[CA] [CA11] upgrading C120 to Element S

[George DuBose]

I currently have a 2009 C120 that is running slowly. I have a collection of Navionics CF cards for North America and Europe. I have reinstalled the system software several times, I have deleted certain files from the updated cards when updating per instructions from Navionics when the new Navionics updates were causing the C120 to freeze for up to a minute. Deleting the specified files helped a bit, but the C120 is running slowly and sometimes half the screen is blank.

I am considering a 12" Element or Axiom, but the Axiom seems to have a lot of bells and whistles that I don't need. I just need a MFD that shows position, routes, tracks and allows me to overlay radar and AIS data.

I had to buy a Raymarine SeaTalk 1 to SeaTalk ng Converter when I needed to replace the GPS antenna in 2019.

Can I install an Element series MFD in place of the C120?

All my electronic instruments are ST60, 2008 radar (RD424 radome) and a Raymarine AIS transponder. B45 sonar transducer.

I am very happy with my Raymarine suite and all of it is in satisfactory working condition just the C120 seems tired.

I visited the Raymarine stand at the Düsseldorf Boot show and was told that my ST60+ instruments would work since I had the Raymarine SeaTalk 1 to SeaTalk ng Converter, but not the RD424 radar.

- a list of the features/capabilities that you are seeking to add
*I don't need any new features and I don't really like touch screens

- type of usage (serious fishing, cruising, offshore sailing, bay sailing, racing, etc.)
*cruising the North Atlantic and Europe

- type vessel (displacement powerboat, planing powerboat, sailboat, etc.)
*1973 Pearson 36-1 sloop

- any physical constraints (ex. size of the display, desire for in-hull transducer, etc.)
*just want to replace the C120 in the same place on the chart table

- type of steering (cable, hydraulic, chain & sprocket, cable assisted hydraulic, fly by wire, tiller, etc.) ... a consideration for autopilots
*Edson chain and cable
- vessel length ... a consideration for depth transducers and autopilots
*36 feet
- vessel displacement ... a consideration for autopilots
*15000 lbs

- type of propulsion ... a consideration for depth transducers and autopilots
*diesel Yanmar 3GM30F

- hull material ... a consideration for in-hull depth transducers and autopilots
*fiberglass

Thank you for your time.

George DuBose

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum George,

Q. I just need a MFD that shows position, routes, tracks and allows me to overlay radar and AIS data. Can I install an Element display in place of the C120?
A. As indicated by the boat show staff, the currently installed radome will need to be replace with one of Raymarine's currently manufactured radomes. As LightHouse Sport does not support Doppler radar features, a Quantum radome would typically be recommended for sailing applications. Should the AIS receiver / transceiver only feature a NMEA 0183 communications interface, then it will need to be adapted with a NMEA 0183 to NMEA 2000 data bridging device (ex. Actisense NGW-1-ISO-AIS, etc) which will be interfaced as a spur to a powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone to which the Element display will also be interfaced as a spur. The currently installed GPS sensor (suspect it to be a Raystar 150 GPS Sensor) will also need to be interfaced as a spur to the aforementioned backbone. The SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter which you have mentioned will be installed as a backbone component within the aforementioned backbone and will be used to support interfacing ST60 instruments to the system.