NavPilot 300 install

[Bright Idea]

New Here, First post and happy to have found this site. I am about to begin the install of a Nav Pilot 300 with the PG70 heading sensor on a 22' Center Console Surf Launch Dory. I do not have experience with this unit nor am I aware of any other boats in our fleet that have the Nav Pilot. some have the Raymarine EVO 150 and are satisfied with its performance. The primary reason I have chosen the Furuno is that I will be upgrading to aTZT3 9" in the near future and would rather a complete Furuno Package than mixed brands. I have the component layout somewhat complete. The PG700 is the one component that I am concerned about mounting location. I have a space in the console on the centerline of the boat that would work for installation. The elevation is about level with the gunwale. Is lower better ? Is this ok ? There is quite a bit of 12 volt wiring in the console and the current chartplotter and FCV 587 will be above it. Is electrical interference an issue ? Does the gesture control need a clear path to the control box or the heading sensor ? I look forward to your experiences. Thank You in advance for the input.

 

[FishTech]

First of all, thank you for choosing Furuno!
Printed page 1 or digital page 9 details all guidance for mounting and even how to perform the built in location test.
Closest to the center of gravity is best but I have seen them work just fine in various locations that the boat determines it will be installed at based on existing equipment.
Wiring is definitely a big factor. You want to stay away from anything that could be a source of electromagnetic interference. The self test is a great way to verify your desired mounting location.

 

[Bright Idea]

Install complete. Things went quite well with this install. I am connected thru NMEA 2000 to an Raymarine e7D chart plotter. The system also has a RS 130 GPS external antennae that supplies position data to the network devices. The Nav Pilot holds a heading but will not go to a waypoint. A window opens that says no nav data available. Looking at PGN sentences, it appears that PGN129284 is the sentence that should complete this request. In the NMEA 2000 menu PGN List this is listed but it is not in bold as to indicate that it is active. The manual for the plotter shows the PGN 129284 to be an active sentence. For some reason the pilot is not seeing it ? Am I missing something here, do I have an incompatibility issue due to being different manufacturers ?

 

[Johnny Electron]

To steer the pilot you need three sentences turned on from the plotter. Just having PGN129284 is not enough. Once you turn on all three sentences, ensure you have gone into the pilot and selected all your sources properly and selected the Nav Option on who is going to drive the pilot (this Ray plotter). It should work once you setup properly.

PGN129283
PGN129284
PGN129285

 

[Bright Idea]

Thanks
In the Raymarine E7d I do not believe I have the ability to turn sentences off and on. All 3 of the ones you have listed are on the list 283 and 284 transmit and receive and 285 transmit only. Now that I have given this some thought, it is likely that I actually have the External GPS 9 (RS 130) antennae listed as the primary NAV source in the AP controller. This would make sense that I have only position data going to the AP controller. This would explain why I have the functions that I do have, with heading info from the PG 700 and position Data from GPS antennae but no NAV Data form the plotter because the RS 130 is listed as the primary source and it does not provide the correct PGN sentences ?

 

[Johnny Electron]

You must have steering instructions passed to the pilot for it to know where you wish it to go. This would come from the plotter system used. You might want to give them a call on how you turn on your PGNs from the plotter.

 

[Bright Idea]

I went into the NavPilot setup and confirmed that the need PGNs are listed but only one of the 3 are active. I agree, I need to see if the Raymarine unit is capable of turning the PGNs on in order for them to show up as active in the pilot. I am not holding my breath, the Raymarine is 8 yrs old and the last available software update ( which I have installed ) was 2017. My intentions in selecting the NavPilot was that I would upgrade to a Furuno plotter in the future. Maybe the future is now. Thanks for the help.

 

[Magnetron]

I went into the NavPilot setup and confirmed that the need PGNs are listed but only one of the 3 are active. I agree, I need to see if the Raymarine unit is capable of turning the PGNs on in order for them to show up as active in the pilot. I am not holding my breath, the Raymarine is 8 yrs old and the last available software update ( which I have installed ) was 2017. My intentions in selecting the NavPilot was that I would upgrade to a Furuno plotter in the future. Maybe the future is now. Thanks for the help.

The E7D appears to have a NMEA0183 connection, so it's possible that if you added a 0183/2000 converter, the E7D maybe could output APB, RMB, XTE, or RMC sentences which could be converted over to PGNs 129283/84/85.

Otherwise, it probably would be easier and better to upgrade to the equivalent sized Furuno GP1871F plotter which could run that Navpilot 300 easily with little effort and comes with the better 600 W or 1 kW CHIRP/Conventional Fish Finder. :cool

Just a thought, :sail

- Maggy

 

[Bright Idea]

I have concluded that this is where this ends. Spending more money and time trying to get an 8yr old unit to function to be compatible with new equipment is probably not in my best interest. I do have a couple of questions regarding the GP 1871F. I have been considering the TZT3 9" hybrid but its physical size is a challenge and it is considerably more expensive. I am not thrilled about having touch only but possibly the newer screens are more user friendly than what I am used to in the older unit. Are the screens glass ? I currently run a 1 KW TM 258 transducer on a 585 fish finder. Will this work with the GP units, realizing I would not have the CHIRP feature due to the transducer ? I am currently NMEA 2k networked thru a Raymarine SeaTalk NG setup which I believe is essentially NMEA 2000 standard with the Raymarine proprietary connections of which a I have adapter cables to the 3 NAV Pilot components. If I were to purchase the 1871 I would only need 1 new adapter and I would be connected to the current system. My install is in a small center console and is very tight and I would rather not reconfigure the whole thing. Additionally, what charts are available C-MAP, Navionics ? One last question that maybe should have been the first question. Due to my space configuration, I will in all most certainly need to install an External GPS Antennae. I assume that this is possible with this unit thru the NMEA 2000 network ? Is the GP330B the correct unit ? I appreciate your help here.

 

[Magnetron]

Are the screens glass ?

Yes, they are tempered glass LCD touchscreens.

I currently run a 1 KW TM 258 transducer on a 585 fish finder. Will this work with the GP units, realizing I would not have the CHIRP feature due to the transducer ?

Absolutely, the 1000w TM258 (525T-TMD) may not be listed with that part no, but you would set it up as a generic 1kw 50/200kHz in the Transducer Setup.

If I were to purchase the 1871 I would only need 1 new adapter and I would be connected to the current system. My install is in a small center console and is very tight and I would rather not reconfigure the whole thing.

Yes, essentially.

Additionally, what charts are available C-MAP, Navionics ?

As of the version 4 upgrade, both C-MAP 4D Cards and Navionics+ & Platnum+ are supported. You select which chart package to use at the initial startup.

One last question that maybe should have been the first question. Due to my space configuration, I will in all most certainly need to install an External GPS Antennae. I assume that this is possible with this unit thru the NMEA 2000 network ? Is the GP330B the correct unit ? I appreciate your help here.

Your choice, the GP1871F has an internal GPS antenna and it works good even in my office. But for external antennas it also supports the GP330B (NMEA2000 or 0183 varieties), the SCX20/21, or the GP33/39 by NMEA2000 or by NMEA0183.

I think you'll have fun with the GP1871F over that E7D imho. :furuno

Hope this helps, :sail

- Maggy

 

[Bright Idea]

Thank You, again very helpful. I have figured out that I can make the GP 1971F fit the space that now has the E7D. I will go with that unit. Now only to find one in a reasonable time frame. Not sure about the charts, i guess I should start doing some research. The priority is fishing and seeing bottom contour and structure, so I will probably opt for whichever of the three is recommended for that. I launch and land off of a beach. Seeing the slips in the harbor is not all that important.

 

[Magnetron]

Happy hunting, :capt

The GP "1971s" are one of our best selling plotters and a bit scarcer than it's 1871F brother, so look in multiple places and don't be discouraged if the first place is sold out. Overall on charting, there are advantages to either C-MAP 4Ds' or Navionics' charts, you should be able to find some posts on this forum and as well as other forums with some examples of either charts sets. Which ever you go with, it's a great unit that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

Best of luck, :sail

- Maggy