Will a new Chartplotter "talk" to my Autopilot?

B

Boat Drinks

Member
Jun 21, 2008
52
Waterford, WI
Boat Info
1999 400 Sundancer
Engines
T CAT 3116
I have a 99 400SD with the original Raytheon electronics. The Radar, R41XX, works great. The autopilot, Ray Pilot 650, also works great. For the past few years, I have been using an I-Pad with Navionics, to navigate our large inland lake. In the next year or 2 we are going to be starting the Great Loop and I would like to have a chart plotter that will interface with the autopilot, so I can set waypoints and have the auto pilot drive on longer runs. My question is, is it possible to connect a new chart plotter to my older model auto pilot, and possibly radar as well? If so, what is the best way to proceed.

Thanks for any help,

Mike
 
I think the technologies will be too far apart. Just about anything can talk to each other now, but there was no nmea 2000 protocol when your Raytheon chart plotter was made. That said I’ve heard of converters from 2000 to the older 0183 protocol. Sounds like a lot of patch work
 
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Just quickly viewed a chart plotter on Garmins website. Looked at a 7610XSV and it said it supports NMEA0183. So theoretically they should talk to each other but I think response time will be slower.
 
If you were only staying on your lake, I’d suggest making do with a hack around for keeping your existing stuff. If you are planning a great loop, that’s the bigs. You need to be prepared. Best to put all new electronics on the to do upgrade list for that trip.
 
If you upgrade the MFD, and want integration, you will likely need a new autopilot.

Off the top Of my head, the a, e, c and gs from Raymarine are 1 generation old and can be interfaced with what you have. If you move to Axiom, you will need to replace the autopilot, but gain a number of other technologies like Doppler Radar and AR, that would likely be very worthwhile on the loop.
 
dtfeld said:
If you upgrade the MFD, and want integration, you will likely need a new autopilot.

Off the top Of my head, the a, e, c and gs from Raymarine are 1 generation old and can be interfaced with what you have. If you move to Axiom, you will need to replace the autopilot, but gain a number of other technologies like Doppler Radar and AR, that would likely be very worthwhile on the loop.
Click to expand...

I don't know, he said he had Raytheon equipment. I think that puts him with pre Y2K equipment, or the same vintage as his boat. I had the Pathfinder series on the 280 when we got it that is the same vintage (no AP though). That was definitely incompatible with with the C&E series, so I doubt it is compatible with much of anything current. But that said the reason its still going is probably because the Raytheon gear was from the days when it was commercial grade built by a leading edge military rocket builder (I actually used to sail with a guy who sold rockets and missiles for Raytheon.)
 
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If you have Raymarine's Seatalk network between your instruments, you can most likely upgrade that to Seatalk NG. If you are able to do that, Raymarine eSeries MFDs will be able to control your existing autopilot, if it is Raymarine ST60 or in that genre. I have done it on my boat -- have an e7 and an e9 in the dash and an ST60+. The caution is to NOT UPGRADE to Lighthouse 3. If you get eSeries MFDs, keep them at Lighthouse 2, or go back to Lighthouse 2 if you get one/more with Lighthouse 3. Lighthouse 3 requires a newer autopilot.

I got the 9" and 7" MFDs used on eBay. Love them. Good prices.
 
Go to this thread on the Raymarine.com support forum. It responds to the question of upgrading a Raytheon Ray Pilot 650.

https://forum.raymarine.com/showthread.php?tid=10828

I've already read a number of the underlying documents in my own search for an upgrade, but if you know what your components you will at least be able to determine if it can be done.
 
Thanks for all the input. I'll take a look at the Raymarine forum and keep digging. I do have SeaTalk on the existing equipment.

Mike
 
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