[seawolf82]

I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question, but I've had trouble finding an accurate answer online. Our new to us boat (1988 28' Freedom) still has the original electronics. While the original Datamarine Link 5000 depth, knotmeter and wind speed and direction instruments work fine, we really want a chartplotter. I found the B&G Zeus series online and it looks interesting, especially this part of the product description:

"Zeus² plotters integrate seamlessly with your existing network, communicating with performance modules including Broadband Radar, autopilot, AIS, digital switching, weather modules and more."

Does this mean that I would be able to purchase the chartplotter and have it integrate with my existing Datamarine Link 5000 system or would I need to purchase new equipment (wind instruments, transducer, etc)? We are in Massachusetts and primarily use the boat for day sailing along with occasional overnight trips.

Thanks in advance for any insight,
Paul

 

[knuterikt]

I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question, but I've had trouble finding an accurate answer online. Our new to us boat (1988 28' Freedom) still has the original electronics. While the original Datamarine Link 5000 depth, knotmeter and wind speed and direction instruments work fine, we really want a chartplotter. I found the B&G Zeus series online and it looks interesting, especially this part of the product description:

"Zeus² plotters integrate seamlessly with your existing network, communicating with performance modules including Broadband Radar, autopilot, AIS, digital switching, weather modules and more."

Does this mean that I would be able to purchase the chartplotter and have it integrate with my existing Datamarine Link 5000 system or would I need to purchase new equipment (wind instruments, transducer, etc)? We are in Massachusetts and primarily use the boat for day sailing along with occasional overnight trips.

Thanks in advance for any insight,
Paul

I don't know the Datamarine Link 5000 system, but I think the use a proprietory protocol for data transfer.

Do you need to interface the chartplotter with the old sensors?
When your existing Datamarine Link 5000 system stops working, you can upgrade to new stuff that can integrate.

 

[MarcHall]

I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question, but I've had trouble finding an accurate answer online. Our new to us boat (1988 28' Freedom) still has the original electronics. While the original Datamarine Link 5000 depth, knotmeter and wind speed and direction instruments work fine, we really want a chartplotter. I found the B&G Zeus series online and it looks interesting, especially this part of the product description:

"Zeus² plotters integrate seamlessly with your existing network, communicating with performance modules including Broadband Radar, autopilot, AIS, digital switching, weather modules and more."

Does this mean that I would be able to purchase the chartplotter and have it integrate with my existing Datamarine Link 5000 system or would I need to purchase new equipment (wind instruments, transducer, etc)? We are in Massachusetts and primarily use the boat for day sailing along with occasional overnight trips.

Thanks in advance for any insight,
Paul

The "integrate seamlessly....." is referring primarily to an existing NMEA2000 network with perhaps a few NMEA0183 intefaces and an Ethernet interface to Broadband Radar.

Then Datamarine Link 5000 predates all of this, I can't remember if the Datamarine even had any sort of NMEA0183 interface.

In 2000, I replaced the Datamarine system supplied with the boat when purchased new in 1989 with a B&G Network system. I was able to repurpose the the wire run up the mast to tie in the B&G Network Wind Sensor to the rest of the system.

A couple of years ago I replaced the B&G Network system with a B&G NMEA2000 system with new sensors, Triton displays and all new NMEA2000 cable runs. At some point I may add one of the Zeus2 plotters but I still have an older Garmin GPS/plotter that is functioning fine and is tied into the B&G using a NMEA0183 cable out of the Garmin into an antisense NMEA0183 to NMEA2000 converter into the B&G NMEA 2000 network.

If you want to add the Zeus, I would suggest picking up one of the B&G sailing instrument packages which include the Triton, wind sensor, depth and water speed sensors. You might also want to wait to see what new items get introduced in the next month or so as its time of the year.

Regards
Marc Hall
Home | Enjoy The Dive

 

[BarryL]

Hello,

My previous boat came with a functional set of older Datamarine instruments. I have learned that Datamarine instruments do not communicate with other devices. Each instrument is separate: wind speed and direction, boat speed, depth, are all single devices and do not share data. You will not be able to interface those instruments to any other instruments.

You can add a nice chartplotter, but it won't have access to wind information or speed through water unless you replace the datamarine instruments.

If you do decide to change the instruments I STRONGLY suggest you install instruments that are NMEA2000. This will make is VERY easy to network them together.

Barry

 

[seawolf82]

Marc and Barry - thank you for the great information. Looks like we'll continue to use the Datamarine instruments while they are still functional independently of a chartplotter and look at NMEA2000 instruments when we need to replace them.

Thanks again,
Paul

 

[the_abuse]

If i were you for the price of the b&g units i would look into the new garmin gps that is being released 7400/7600 series they programed them nore for sailing and have reallh great display for instruments built in. Like wind and what not the b&g from what i heard takes alot of messing around to programming and whatnot to get the sailing features to work. I really wanted to get the b&g zeus touch but i think im going to opt for the garmin and the new wind transducer

 

[WoobaGooba]

Sail is well under 5% of Garmin's total revenue. I'm not making that bet. And the latest Garmin sail products IMO look more like attempts to catch up with long available B&G SailSteer, StartLine, mast mounted displays, etc.

Navico, of the big 4, seems most clueful about opening up their systems. GoFree WiFi and related developer APIs. Navico MFD's import/export GPX for user waypoint and route transfer.

The Grand Prix B&G gear does require a skilled operator. The Triton and Zeus2 packages work just fine for the rest of us.

If i were you for the price of the b&g units i would look into the new garmin gps that is being released 7400/7600 series they programed them nore for sailing and have reallh great display for instruments built in. Like wind and what not the b&g from what i heard takes alot of messing around to programming and whatnot to get the sailing features to work. I really wanted to get the b&g zeus touch but i think im going to opt for the garmin and the new wind transducer

 

[the_abuse]

I just wanna know how hard the Zeus is to use conspired to the Zeus2

 

[the_abuse]

If the origional is not bad to use then I would go with the Zeus7 all I need for my size boat