Chart plotter autopilot recommdation

[Bmcartjr]

I am the new owner of a Cape Dory 30. I just sailed it from Norfolk to Beaufort NC arriving on Dec 10, 2018. I would like to put a new chart plotter on it with AIS receiving capability and a new autopilot system. Any recommendations?

[Jim Walsh]

Welcome.
It would help if we knew something about you and your boat. Tiller or wheel steering. Are you primarily a day sailor, coastal cruiser with occasional overnight trips, extended duration coastal cruiser, blue water aspirations, long term blue water cruiser? Any recommendations would best be provided keeping these criteria in mind.

[Bmcartjr]

My boat is wheel steered. I am an extended east coast cruiser planning to recruise the Bahamas and Caribbean at a later date. Am leaning towards Raymarine Axiom 9 chartplotter, Ray 73 VHF with AIS reception, and Raymarine 100 autohelm autopilot. Mainly due to cost savings since this equipment will connect to my existing transducers. Lighthouse maps are included but I am familiar with Navionics. Are they apples to apples? Thanks again.

[K Chiswell]

I believe wheel mounted autopilots have come a long way but I think the consensus is below deck units are more robust. I helped a friend put a Raymarine linear drive autopilot on his CD30. The installation is a little unique do to lack of space. If you are interested Send me a PM and I can email you a better description and some pictures.

[Jim Walsh]

My boat is wheel steered. I am an extended east coast cruiser planning to recruise the Bahamas and Caribbean at a later date. Am leaning towards Raymarine Axiom 9 chartplotter, Ray 73 VHF with AIS reception, and Raymarine 100 autohelm autopilot. Mainly due to cost savings since this equipment will connect to my existing transducers. Lighthouse maps are included but I am familiar with Navionics. Are they apples to apples? Thanks again.

I replaced all my electronics this fall, except for my Horizon Standard GX2200 VHF. It has a built in AIS receiver and the ability to contact an AIS target directly with DSC. It’s a few years old but the same model is sold today.
I replaced my Raymarine C80 chartplotter with a Garmin 7610.
I replaced my Raymaine radar with a Garmin GMR Fantom Doppler unit.
I replaced my Raymarine ST60 Wind instrument with a Garmin gWind unit coupled with a GMI 20 display
I replaced my Raymarine ST60 Tridata with a new Raymarine i50 Tridata system
I replaced my through hull depth transducer with an identical Airmar unit
I added a Garmin AIS 800 Transceiver
I replaced my Raymarine SP X5 wheel autopilot with a Raymarine EV-100 wheel autopilot
I replaced my masthead VHF antenna and cable
Since I was going this far I also replaced all the cables and wires in my mast and added an LED masthead anchor light and a LED steaming light/deck light combo. My mast never came equipped with a wire conduit so I (full disclosure a buddy helped me with the design and install) installed a 1” PVC wire conduit from the masthead to the foot of the mast.
Every wire from my breaker panel to the instrument is a brand new replacement, nothing new touches anything old, so to speak.
Every one of my old instruments were working perfectly when removed, but 10 years of trouble free service from any electronic instrument is pushing the expected service life. I know I could have easily gone with a hodgepodge of old and new but chose not to.

[Bmcartjr]

Thanks for the leads Jim. I have already ordered an EV 100 autopilot and a Raymarine Ray 91 VHF with AIS. Am bidding on a Raymarine 12” Axiom chart plotter. I noticed you retained stand alone sailing instruments in addition to the new chart plotter that has its own sailing instrument display. I like redundancy, but I really don’t have the room. Please comment. I also plan to renew all wiring, mast lights, and antenna. How do you like the autopilot? Hope it’s positive since mine is already on the truck.

[Paul D.]

You should be able to "backup" any newish chart plotter with an iPad and navigation app like iNavX or Navionics. On newer wifi models like the Axiom, you should be able to download the specific app for a tablet to act as your repeat display and possibly even control. There is something to be said for a completely redundant system though so I use a Garmin GPS and separate iNavX. I've heard from tech installers that there is some value with going all one brand if you are re doing a whole electronics suite. However I would defer to Jim's judgement on what specific units may be the best.

[Jim Walsh]

Thanks for the leads Jim. I have already ordered an EV 100 autopilot and a Raymarine Ray 91 VHF with AIS. Am bidding on a Raymarine 12” Axiom chart plotter. I noticed you retained stand alone sailing instruments in addition to the new chart plotter that has its own sailing instrument display. I like redundancy, but I really don’t have the room. Please comment. I also plan to renew all wiring, mast lights, and antenna. How do you like the autopilot? Hope it’s positive since mine is already on the truck.

I’m a big fan of robust when it comes to the boat and her rig, and redundancy when it comes to electronics.
Since everything I have has just been installed I won’t gain any familiarity with it until spring. By the time I return from Bermuda I should be able to critique it properly and provide insight.
The main reason for a chartplotter and stand alone instruments is convenience. You have to stand at the helm to view a pedestal mounted plotter, whereas the cabin bulkhead mounted instruments are easily visible while seated.
The new autopilot is said to be much more sensitive than my old unit. That remains to be seen. I do know that the wheel drive and motor are functionally identical so I’m saving my old components as spares.

[Jim Walsh]

You should be able to "backup" any newish chart plotter with an iPad and navigation app like iNavX or Navionics. On newer wifi models like the Axiom, you should be able to download the specific app for a tablet to act as your repeat display and possibly even control. There is something to be said for a completely redundant system though so I use a Garmin GPS and separate iNavX. I've heard from tech installers that there is some value with going all one brand if you are re doing a whole electronics suite. However I would defer to Jim's judgement on what specific units may be the best.

I have layers of navigation backups. My primary navigational instrument is my chartplotter. I have an iPad which I keep in a Lifeproof case with a Navionics app. I also have a Bad Elf GPS puck which provides lat. and long., plus I can Bluetooth it to my iPad. My VHF also has a built in GPS. I have a sextant which I fiddle around with when I’m bored. I plot my position several times a day to keep an accurate running fix on paper charts.

When I took the class to learn how to navigate with a sextant the instructor asked the class what the best backup was for a GPS? We all responded “a sextant”. He said no, another GPS.
He spent most of his life navigating many ocean races with a sextant when that was all that was available but stressed that the reliability of electronics today makes GPS the premier navigational tool.

[Steve Laume]

I read a William F. Buckley book about crossing the Atlantic in the early days of GPS. He took several GPS units on that trip but no sextant. When asked about his choice, his replay was to ask the interviewer if he kept a horse and buggy in his garage, in case his car broke down.

I can't comment on many of the newer electronics because I am a generation, or two, behind with most of my stuff.

I do have a Standard Horizon, Matrix, radio with an AIS receiver and it is a great comfort to a solo sailor to have an alarm when ships are near. Not only are you alerted that they are there but you can easily check to see what their heading, speed and closest point of contact will be. Often times I haven't even been able to visually spot them even when I know the bearing I should search.

I replaced my old wheel pilot with an EV100, several seasons ago. The old pilot was a mess. It tended to wander all over the place. I would often take over hand steering when closing on another vessel, just to put them at ease, that some drunk was not at the helm. It would sometimes take a flyer at the most inopportune times, like when going forward to reef or flake the main. The new unit is amazing. It will learn your boat and improve it's performance over time.

I don't believe you need a below deck steering control. Or at least not in my situation. I have a Monitor wind vane that does at least 90% of my steering. It handles all the heavy weather work with ease. I mostly use the electric auto pilot when motoring or in confined areas. A CD-30 is just not that hard to steer and the wheel pilot can easily handle it. If I were sailing a 60' racing sled with no wind vane, then I would want a below decks control. When motoring along for hours at a time in light or non existent winds, the wheel pilot is perfectly adequate and trouble free, Steve.