[CA] [CA11] Upgrades to my 2006 Four Winns

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

morowsky,

It is indeed possible to interface a S1G autopilot course computer and ST600x autopilot control head to an Axiom / Axiom Pro system via a SeaTalk to SeaTalkng Converter which would be included within the aforementioned backbone. Doing so will support supplying the new system with 1Hz heading data. Alternatively, the Axiom Pro MFD may be interfaced via NMEA 0183 communications to the S1G. However, care should be taken with respect to trying to get 5Hz heading data back to the system via NMEA 0183 S1G autopilot course computers would transmit NMEA 0183 navigational sentences (i.e. BWC) in addition to HDM, HDG, and RSA sentences. If these NMEA 0183 sentences are not filtered out of the transmission back to the MFD, then a data loop will result. A programmable NMEA 0183 multiplexer (ex. Actisense NDC-4-USB) would be utilized to support such filtering.

All of this said, the Evolution autopilot is vastly superior to that of all autopilots which preceded it, particularly with respect to the heading output from the system and it's ability to sense and respond to motion other than yaw. As a previous owner of SmartPilots (S1G & S2G), replacing my SmartPilot with an Evolution autopilot not only brought improved autopilot performance to my boat, but also significantly improved performance of heading dependent features (ex. radar overlay, chart / vessel icon orientation, ground wind calculations, etc.). Should one's budget permit upgrading to an Evolution autopilot, the I would highly recommend that one consider doing so.