[TG] Autohelm instruments, SeaTalkng and NMEA 2000

[asailof2hearts]

I’m further expanding/developing the instrument network from a previous owner.

I have old Autohelm instruments at the helm. Attached are a couple of photos of some of the instruments.
ST50+ Tridata at the helm acting as a repeater from a ST60 Tridata at the nav station.
I think the wind is an ST50.
We also have an ST6000 Autopilot.

The P.O. installed a Raymarine E85001 interface and a STng converter.

The STng converter has the GPS antenna connected to it, and the STng has a drop cable going to a bus that has wires also coming from the E85001.

From what I can tell trying to follow wires, the E85001 interface is taking existing Seatalk instrument data and converting to 0183 data and this is providing GPS data to the VHF via wires from the bus to the VHF.

I added an STng to NMEA2000 adapter cable (blue) connected to a T to create a drop connection to my Vesper 8000 AIS transponder, so I have 0183 data available to be broadcast over the Vesper’s WiFi.

Running to the helm are 2 data cables:
round 3 pin and round 5 pin (connection to wind transducer?).
When I remove the 5 pin connector from the ST50+ wind, the wind data disappears from the data stream, but I still get depth and boat speed.
I can connect the round 3 pin cable to the AP and it works.

#1
Here’s my dilemma. I want to remove the existing ST50 wind and ST50+ Tridata from the helm. My plan is to run a NMEA2000 backbone to the helm, and upgrade to a modern display for wind/depth/speed, and leave the ST6000 for now.

Is the existing ST50+ acting as a bridge to get wind data onto the 0183/Seatalk network?
How can I get the wind data onto the network without the ST50+?

#2
Can the Seatalkng converter function as a spur/drop from a T on a Maretron N2K backbone using a A06045 SeaTalkng Spur to DeviceNet (F) cable?
The STng converter is currently powered. If I connect it this way, do I need to remove the power from the converter and use a power T to the backbone? or can the converter supply the power to the backbone?

Doug