Need Raymarine installation help

Pamlicotraveler · #1 (**permalink**) 01-17-2012

I have bought a new HD Radar, an e7 Raymarine chartplotter, and AIS VHF (standard horizon gx2150) and an i70. I want to have all of that installed and I am relatively competent but need some help from someone with Raymarine knowledge greater than mine .. ie SeatalkNG (NMEA 2000) and HS for the radar etc...

The two quotes that I have gotten are for several days of $75-$95 an hour of labor. Maybe I am wrong, but I don't think it is so complicated. I could do it myself - I have done most of the work to date with the Raymarine equipment so far, but it might involve a substantial learning curve. Also, these boatyard's say they work "10 hour days," but don't want the customer around to help - I'm sure it's distracting to have the customer onsite, but I have my doubts about those 10 hour days! The estimates so far add up to around $5,000+ in labor. I know the cost for radar cable, Seatalk NG backbone etc.

I am in North Carolina. Can anyone offer some suggestions for a way to accomplish my installation and not spend a bunch of money doing it? PM me with specific names etc. If anyone with a good resume wants to spend a night or two in NC and help knock this out, let me know.

PBzeer · #2 (**permalink**) 01-17-2012

Are you mounting the radome on the mast? And/or putting on a new vhf antenna? Last I knew, sailcraft over in oriental had a cherrypicker dockside that should be able to do that part in a few hours.

I'd run a messenger line down the mast and pull the wiring up from the bottom, rather than feed it all down from the top. That way you don't have to make any cuts until you have it in place, without running all the inside wire down the mast. And if the radar is Raymarine and your other Raymarine instruments are SeatalkNG compatible, that shouldn't be much of a problem.

Pamlicotraveler · #3 (**permalink**) 01-17-2012

We have the messenger line....and a wind transducer at the top of the mast. Also a VHF antennae on top of the mast for the AIS.

Problem is Seatalk and Seatalk NG are different - needs a different backbone. I know there is a converter for allowing SeaTalk devices to communicate with the Raymarine SeaTalkNG data. But also the radar uses a different cable..

Anyway...just sorting through the process..

mm2187 · #4 (**permalink**) 01-17-2012

Raymarine usually has very good installation instructions that are part of the owners manual... these do not discuss what parts/the way things need to be put together. I have had installation issues before on sailing instruments and they have a great over the phone technical support. I would start there before you drop $2,000 in labor.

Pamlicotraveler · #5 (**permalink**) 01-17-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by mm2187

I would start there before you drop $2,000 in labor.

$2.000 ??... Ha, I wish. More like 4 or $5,000 in labor alone. And you are right, there is a great manual for the Seatalkng.

You know, you want it done right and I always think it's a good thing to pay for knowledge and experience, but I think it is an inefficient market when you have to pay someone $950 a day when the majority of that labor is unskilled. 10% is skilled - being "certified" etc.

mm2187 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-17-2012

At that price tag I would rather spend a few weekends working on it myself. You learn a heck of alot more about your boat and how it works if you do your research and properly install systems yourself.

See the link below to convert from seatalk to seatalk ng

Raymarine Marine Electronics - SeaTalk 1 to SeaTalk ng Converter Kit

IKena · #7 (**permalink**) 01-17-2012

Robert,

for the radar, consider at least 4 hours, and it may require an extra person to install the radome on the mast. the yard will quote you 8 hours for that.

the e7: a good 8 hours depending on any cabinet work involved, and running the cables. configuring and so.

vhf ais: probably 8hours as well, with cabinet work, gps antenna mounting and cable routing.
+exra 2 hours to clean up, and test everything. so we are talking 26 hours.

since you want a quote, add 30% unless they are already familiar with your boat.

conclusion: 34hours of labor.

I read on this forum a few hours... let me laugh, certainly not for a professional job.

In the end, do you have more money or time ? what about skills ? I don't think the yards are trying to rob you.

Is it complicated ? Can you do it yourself? Yes, maybe depending on your skills, but you WONT do it in a few hours... it will take you more than 34hours, unless you have a shop ready by, and supplies ready by.

my recommendation is to pay the yard by the hour, unless you believe they are crooks. it's fair for them, and for you.

good luck
ikena

nwmobiletech · #8 (**permalink**) 01-31-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pamlicotraveler

I have bought a new HD Radar, an e7 Raymarine chartplotter, and AIS VHF (standard horizon gx2150) and an i70. I want to have all of that installed and I am relatively competent but need some help from someone with Raymarine knowledge greater than mine .. ie SeatalkNG (NMEA 2000) and HS for the radar etc...

The two quotes that I have gotten are for several days of $75-$95 an hour of labor. Maybe I am wrong, but I don't think it is so complicated. I could do it myself - I have done most of the work to date with the Raymarine equipment so far, but it might involve a substantial learning curve. Also, these boatyard's say they work "10 hour days," but don't want the customer around to help - I'm sure it's distracting to have the customer onsite, but I have my doubts about those 10 hour days! The estimates so far add up to around $5,000+ in labor. I know the cost for radar cable, Seatalk NG backbone etc.

I am in North Carolina. Can anyone offer some suggestions for a way to accomplish my installation and not spend a bunch of money doing it? PM me with specific names etc. If anyone with a good resume wants to spend a night or two in NC and help knock this out, let me know.

wow. correct me if I am wrong, but at 75/hr roughly 5000 doll hairs is over a weeks worth of work for this install. though if it does take two employes, well double the hrs, but if the stick is on the ground normally you dont need a second person. Its does depend on what is involved regarding fab work.. problems encountered.. set up, break down, matierial costs, but really what you are describing it sounds, is a basic install. no major interfacing, multiplexers.. autopilots.. sure there will be a little set up, but nothing like a seatrial for a new AP install or deciphering what already installed components talk with what. .. I dont know what other gear you have on the boat and how orderly of a rats nest it is behing there in regards to wiring it.

Hell, If I wasnt all the way up here, Id moonlight the job, ask say $5-800. and be done in a weekend that is if its a straight forward install. but its a boat, and you well know.. things dont go as planned lol

yep. most production yards work monday-thursday 6-430. some service depts work fridays till 330 or noon (if they work 7-4 m-th). as far as the do it yourself yard.. insurance is one of the reasons

all in all pluck away at it on your own. mount componets, and run the wires like the easy stuff and then if you are unsure, have a yard do the final hook up, interfacing and setup. but really, its the mounting and cable running details that are the hour eaters. what ever you do. do it right. make it neat and write a plan of how you have hooked it together so if another yard comes onboard for future stuff, they will already know what components get their data what where and how.. .. good luck

gingram · #9 (**permalink**) 02-01-2012

You have picked some great equipment. The labor estimate you got is very very high. I have a small installation business up in Mass. and NH. I would estimate that the equipoment you list would only be about 15-20 hrs at $75 pes hour.
Raymarine has some good information in there manuals about the Seatalk and Seatalk ng (nmea 2000) You will need to put a nmea 2000 backbone together so you connect the e7 and the i70. The VHF will need to connect to the nmea 183 port. It looks like you only have one ethernet device (Seaktalk HS) so you can use a crossover connector and plug into the back of the e7. The e7 has 2 nmea 183. Port 1 has input and output and port 2 is input only. All port can be configured at different speeds4800, 9600, and 38400. The AIS will need the higher speed. Look at the Standard Horizon 2150 manual and should have no trouble.

Hope this helps
George

ereiss · #10 (**permalink**) 02-01-2012

While it's not Raymarine, I did, without any prior experience, install a Simrad NSS8 with Broadband radar, on a rear post myself. Loved the learning experience, probably took 20 or so hours with the toughest thing being drilling 1 inch holes in the stainless pedestal guard. Only had to make 3 calls to their help line when I couldn't get the overlays to work but got there in the end.

All depends, as said above, on your ration of time available versus money available.

Good luck