[CA] [CA11] Upgrading my boat's navigation and entertainment systems

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum DieselTrawler,

From the standpoint of MFDs, should you be interested in a MFD having the same screen size at both steering stations, then it would be recommended that an Axiom 7 MFD be purchased in addition to the Axiom 7 RV MFD. As only one of these MFDs need feature internal fishfinder circuitry and only one need be purchased with a chart card. If seeking RealVision, SideVision, or DownVision fishfinder sonar imaging, then it would be necessary to interface the MFD to a RealVision transducer pair. To be able to specify which pair will need to be purchased, it would be necessary to have you specify the hull's deadrise. If only seeking traditional conical fishfinder sonar imaging, then it would be recommended that an Axiom 7 DV MFD be purchased instead of the Axiom 7 RV MFD. The Axiom 7 DV MFD may be interfaced to a CPT-S low power, high frequency CHIP transducer or may be adapted for use with a 50kHz/200kHz transducer.

The Axiom MFDs are designed to be interfaced to one another via and Ethernet network, permitting them to share all system data and resources. Each MFD would be interfaced to an A80007 HS5 RayNet Network Switch via an appropriate length of RayNet (F) to RayNet (F) Cable. It would be recommended that a CAM210 IP Camera(s) be purchase and interfaced to the HS5 RayNet Network Switch to satisfy the rear camera requirement.

Raymarine does not sell entertainment equipment. However, its MFDs are designed to control Fusion, JL Audio, and Rockford Fosgate Stereo systems (models may be found within the Chapter 16.1: Audio app overview of the LightHouse 3.9 Advanced Operation Instructions). You may want to consider choosing an entertainment system which features a DVD player and then encode its video output (recommend and AXIS M7011 video encoder) from such an entertainment system to permit it to be viewed on the MFDs. The video encoder would also be interfaced to the HS5 RayNet Network Switch.

Should the flybridge MFD have an unobstructed view of the skies overhead, then its internal GPS receiver may receive sufficient GPS signal to eliminate and external GPS sensor from the system. If not, the a Raystar 150 GPS Sensor may be added as a spur to the system's powered and properly terminated SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone to which the Data Master MFD will also be interfaced as a spur.

Unless seeking to locate birds for fishing purposes, you may want to consider a Quantum 2 Radome for the system. It supports Wi-Fi communications and may eliminate the need to chase a new radar cable should radar capability be desired onboard.