Why Have Interfacing Instruments?

[Joe Mullee]

For those who have electronics that interface can you tell me what you think the advantages are over sytems that don't? What does interfacing allow you to do that individual sytems don't allow?

I'm in the market for new instruments for my Hunter 34. For the past eight seasons I've worked with an old Navico AP, an SR Mariner DF and Speed Log, and a Garmin 176 monochrome chartplotter with a 3.8" screen. The Navico and Mariner instruments were not NMEA compatible so I've never had anything interface.

I've just bought a Raymarine X-5 Smart Pilot. I have to replace the DF too. The little monochrome Garmin is getting harder to read with my tired eyes so I'm thinking about a larger (not BIG) chartplotter with a color screen. I've never had a wind system or radar. Ninety five percent of my sailing is done solo in the mid Chesapeake during daylight hours.

So why have interfacing systems? Is it simply a matter of convenience, asthetics, or a real advantage to your boating safety?

Thanks for all replies.

Joe Mullee

 

[sailingdog]

Well, having the GPS and the DSC-capable VHF radio interfaced together is definitely a matter of safety. As for the rest, it is mainly a convenience, but can affect safety a bit. If your GPS chartplotter can display the depth and speed, it makes it easier to pay attention to that information when studying the GPS chartplotter screen.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Advantages to connected instruments

Hi Joe
I like my Raymarine integrated systems.
I can have wind, depth, speed, and location at the helm and the nav station.
Reduces the size or number of displays needed. I can get the GPS to display any bit of info at the nav station which makes the nav station less cluttered. I think the greatest advantage is when you start hooking them to the autopilot. The ability to have Otto hold a course based on wind direction, alert me when the wind shifts, auto tack (two button press) make single handed sailing a breeze.

 

[Maine Sail]

Integrated Instruments

I've had both on numerous different vessels and my honest answer is you don't need it.

I would much rather see you spend your money on a plotter that is user friendly, and that you enjoy using, than to spend thousands of dollars to have your depth display on your plotter. If you have AP, which would most likely be Raymarine these days, then buy a Raymarine wind instrument if you want the steer to wind feature, and it can talk to the AP via the Sea Talk buss. You don't need a plotter of the same brand to do this.

I chose not to integrate my current AP to my GPS as I find it a mostly useless feature in Maine were you can't go much more than a minute under AP without correcting course to avoid a lobster pot..

That said any instrument that puts out NEMA 0183 can talk to another.

The 176 is a great unit mine is getting old, been used and abused and I still use it. I prefer the Garmin units for plotters and have owned Northstar, Furuno & Raymarine & used just about all brands. Though they are not the least expensive they get rave reviews for ease of use and their customer support is second to none. I also prefer the Garmin Blue Chart cartography as it is a very close representation to NOAA charts right down to the colors and each and every sounding and rock..

The most important thing though is does a plotter work for you. Do you like the menu system, is it easy to use without a manual (can you figure stuff out without having to look it up), does it fit well at your helm etc. etc.. Go play with them all and see which brand sings out to you. A good idea is to bring a list of things you might normally do; look up tide data, check sunrise / sunset, plot a course from where you are to another point etc. etc.. Try this on all brands and see which one is the easiest and most comfortable to use..

 

[tommays]

Well

From are standpoint of racing we really need things like apparent wind becasue of the wind range of sails like the light 1 which is 9 KNOTS MAX after which it self destructs

And while we helm and trim buy the telltales it just provides a LOT of info to tell us if we are getting the most out of the boat

 

[seadaddler]

Good Chartplotter

I would spend the money on one of the newer chartplotter like Raymarine C-80.
I love mine that it gives me so much info right infront of me at the helm when sailing,tides,currents,pos, and so much helpful when sailing,dept is the only other info I display on plotter,also have wind and auto.
Spend the money on a nice Plotter.

 

[shemandr]

I like to check true wind from time to time. Not essential but appreciated. When my speedo gets clogged I miss it.
Sailing Vane mode with the AP is pretty cool sometimes.
Go to's from the GPS to the AP are convenient and make a long slog back from Block easier. But some will argue its better just to set a course. More testing is necessary!
Even just to sail a compass course you need integration - no? When I try to just lock the wheel I can only leave the helm for a short period especially under power. I strongly prefer to go AP.
Do I need depth on the CP display? No, I don't even put it up there. But I can put a variety of data and change when I want to.

 

[Ed Schenck]

But isn't what Maine Sail states about NMEA the key? Don't all instruments talk that language? My Simrad WP30 autohelm understands that from my Garmin chartplotter and from my Nexus wind data.

I happen to have a networked system(Nexus) for depth, wind, and log. So I see True or Apparent when I want. But again it is NMEA and I don't think the systems would have to be of the same manufacturer.

 

[sailaway78]

Connecting stuff

I think mostly it is a matter of choice. I do agree about the DSC radios connected to a GPS for any possible emergency. Almost any chartplotter will now interface with almost any other instrument as long as they have NEMA capabilities. As far as the ability to tie the GPS and wind instruments to the auto pilot, it is a convenience for some, and something else to play with for others. And of course some just like to have every bell and whistle available. My personal preferance is the KISS principle. I prefer the Garmin units, because I am used to them, they are more user friendly IMHO, their charts are very good, and their customer support excellent. Mine shows depth, speed, heading, distance to go, with several different options on how it is displayed, all in one unit. They all basically do the same thing, so mostly it comes down to personal preferance. I would strongly recommend buying a unit with all the coastal charts already programmed in, as the chart chips can get very expensive.

 

[Franklin]

The advantage of connecting the GPS to autopilot is that when the autopilot is set to go to a waypoint on the gps, then it will make the neccessary adjustments when the current changes.

If you set your autopilot to a course and let it go that course for a few days, you could end up many miles off course due to current changes. If you set it to the waypoint, it will adjust when the current changes.

 

[Shippy]

Mix page of electronics

As an IT guy, I understand the reasoning to use one vendor for connecting equipment togther that needs to communicate; however I prefer Garmin chartplotters (4208 model) over Raymarine. The boat came with Raymarine wind, depth and speed instruments (ST 60s) , a Simrad WP32 AP and an ICOM VHF w/ RAM. I have connected the Chartplotter and AP together with no problem. I have not connected the Raymarine instruments to the Chartplotter nor the Chartplotter to the VHf. I haven't done much research on this yet, however I'm guessing that connecting the Raymarine instruments to the chartplotter so I can steer towards wind is pretty straight forward yes/no/maybe???? does it require a special cable? also, is it possible to hook the GPS up to the RAM or must I run a wire all the way back to the nav station where the VHF is installed to get DSC capabilities?

 

[sailingdog]

No, you need to run the NMEA cable all the way back to the main VHF unit to get the DSC function working. IMHO, that's a bit more important than getting the GPS and autopilot talking.

As an IT guy, I understand the reasoning to use one vendor for connecting equipment togther that needs to communicate; however I prefer Garmin chartplotters (4208 model) over Raymarine. The boat came with Raymarine wind, depth and speed instruments (ST 60s) , a Simrad WP32 AP and an ICOM VHF w/ RAM. I have connected the Chartplotter and AP together with no problem. I have not connected the Raymarine instruments to the Chartplotter nor the Chartplotter to the VHf. I haven't done much research on this yet, however I'm guessing that connecting the Raymarine instruments to the chartplotter so I can steer towards wind is pretty straight forward yes/no/maybe???? does it require a special cable? also, is it possible to hook the GPS up to the RAM or must I run a wire all the way back to the nav station where the VHF is installed to get DSC capabilities?

 

[rpwillia]

Integration

I have the ST-60 combo with a Garmin 176. I don't like the separate depth and speed (log) since when you are busy you can get confused as to which is which. Would be better to combine the two and save the real estate. I absolutely love the wind/speed indicator and use that all the time. My 176 is getting hard to read (or is that my eyes) and frankly the brightness adjustments suck - I spend a lot of time darkening and undarkening to verify where I am at night and it tends to blow out my night vision. For my next upgrade a new GPS plotter with COLOR that is something I will definitely check. As a brand I really like Humminbird (they earned my loyalty with some great customer service a few years ago) and the 755C depth (aka fishfinder) and GPS combo is attractive for my needs as well as the Raymarine A65. My main preference would be for a small GPS touch screen (like you can get for your car) that would mount on my console next to the ST-60 instruments so I only had one place to look. The Lowrance XOG almost fits the bill, except no tides, no sunset/sunrise and for the $$$ you might as well move up to something better when you add in the nautical charts.

 

[spanky44]

As an IT guy, I understand the reasoning to use one vendor for connecting equipment togther that needs to communicate; however I prefer Garmin chartplotters (4208 model) over Raymarine. The boat came with Raymarine wind, depth and speed instruments (ST 60s) , a Simrad WP32 AP and an ICOM VHF w/ RAM. I have connected the Chartplotter and AP together with no problem. I have not connected the Raymarine instruments to the Chartplotter nor the Chartplotter to the VHf. I haven't done much research on this yet, however I'm guessing that connecting the Raymarine instruments to the chartplotter so I can steer towards wind is pretty straight forward yes/no/maybe???? does it require a special cable? also, is it possible to hook the GPS up to the RAM or must I run a wire all the way back to the nav station where the VHF is installed to get DSC capabilities?

I have personally concluded it is best for me to have all information flow to the chart plotter if possible but I am getting conflicting information as to the possiblity to do so with (ST60) instruments and Garmin Chartplotter due to different communication protocol...can this be done and if so, what source to guide? Use seaTalk or other?