Adding autopilot to Raymarine C80

Rayvon

Rayvon

Well-Known Member
This is for all the electronic guru's on here.My new Grady has a C80 w/radar, F225 Yamaha w/seastar hydraulic steering all 2009 vintage and I'd like to add an autopilot.What components are required to make this happen? I've never run an autopilot before,so clueless about how it works.Thanks,Ray
 
I had all that raymarine C80 stuff in my Pursuit when I bought it, along with the corresponding ST6001 autopilot if I remember correctly. I believe any system compatible with the c80 is long discontinued and you’d be better off ditching the raymarine stuff altogether (keep the radar) and getting some updated lowrance/garmin stuff. If you have the DSM 300 (digital sounding module) it’s only a matter of time until that thing craps out, they are notoriously unreliable. Just my two cents but in todays world of electronics, a 2009 setup is pretty much ancient.
 
That DSM 300 was the bane of my existence. Plug would not positively lock in, so I lost bottom every time it got rough, lots of colorful language ensued.
 
Raymarine ev150 hydraulic pack will have everything you need. The plotter can be connected via nmea for navigation data, but I don't think you can control the pilot on the c80 plotter.

I had this system on my old boat with an f250 and an off brand plotter connected via nmea, worked great.
 
ryanb said:
Raymarine ev150 hydraulic pack will have everything you need. The plotter can be connected via nmea for navigation data, but I don't think you can control the pilot on the c80 plotter.

I had this system on my old boat with an f250 and an off brand plotter connected via nmea, worked great.
Click to expand...
Thanks,I'll check that out.I was hoping I didn't need to rip out and start fresh at today's cost.The boat only has 270 hours on it,so the electronics haven't seen much use.
 
So this EV150 pack is about $3K+,would I be adding this to an obsolete system? Can I mix and match brands and save the radar to run on a newer MFD? This is one area with boats that I'm pretty much in the dark about.What is the DSM 300 that fails?
 
Did a bunch of reading on the DSM problem etc. so won't be adding autopilot to this system,I'll use it as is for now.
 
Ev150 can be added to the system, and if your old plotter (sonar module) craps out you can upgrade to an axiom plotter, they have the sonar modules built in now. I'm not sure if the old dome would work with raymarine's latest mfds but raymarine will know if you contact them.
 
Can’t speak to the raymarine setup, but this past spring I put on a Garmin GHC20 with Garmin Core reactor 40 smartpump autopilot. Been really happy with it so far! It is an auto pilot system that’s tied into the hydraulic steering of the mains so it can be used on step or tie bar to a kicker and for trolling. It has been a complete game changer for me. I got the remote control too so if I’m on the deck I can control which way the boat goes too. I had river city do
The install and they did a beauty of a job!
 
With an old C80 I wouldn't bother trying to tie the autopilot into the system. Let it be a standalone autopilot. If you have a radar you can use the heading sensor in the autopilot to provide accurate heading into the C80 so the radar overlay and the GPS chart don't bounce around too much from GPS heading info (autopilot heading sensor more accurate and more frequent updates to MFD).

If you are going to stay with Raymarine get the EV150. If you are going to go to Garmin get the Garmin pilot.

One thing I recommend is if your SeaStar steering ram and pilot are compatible PLEASE buy the smart stick rudder reference indicator. It is a real time rudder angle indicator for the pilot. The system will work without it but it is soooo much better with. Especially at trolling speeds. At low speeds the smart stick rudder indicator takes away the persistent annoying micro adjustments left right left right that the pilot has to make every second to function as a rudderless indicator system.

 
I'm still thinking about adding the autopilot,lots of good reviews on the Raymarine systems.I was too late calling their tech support,anyone know if the ev100 or ev150 would be best on a Grady 208? Your supposed to match the pump with the seastar unit and I'm not sure which matches best.I have the seastar 5358 steering actuator.
 
It was the ride on your boat that convinced me about how handy the autopilot can be. You were watching your son,talking with me,rigging gear etc.all while fishing along on the tack you wanted.Just made the trip more enjoyable.
 
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