GARMIN GPSMAP® 740s Chartplotter / Sounder with No Transducer

I have purchased a Garmin 720s to replace the original Raytheon GPS unit. I contacted Searay Customer Support and they said OEM panels are still available for my 2002 360, but I had to order thru the local SR dealer.
As a side note, I had also hoped that I could use the depth info off the Tridata transducer, but of course, they are not compatible.
 
depth info off the Tridata transducer, but of course, they are not compatible.
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Time
You sure about that? Isn't that data NMEA 0183? If it is you can get it to talk to the new unit, which does have a NMEA 0183 input in the back.
 
I did that with my old boat. you can get starboard in black I bought a small piece for about 20 and used a router to make it. worked out pretty good. I have a feeling Im might need to do again when I remove the simron gps
 
rondds said:
Time
You sure about that? Isn't that data NMEA 0183? If it is you can get it to talk to the new unit, which does have a NMEA 0183 input in the back.
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Not sure at all, as I am pretty much relying on what the salesman told me when I bought the unit. He told me that Raytheon used their own proprietary design for data that wasn't compatible with newer Garmin units. Go figure.
I'll dig thru the manuals and see what I can find. Thanks.
 
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That could very well be. I'd like to hear what you find out. I wasn't planning on having the older stuff I have connected to the 740. That would be purely primary plotter, mph and engine data. Old stuff will be secondary plotter, knots and tridata stuff (depth). The only thing I like from the TriData is the depth, and that's nice to have right in front of my face. Water temp is cool too but not necessary for navitation - the speedo on it is all wrong anyway. I'm trying to learn to think in knots so it's helpful to have one plotter in knots and the other in mph ;-)
 
I know for sure that my 740 sends location over NEMA 0183 to the Ray 215 DSC VHF. I believe I rememeber seeing another option when setting it up, so Im guessing that was NEMA 2000, unless there was an older NEMA standard to chose from instead (like NEMA 0183, NEMA pre-183).
 
The big plug in the back of the 740, which contains the wires for power (red and black), is for NMEA 0183. I could swear my old Raytheon (not even Raymarine!) has the same plug in the back of it. The Smartcraft info will not talk to the 740 without conversion (via the Smartcraft Gateway), but I'd be surprised if the old can't talk to the new.
 
Did some nosing around. Seems you need some sort of converter box to get SeaTalk (Raymarine's language) to talk to NMEA 0183 (everyone else's language). I hate that proprietary crap...

READ HERE
 
The TriData owners handbook states:

"SeaTalk can also communicate via an interface, with non SeaTAlk equipment using the internationally accepted NMEA protocol."

So if I have to go that route, I may as well just install a shoot through the hull Garmin transducer and keep the technology separate [old vs newer]. Thanks for the discussion.
 
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Timeflys said:
The TriData owners handbook states:

"SeaTalk can also communicate via an interface, with non SeaTAlk equipment using the internationally accepted NMEA protocol."

So if I have to go that route, I may as well just install a shoot through the hull Garmin transducer and keep the technology separate [old vs newer]. Thanks for the discussion.
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If you do add a separate transducer to have two units operating at once, make sure they are different frequencies. If you have two units with the same frequency, such as 200khz, then the signals will likely interfere with each other and cause false readings.
 
Hi Guys,

just a few pointers :)

1. Garmin 741xs has gone on eBay more than a few times for $950-$970 :) (I picked one up for my dad - and have one myself)
2. SmartCraft -> NMEA 2000 interface without display is $368 for twin engine. There is a more expensive MercMonitor - with display - for around $800 for twin engine.
3. Seatalk can talk NMEA 0183 with the right adaptor cables : http://www.raymarine.com/view/?id=5535&collectionid=26&col=5554
4. Boats with Mercruiser Transducer (>2005? or >2006?) for depth/temperature are pushed into engine computer - and will show up via SmartCraft -> NMEA 2000 interface -> Chartplotter. It runs (usually) at 235 kHz and does not interfere with fishfinders at 50/200 kHz. Up to 2008/2009 it was running NMEA0183 but later models use NMEA 2000 and still feed that into the engine computer.

And for people buying Garmin 740 - it is a great machine. But it is already now - not being updated with as many of the new features as the newer 7x1 series. 7x1 compared to 7x0 series have Garmin Marine Network and Video Input - and as mentioned multi touch display. The display is according to my dad - more clear on the new 7x1 that it was on the 7x0 series. And it is A LOT faster - AutoGuidance is at least twice as fast - if not 3-4 times as fast calculating a route. Plus you get Wi-Fi - and can remote control the 7x1 from iPad/iPhone - and integrate it with Garmin's "Blue Chart Mobile" so you can make your route at home - and then synchronise it with the 7x1 once you get to the boat. So if you look out on eBay - the $250 extra is absolutely worth the extra features you get. I see one in that price range about once every couple of weeks.

Another alternative to the $368 gateway - is the new VesselView 7 - which is a Simrad NSS7 with Mercruiser interface. It also converts your SmartCraft data and puts it on the NMEA 2000 network + it is actually a complete chartplotter (if you buy Mercruisers GPS "plug in" for it) - but it integrates with all Lowrance and Simrad GPS systems - with map sharing across devices and "VesselView 7 data display and control" on the Simrad NSS's. But the VV7 sells for $1500-$2000 dependent on your dealer.

Simrad is the "glass cockpit" partner for Mercruiser - and all Mercruiser NMEA 2000 converters are made by Simrad/Navico (Navico is the holding company that owns Simrad/Lowrance and B&G) - since Navico/Simrad bought Northstar from Mercruiser some time ago.

I have the Simrad setup - and love it with VesselView 7 :) great combo!
 
Is it possible to change what virtual gauges are displayed? Example: there is a gauge for "TRIM," which I assume is for boats with outdrives. I would love to replace that "gauge" with something that's useful for me.
 
rondds said:
Is it possible to change what virtual gauges are displayed? Example: there is a gauge for "TRIM," which I assume is for boats with outdrives. I would love to replace that "gauge" with something that's useful for me.
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Old thread, but this needs an answer: yes. Most modern chartplotters that show engine data allow you to specify what data and graphs you want to see. If you want temp instead of trim, for example, you can.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
So will a 2002 Sear rays factory Raymarine stuff not talk to the NMEA 0183 with out adapters? is this correct or not?
 
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