Ep.11 How I Upgraded the Raymarine Navionics

by herbc December 2, 2022

December 2, 2022

In this episode I’ll show you how I upgraded the Raymarine Navionics on this old boat. Everyone want’s to have the latest, coolest navionics and electronic doodads on their boat… or at least I do! Unfortunately, adding anything means first understanding what you have. And if you own a used boat, you likely know exactly what it feels like to inherit someone else’s installation (or several someone else’s, in this case)… arrgg!

I’m unraveling the current mixed bag of electronics on Garuda this week with an eye on upgrading into something new. The old system was a bit of mystery – a hybrid of technology from the past fifteen years or so – but some of it could certainly be used… right? What I find is a splice-fest of SeaTalk1® and NEMA 1083 that I need to get into the latest SeaTalkNG® networking.

The first goal is to incorporate a Raymarine Axiom 9 RV Multifunction Display (MFD) with Sonar, AIS and digital Radar. From there, I plan to add a second MFD at the Nav Station and incorporate a (very old) Raymarine Autopilot.

We also manage to escape Garuda for a bit of an adventure – paddle boarding and kayaking Dove Creek in Key Largo. Dove Creek is a popular destination for those visiting Key Largo due to the abundance of sea life, shallow depths, and light currents of this mangrove tidal area. Nurse sharks, parrot fish, snapper, horseshoe crab and sea turtles are just of sampling of sights along the way.

We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your YouTube feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

Finally: Here is the equipment list I promised: (we’re not sponsored by or affiliated with any brands or retailers so you don’t have to worry about clicking on any links)