[CA] [CA11] 2006 Electronics info

[Eyeman]

We have submitted an offer to purchase on a 2006 Four Winns 378 Vista. The electronics (Chartplotter-E80, Auto pilot-ST6001, radar and VHF-Ray215 DSC) are all original factory installed equipment. I'd appreciate any information regarding the performance and use of this equipment. Will it need to be upgraded? Disadvantages/advantages of these units? I've heard things about the Smartpilot needed a gyro option. Is that accurate?

Thank you.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Eyeman,

Documentation for these products may be found here. The latest software updates for the E-Series Classic MFD (E80) may be found here. These MFDs were designed to utilize Navionics Gold (now NAV+) and Platinum (not Platinum Plus) cartography which had been programmed onto Navionics CF memory cards. The availability of these Navionics chart cards is limited. Please click here to view a thread in which I had recently addressed this subject. Should you be able obtain a chart card and should the equipment be operational, then there shouldn't be a need to replace any of it unless seeking features not supported by the equipment or seeking accessories (ex. Sirius Satellite Weather / Radio Receiver, etc.) which are no longer available for these products. Should any to the equipment not be operational, please note that Raymarine's Product Repair Center can no longer service the products which you have listed. Should it be desired to replace the E80, then it would typically be recommended that an Axiom 9 or Axiom 9 Pro MFD be considered as a replacement for the E80 MFD. Their features may be found within each MFD's respective web page. As indicated within the FAQ found here and here, most of devices which would have been interfaced to an E-Series Classic MFD may be interfaced to or adapted for use with an Axiom or Axiom Pro MFDs.

Raymarine offered SmartPilots course computers with a gryo mounted to the circuit board (S1G/S2G/S3G) as well as autopilots without a gyro (S1/S2/S3) within the period that the vessels. Of these, the S1G/S2G/S3G offered the greatest performance and autolearn feature which learned the vessel's handling characteristics. With the exception of fluxgate compasses and rudder feedback transducers, most of the parts for the S1/S1G/S2/S2G/S3/S3G autopilots are no longer available.

[Eyeman]

Thanks so much. I'll research what we have and follow up on the links.
Take care,
Mark.

[Eyeman]

Can you assist with determining whether the Autopilot is the S1G/S2G/S3G or the non-gyro unit? The vessel is still 120 miles away.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Mark,

A S1/S1G/S2/S2G/S3/S3G autopilot course computer's model name may be determined from:
- the vinyl product medallion affixed to the course computer's case
- its product ID / serial number found on the tag affixed to the back side of the autopilot course computer
- from the MFD's diagnostics: MENU->SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS->EXTERNAL INTERFACES->SEATALK->SEATALK DEVICES

[Eyeman]

Chuck,
New info. The MFD is a C80 and the Autopilot is an ST6002. The MFD does not appear to have a Fish finding feature nor a Navionics CF card for the Green Bay area. The Autopilot has a messed up display that is not readable.

MFD: On the soft key line it did not have a fish finder screen. The broker is telling me that "the unit must not have a transducer." I struggle with this because it gives water temperature and depth on the top scroll location. The chip is for the Lake Erie area.

Auto pilot: The readout is definitely messed up with erroneous screens. The boat did change course when adding or taking away degrees.

Is it time to replace both units? and what can I expect to spend going to the Axiom system(s). The final price of the boat is still being negotiated so I would like some idea of cost. Including installation.
Thanks, Mark.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Mark,

Q1. The MFD is a C80.
A1. Please see the link within my initial response regarding where you may find product documentation for your C-Series Classic MFD.

Q2. the Autopilot is an ST6002
A2. Actually, the autopilot's control head is a ST6002. Please see my last response concerning how you may determine the model of autopilot course computer which is presently installed onboard. Please note that the ST6xxx/ST7XXX/ST8xxx autopilot control heads may be replaced with a p70S or p70RS autopilot control head if the autopilot features one of the aforementioned autopilot course computers.

Q3. The MFD does not appear to have a Fish finding feature
A3. I believe that the jury is still out on this issue. Pressing the PAGE button repeatedly will cause it to cycle between each page of the selected page set. Should you hold the MFD's PAGE button pressed, then the MFD will display a Select Page Set dialog, from which a page set may be selected which includes a Fishfinder page. More on this subject may be found within the MFD's User's Guide.

Q4. a Navionics CF card for the Green Bay area.
A4. You will need a compatible Navionics CF chart card which has been populated with cartography for the waters to be navigated. Like all marine MFDs, the C-Series MFDs were not designed to have cartography installed within their internal memory. These long retired MFDs were designed for use Navionics Gold and Navionics HotMaps cartography which had been programmed onto Navionics CF memory cards. These chart cards are no longer being produced by Navionics and a limited number of such chart cards have been distributed to its dealers. It is recommended that Radar Marine be contacted to purchase a Navionics+ CF chart card and that the be requested to populate the chart card with charts for the waters where the boat will be operated. Please be certain to tell them that the Navionics+ CF chart card will be used with a Raymarine C80 MFD. If the MFD is not operating with v5.12 software (check the navigational warning dialog displayed when the MFD is switched on ... the currently installed software version is specified therein), then it is recommended that a software update CF card also be purchased from Radar Marine and that they populate the CF card with the software update files for your C-Series MFD.

Q5. The Autopilot has a messed up display that is not readable.
A5. See the response to Q2. Should the autopilot hold course when the AUTO button is pressed when underway, then the autopilot may be operational.

Q6. The final price of the boat is still being negotiated so I would like some idea of cost. Including installation.
A6. The cost of an Axiom 9 RV MFD w/transducer and Navionics chart card is approximately $1400. The price of an EV150 Power Core Pack (assuming that currently installed drive unit is operational) is approximately $1400 ... actual model of Evolution core pack is dependent upon the model of drive unit which is presently installed onboard. Installation costs vary with each boat's design / layout and the products to be installed. However you can typically expect that installation costs to be approximately 20-30 percent of that of the cost of the electronics to be installed.

[Eyeman]

Chuck,

Thank you for addressing my questions/concerns. I will follow your lead on all.

Q.5 Auto pilot screen scrambled.
Q.5.A. What should the screen display?
Q.5.B. Will the auto pilot interface with a "route" on the MFD?
Q.5.C. Will the auto pilot automatically change direction at each way point of said route?

Thanks, Mark.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Mark,

Q.5.A. What should the screen display?
A5a. The autopilot control head's screen will display the vessel's current heading and rudder angle. However, the autopilot's control head is the user interface to the autopilot and will accordingly display other data and messages depending upon its mode of operation, when adjusting settings, etc. In short a autopilot control head with a failed LCD should be replaced as it may make it difficult or impossible to display some information which it is responsible for displaying. More information on this subject may be found within the autopilot control head's user's guide.

Q.5.B. Will the auto pilot interface with a "route" on the MFD?
A5b. Yes ... if the MFD has been interfaced to the autopilot.

Q.5.C. Will the auto pilot automatically change direction at each way point of said route?
A5c. Negative. Upon entering the arrival circle of a waypoint, the operator will be notified by the system of this event. The autopilot will then indicate the value of the course to be steered to the next waypoint. If conditions are safe to execute the turn, then pressing the control head's Track button will then cause the autopilot to initiate the turn.

[Eyeman]

Chuck,
Awesome information. Thank you again for your guidance.
Mark.