Vessel View / MPH / Raymarine E120

[Richard Carlisle]

There are 2 transducers, one center on a flat spot on the keel and one just off to the stbd side. Also has 2 GPS antennas.

I don’t think it’s worth putting a lot of money into what’s here, vs just replacing it. I can all of it replaced with Garmin for under $20k. I can see this old Ray stuff nickel and diming me to death.

 

[alnav]

There are 2 transducers, one center on a flat spot on the keel and one just off to the stbd side. Also has 2 GPS antennas.

I don’t think it’s worth putting a lot of money into what’s here, vs just replacing it. I can all of it replaced with Garmin for under $20k. I can see this old Ray stuff nickel and diming me to death.

Agree. I did that a few years ago and have never looked back.

 

[Skybolt]

The two bottom pics were taken at the same time. The COG reading matches the mag compass.

The pic's of your plotter and compass do not match. The compass looks like somewhere around 115° (magnetic) and the plotter is displaying 97° True. So displaying true and trying to match magnetic is not easy to do in your head and why I always display magnetic.

Your AP compass is usually a fluxgate compass and that should also be set to what every thing else is displaying in, T or M.

 

[ttmott]

The pic's of your plotter and compass do not match. The compass looks like somewhere around 115° (magnetic) and the plotter is displaying 97° True. So displaying true and trying to match magnetic is not easy to do in your head and why I always display magnetic.

Your AP compass is usually a fluxgate compass and that should also be set to what every thing else is displaying in, T or M.

18 degrees declination? Eastern Canada?

 

[White Shadow]

18 degrees declination? Eastern Canada?

His GPS coordinates put him in the Intracoastal Waterway a little north of Myrtle Beach (which is also probably around 18 degrees declination).

 

[Skybolt]

18 degrees declination? Eastern Canada?

Is that what it is up to, I didn't know. But if that is the case then his compass and GPS are correct.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

The pic's of your plotter and compass do not match. The compass looks like somewhere around 115° (magnetic) and the plotter is displaying 97° True. So displaying true and trying to match magnetic is not easy to do in your head and why I always display magnetic.

Your AP compass is usually a fluxgate compass and that should also be set to what every thing else is displaying in, T or M.

The pic of the plotter was not take at the same time as the compass and AP. The plotter matches the compass.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

His GPS coordinates put him in the Intracoastal Waterway a little north of Myrtle Beach (which is also probably around 18 degrees declination).

Are you saying that I should be seeing about an 18 degree difference between magnetic heading and COG on the plotter?

At this point, there is so much going on with this Ray stuff, I think unless it’s something as simple as a setting, I’m better off just upgrading. Sounder works, AP will sort of hold a straight line and radar works.

If I plot a course line on the plotter, the AP will follow it but slowly drift off course. It’s like if I plot a course line of 90 degrees, the AP will go 95 degrees. That doesn’t bother me as long as it just runs a straight line in the direction the boat is pointed when I hit the Auto button, which it does….most of the time.

 

[ttmott]

Are you saying that I should be seeing about an 18 degree difference between magnetic heading and COG on the plotter?

At this point, there is so much going on with this Ray stuff, I think unless it’s something as simple as a setting, I’m better off just upgrading. Sounder works, AP will sort of hold a straight line and radar works.

If I plot a course line on the plotter, the AP will follow it but slowly drift off course. It’s like if I plot a course line of 90 degrees, the AP will go 95 degrees. That doesn’t bother me as long as it just runs a straight line in the direction the boat is pointed when I hit the Auto button, which it does….most of the time.

A couple of things for you:
Declination is the offset between magnetic North and true North at a given position. The declination starts at close to 0 correction at the equator and increases non-linearly northward. The declination correction is given on your paper charts and it does change as time goes on. Central and Southeastern Florida, for example is 6 degrees correction now and increases as you move northward along the east coast. If you are using paper charts you need to know the correction. GPS does the correction but you need all of your gear set up to either True or Magnetic. A mixed bag causes problems - obviously. If all of your electronics are set up for True North then be aware of the offset in the area that the compass will indicate.

The second thing is your heading is not necessarily your course. Currents, for example, will cause the boat to crab and indicate a different heading (where the boat is pointed) than the waypoint yet your course XTE remains low.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

I’ll look through the plotter menus. Pretty sure they are set to true, which would make the COG on the plotter differ from magnetic by the declination. I pretty much use my ipad and phone with Navi pics and AquaMaps for nav. I use the left MFD for sounder and radar. My iPad is mounted over the center MFD.

Once I upgrade to Garmin, I should be able to export a route from navionics to the Garmin MFD then set the Garmin AP to track that route.

The Garmin MFD has NMEA 0183 output which should send data to the VV.

Going to start collecting those Garmin components soon. Does any one know if Garmin has a transducer that will fit in the same hole as the Ray transducer? I have two, one center on the keel on a flat spot and one off to stbd. I want to replace the center one with a Garmin. Assuming I only need one transducer. No idea the reasoning for having 2 with the current setup.

 

[alnav]

Going to start collecting those Garmin components soon. Does any one know if Garmin has a transducer that will fit in the same hole as the Ray transducer? I have two, one center on the keel on a flat spot and one off to stbd. I want to replace the center one with a Garmin. Assuming I only need one transducer. No idea the reasoning for having 2 with the current setup.

Depth transducers mounts are one relatively easy thing to cross between RM and Garmin. I believe the Garmin DST 810 is what I have and used the same hole as the OEM. Also look at the Airmar lines; most all depth instruments are made by them.
But, these are depth readout (and maybe seawater temp and speed) only. If you want the sonar display like you seem to have now you will need to get a Garmin sonar transducer, not sure if any of those can re-use the old hole, I would guess probably not.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

This one looks have the same mounting but made for graphic sonar.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1063169#inTheBox

 

[alnav]

This one looks have the same mounting but made for graphic sonar.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1063169#inTheBox

According to the specs, the one you linked is 73MM. The one I think fits the existing hole is 51MM.
BTW, a good resource for your new equipment is the site sponsor, BOE Marine. I'm sure they will be able to tell you what may or may not work and would of course sell you anything you need. They also have a very good installation practice if you are on Chesapeake Bay.

 

[Skybolt]

The pic of the plotter was not take at the same time as the compass and AP. The plotter matches the compass.

My point was the same as Tom's, The compass is obviously magnetic and the plotter is set to true. Your autopilot is set to magnetic. The COG on the plotter is 97T degrees, the compass is reading ~115M degrees. And your autopilot is displaying 29M degrees. Nothing matches up, unless you are 18 declination where you were when the pic was taken. The autopilot heading sensor needs to be re-calibrated also.

My point is and not trying to argue, but everything should be set to magnetic. There is less confusion that way. When you upgrade to Garmin you will have the same issues if things are not all set the same.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

Bigger is better than smaller as long as it fits on the molded flat spot on the keel. Our slip is in Crisfield, MD but we will haul for the winter in Lewes, DE because it is close to home and will be easier to tinker on the boat being close to home. I requested a quote from Martek to replace it all but haven’t heard anything from them. I’ll check with BOE.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

My point was the same as Tom's, The compass is obviously magnetic and the plotter is set to true. Your autopilot is set to magnetic. The COG on the plotter is 97T degrees, the compass is reading ~115M degrees. And your autopilot is displaying 29M degrees. Nothing matches up, unless you are 18 declination where you were when the pic was taken. The autopilot heading sensor needs to be re-calibrated also.

My point is and not trying to argue, but everything should beset to magnetic. There is less confusion that way. When you upgrade to Garmin you will have the same issues if things are not all set the same.

The AP was off by more than 90 degrees all day today. I‘ve seen the AP readout close to the mag compass and as for out as 180 degrees all in the same day. Seems like the heading sensor is toast. In heavy sea the AP will alarm and display No Data, then data will come back but show a completely different heading.

I think my time and money are better spend upgrading. At best I’d probably get another year out of what’s here.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

Is there a fluxgate compass somewhere in the boat or is it built into the course computer? can‘t explain why, but I’m compelled to figure this out even though the end game is to replace it.

 

[alnav]

Is there a fluxgate compass somewhere in the boat or is it built into the course computer? can‘t explain why, but I’m compelled to figure this out even though the end game is to replace it.

The course computer has no compass capability so almost certainly yes. It's usually low in the boat and away from any source of magnetism. It was in a centerline void in my aft cabin floor. A 44DB owner will hopefully chime in and let you know exactly where the original was installed. There should be a lead from the course computer input you might be able to trace.

 

[ttmott]

Is there a fluxgate compass somewhere in the boat or is it built into the course computer? can‘t explain why, but I’m compelled to figure this out even though the end game is to replace it.

No heading data points to a GPS receiver issue.
The fluxgate compass is typically mounted midship and low in the hull well away from metals.

 

[Richard Carlisle]

No heading data points to a GPS receiver issue.
The fluxgate compass is typically mounted midship and low in the hull well away from metals.

So heading is where it’s reading 000 T? If there were a GPS issue, wouldn’t I be missing COG and SOG? The boat icon on the plotter does point in the direction of travel and moves along the chart. GPS coordinates on the plotters match my iPad.