkeley
This is the subject that I have been waiting for all my life. I, too, have the Raymarine EV-100 and would like to connect it to the ST-60 so that it can steer to the wind. Raymarine does not make that easy.
 
Joe

Joe

.
Jun 1, 2004
8,174
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
DougM said:
Also I am not a fan of letting the autopilot steer to wind angle. A sudden wind shift could cause a dangerous tack or jibe.
Click to expand
There are safeguards built into these units to avoid that. From the AP21/22 manual:
WIND function can only operate when reaching as it is necessary
to have a stable apparent wind. The sails should be trimmed so
that the autopilot can easily steer the boat in AUTO mode and the
wind transducer must give a stable signal.
Click to expand
and in case of sudden wind shift:
If the cumulative shift of the apparent wind exceeds 15° from the
value at the time the WIND mode was selected, a WIND SHIFT
alarm will sound.
Click to expand
More modern units are able to steer by TRUE wind direction also.... which is preferred when sailing down wind to accommodate the yawing motion common to those points of sail.

Even my Simrad TP22 tillerpilot, when controlled through the B&G Vulcan 7, offers the True wind direction steering option in addition to AWD steering.

 
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Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
markwbird said:
This is the subject that I have been waiting for all my life. I, too, have the Raymarine EV-100 and would like to connect it to the ST-60 so that it can steer to the wind. Raymarine does not make that easy.
Click to expand


Simple you just need a Raymarine SeaTalk1 to SeaTalkng converter kit
Part Number: E22158
 
Don Crowther

Don Crowther

.
Sep 4, 2007
776
Hunter 33.5 Elbow, Saskatchwen, Can.
Could I hook my st4000 up to my st-60 tri-data and sail by wind not compass?
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

.
Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
capta said:
Has anybody connected (or knows anyone who has) their ST-60 to their autopilot so the autopilot will sail by the wind angle instead of the compass?
I believe it is possible, but I haven't a clue where to find instructions. The autopilot is a Simrad/Robertson Ap-22.
Thanks
Click to expand
You first need to convert ST1 to NMEA 0183. This used to be easy with the Raymarine PC/NMEA 0183 Interface Box #E85001 but that has been discontinued. The best option today is likely an ST1 to STng converter kit. This brings you to Stng/NMEA 2K and you can then go to an N2K to 0183 converter. It would be much easier if you had a Ray device on your system that had 0183 ports that was Sea Talked to the wind.
 
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Ken13559

Ken13559

.
Oct 29, 2005
2,362
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
Don Crowther said:
Would I need special cables? If so which ones? Or if anyone can point me in the right direction in the owners manual.
Thanks
Click to expand
If you get the cable from Raymarine, it probably both ends comes with the SeaTalk plug. But you can use a 3 or 4 core shielded cable (stereo microphone cable?) and put small crimp lugs at both ends to connect to the SeaTalk pins.
That's how I did mine.

Ken
 
capta

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,909
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Thank you all very much for the info. Another project added to the list.
 
Sergey Vetrov

Sergey Vetrov

.
Oct 5, 2015
33
Hunter 38 Auckland
Just finished Raymarine EVO Autopilot installation on my Hunter 38 and have connected it to old ST60 wind/speed/depth instruments through Raymarine converter kit (Part Number: E22158)
This converter allow you to connect Sea Talk network (ST60) to SeaTalk NG (EVO). Please note - you have to disconnect power from old SeaTalk network - it will be powered through new SeaTalk NG. Also with new P70 control head you can display all data on one screen (as per attached photo) you can remove few instrument displays if you have no room... LOVE MY NEW SYSTEM!!!
 

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Maine Sail

Maine Sail

.
Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Sergey Vetrov said:
Just finished Raymarine EVO Autopilot installation on my Hunter 38 and have connected it to old ST60 wind/speed/depth instruments through Raymarine converter kit (Part Number: E22158)
This converter allow you to connect Sea Talk network (ST60) to SeaTalk NG (EVO). Please note - you have to disconnect power from old SeaTalk network - it will be powered through new SeaTalk NG. Also with new P70 control head you can display all data on one screen (as per attached photo) you can remove few instrument displays if you have no room... LOVE MY NEW SYSTEM!!!
Click to expand
The E22158 is great if you need to get to STng (really N2K) / NMEA 2000 but Capta needs to get to NMEA 0183 on his older Robertson AP.. Raymarine used to have a ST to NMEA 0183 converter and there are likely a few out there.
 
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