Yup.

I run Garmin plotters, VHF and Fusion radio while retaining the trusty ole Raymarine radar and autopilot...

I'd eventually like to upgrade the radar but for as much as I use it I can't yet justify the $$$'s.

 

So it's all plug and play? Or do I need to purchase adapters and such to wire them up? For example, if I switch out the GPS/Chartplotter for Garmin, and keep the Raymarine radar dome.

 

No, at least not on mine. My radar is analog, it's just one step above running on punch cards. I retained the old monochrome display for the radar and that's all she does. I use the Garmin gear for everything else. It's not a bad gig.

 

Punch cards, thanks for the laugh.

 

My new to me boat has Raymarine electronics, the GPS/Chartplotter and Radar dome are newer. Everything else is original.

Can I switch to a Garmin, for example, GPS Chartplotter and continue to use the Raymarine radar dome?

So it's all plug and play? Or do I need to purchase adapters and such to wire them up? For example, if I switch out the GPS/Chartplotter for Garmin, and keep the Raymarine radar dome.

Depends. Radars and fishfinder transducers tend to be display-specific. Lots of other stuff integrates reasonably well. So as in the @Stee6043 example, the old radar probably needs to continue using the old radar display. Or maybe it could work with a newer version of a display from the original radar company (but often not). As maybe would a fishfinder. And then sometimes adapters are necessary even when you'd have expected Plug & Play.

An old autopilot might be in between. May or may not be able to use guidance (waypoints, routes) from a modern MFD, and even if it can it might not be worth the effort. Especially if your usual approach is to just press the "go straight' button on the AP.

FWIW, unless you've got almost nothing that works... it can help to run a boat for a year or so while you ponder what you really need/want/would like to have.

-Chris

 

Thanks @ranger58sb, I agree. Best advise I ever got on my 2nd house purchase, when trying to buy furniture to fill up all the rooms was "live in it for a while, the house will speak to you eventually". And so it did.

I need to pump the brakes before I buy all the cool new things I want to do to the boat

The display screen is too small for my old eyes, but I it works.

 

A garmin MFD can not control a raymarine autopilot, nor can it see raymarine radar output.

For Radar, MFD and autopilot, you want to carry the same brand. For vhf, ais, stereo, GPS receiver, etc you can swap brands without giving up much functionality.

 

A garmin MFD can not control a raymarine autopilot, nor can it see raymarine radar output.

For Radar, MFD and autopilot, you want to carry the same brand. For vhf, ais, stereo, GPS receiver, etc you can swap brands without giving up much functionality.

I was told by Raymarine that a Gamin chartplotter CAN control a Raymarine autopilot, but you can only have one MFD controlling the autopilot at a time. I have not tried it myself yet, but am planning to.

I agree that the Garmin MFD cannot display radar from the Raymarine radar antenna.

I have Raymarine radar, E120 MFD, sonar/fishfinder, and autopilot. I have a Garmin 742xs MFD, and a Standard Horizon VHF iwth AIS receiving. I can show depth on both the Raymarine MFD and the Garmin MFD, but fishfinder only through the Raymarine. I can receive AIS data through the Standard Horizon VHF and use it to show vessel position info on the Garmin. Right now I'm controlling the autopilot through the Ray E120, but (as mentioned above) I've been told I can switch which device is controlling the auto pilot, and plan to try that out once the boat launches. I control my Fusion stereo through my Garmin. I bring in SIRIUS weather and show it on the E120, and I've read, but haven't tried, using that same antenna to send the SIRIUS radio signal to my Fusion, because a stand-alone antenna was cheap and easy. I use a combination of NMEA0183 and 2000, in addition to the Raymarine networking.

 

From what I understand a MFD can send one waypoint to an autopilot at a time. It can’t really take control of the autopilot though. If you have a raymarine autopilot and MFD you don’t need the standalone computer/display to control the autopilot.

 

What does that mean?

RM autopilots can receive routes that contain multiple waypoint's. You just need to hit track at each change of the route. The newer Garmin AP's can be configured to just steer the entire route without intervention.

 

That’s interesting about the nmea0183, but also sucks considering the axiom line doesn’t have nmea0183 unless you opt for the pro model. Which I unfortunately did not do.

But you’re just sending waypoint data right? You’re not actually controlling the AP. You still need the computer screen on the AP to say go and do other settings.

 

A little confussed on your take on this, but the way RM auto pilots work when being controlled by MFD's either RM or Garmin, is you need to hit the track button on each change of course. The track button accepts the new course and steers the boat to that course. Any instruction by the MFD, goto, route to or waypoint, you just hit track to confirm the instruction, but that's it.

 

That’s what I understood. That’s not really “controlling” the AP the way that a MFD from the same manufacturer handles it. If they are from the same manufacturer the MFD has real control of the AP (change settings, setup a holding pattern, etc) instead of just sending it the next waypoint.

 

Only the new Garmin/RM Evolution work that way. RM does not have that ability with the older AP's, no matter who is interfacing with it.

 

I have a simrad AP44/NAC. They only have NMEA2K connections, and I can't get my Axiom to talk to it. My Go7 communicates directly to the NAC, so I could theoretically remove the AP44 from my helm.

The Axiom+ only has an NMEA2000 connection. It comes with a short adapter to convert that to SeaTalkNG. I think I have a spare adapter, so I might try cutting that open to see if the yellow lead is hiding in there.

 

Scooper, the simrad and axioms both communicate over n2k, just not really to each other.

I am interested in that hidden seatalk1 connection for another reason.

 

Man this seems like a lot of tech and effort to get a 20 year old autopilot to make a couple turns for you

All you've gotta do is turn the dial man....don't even have to set your beer down (if you're into that kind of thing)...

 

That is exactly the conclusion I came to! I put an axiom on my boat with my older RM electronics. I added a NMEA2000 network, as well. I have a Seatalk to SeatalkNG converter which connects my auto pilot and older instruments to my Axiom. But I dont believe I can set a course on the axiom and have the AP follow it. I also have no interest in doing that. I just turn the steering wheel in the direction I want to go and hit the auto button on the AP and it holds the course. When I get to the next waypoint, I use the buttons on the auto pilot to change course, or I turn the AP off and use the steering wheel to change course, and then turn the AP back on auto. And I can do all of this with a beer in my hand.

Still, all the Tech Talk is fun.