Need the curent best pricing on Raymarine EV-200 Sport Pilot Autopilot - T70159

[Dipsey]

Tested mine out in Fairhaven this weekend and it worked great. Held course at trolling speed and at 20 MPH. What a tool!

[TileMan Dan]

Yeah they are great Don't know how I fished without one

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Little Crappie]

good to hear! about to pull the trigger on a SPX-5r

[jigstick]

Im ordering up my EVO 200 Package as well.  I spent some time this weekend making the bracket for mine.  Also ordered the Actisense adapter to wire to the Raymarine Seatalk backbone.  That way I can plot a course on my chart plotter through all of my prior marks and numbers, and have the pilot steer me through those spots.  Cant wait for this.  Ive been waiting 2 years for an autopilot.  Going with the Sportpilot is going to save me $1000 compared to going with the Sitex / Octopus drive unit.

 

Post some pics of your installs…i.e. the drive unit, and the P70r Control head on your dash.  I need ideas for dash layout

[TileMan Dan]

I'll post pics next time I'm up to big lake

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[TileMan Dan]

Keep your control head within reach of wheel. I put mine in a nav pod unit since dash is full

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[jigstick]

So I ordered the Evolution 200 Sportpilot with an Evolution Cabling kit.  Are are the cables needed to get up and running included in this kit?  It seems to me that i would need 2 more spur cables to hook up to the Seatalk network. Or does the P70R, ACU22, and EV1 sensor all come with a cable attached to them and ready to hook up?

[vetting]

All of the cabling should be included but not 100% sure with the hookup for the chartplotted.  However, some of them are short so depending on your setup, you may need a longer one.  The kit comes with a hub and everything just gets hooked to that from what I can tell.

Im doing the final install on mine this week and also hooking it up to my new chartplotter/fishfinder.  Im new to the whole networking deal and it seems like all greek to me.

[jigstick]

Vetting

 

I just ordered mine from HodgesMarine.  They had the best price.  I had to order a 16ft spur cable for the EV1 Sensor, and two 9ft spur cables for the P70R controller and ACU200.  My install is a little spread out.  From what I can tell the install will go like this:

 

1:  Mount the ACU, Drive Unit, and EV1 Sensor, and P70R where you want them.

 

2: Mount the Seatalk 5 way adapter where you want it, and put the two terminators on the blue ports.

 

3:  Hook up power to the ACU200.  Attach power wires from drive unit to the ACU200.  Attach ACU200 spur cable

 

4:  Wire the EV1 Sensor and P70R controller with their spur cables

 

5:  Attach the ends of the spur cables to the 3 ports left open on the 5 way Seatalk Hub.

 

Power it up.  At least this is how mine is going to be for the time being.  I will integrate my Raymarine A60 into the network at a later date.  But to do that, I believe you can use a T-piece adapter and splice into the backbone somehow.

 

The cable kit included a "backbone" cable, but I don't think I need to use it at the time being because I am only wiring 3 components to the network, and they all fit on the 5 way.  

 

Is this basically how you are doing yours?

[TileMan Dan]

I believe that backbone needs it own power supply if i recall correctly.

[jigstick]

The ACU200 included in the new Evolution Autopilot systems provides power to the Seatalk backbone.  So when you connect the spur cable from the ACU into the five way hub, it provides the power to the backbone.  Its new.  If you are using an older SPX Sportpilot, I believe the backbone does require its own power supply.

[TileMan Dan]

yeah I have the spx sportpilot

[TileMan Dan]

so like like your ready for dockside calibration

[vetting]

Thx for the write up.  Where did you get your extra cables from?

 

Thought it was bad enough leanring how to maintain everything on the boat, then how to run 12 rod spreads, then pile on itegrating electronics - lot to all keep rolling around at once in the old nog'n.

 

With the new sensor core - where is the best place to put it?  Was thinking of mounting it my cuddy somewhere.  Forgot if its better to mount it as high as posible or as low as possible.

[jigstick]

Vetting

 

With the new EV1 sensor, it can be mounted just about anywhere.  On a vertical surface like a bulk head, or it can be mounted on a flat surface like a table.  Just keep it at least 3 ft away from any speakers / compasses / etc.  Mount it with the arrow facing forward, and keep it in line with the with the long access of the boat.  Do not have it tweaked left or right...it has to be mounted as STRAIGHT as possible with the long access.  I think the manual says keep it within 5 degrees of straight. It has to do with yaw or something.

 

I am going to mount mine in my cuddy as well.  probably on one of the walls in the head. 

 

The P70R will go on the dash

 

The ACU200 is going in a recessed part of my gunwale, just behind my throttle.

 

I am going to keep the Seatalk bus under the dashboard.  That puts it in a central location.  Then all of the spur cables will be routed up to there and hook in.  Should make for a clean look.

 

I figured out how to wire in your Chartplotter.  On the 5 way Seatalk bus...Cap one of the blue ports with a terminator fitting.  On the other other blue port, hook up the backbone cable that came in the kit.  Then onto that backbone cable, screw on one of the T fittings that came in the Kit.  On the BLUE port on the T fitting, put the other terminator.  On the other port on the T fitting will go the spur cable up to your chartplotter.  You may need some type of adapter cable there depending on if your Chartplotter is Seatalk NG compatible.  If it is a newer raymarine then it should be.  If its a Garmin, and has NMEA2000, then you will need an NMEA2000 - to- Seatalk NG adapter.  Let me know what you have, and I can post a link to the appropriate cable. 

 

Another thing I just came across was the "RF" grounding for the ACU200.  Im trying to figure that out.  It says to wire it to the main RF ground on the boat.  Im not even sure if I have something like that.  If you dont, then it says to wire that to any "Neg" bus.  So I will be wiring that to the Neg terminal on my fuse panel.

 

I ordered my extra spur cables from HodgesMarine.com.

 

Does all that make sense?

Edited May 13, 2014 by jigstick

[vetting]

I just coupled it with the normal ground wire. My a77 chart plotter has the same setup.

[jigstick]

For you guys that have finished the install…have you noticed any difference in your steering when the pilot is NOT engaged?  Did it add any slop into the steering at the wheel?

 

How long does the dockside calibration / sea calibration take?  For example, if i get to the launch an hour before I would normally set out, will that leave me enough time to go through the calibration processes so that I could use the pilot that same day?  

[Dipsey]

I did not notice any difference in the steering. It takes very little time time to set up and be on your way. My first autopilot and I just can't believe how well it works.

[TileMan Dan]

I didn't have any difference other than wheel about 3" closer to seat. Didn't you tighter wheel and drive unit securely?

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[vetting]

Yeh it's all tight and lined up. Does it make a difference when you have the power going to it? As in everything all installed and powered up but steering manually.

[jigstick]

Huge thumbs up to Hodgesmarine.  Not only did they have the best price on the EVO200 Sportpilot, but they also threw in $20 two day shipping.  Got mine right on time.  Furthermore, the kit INCLUDED the rudder feedback unit…where other vendors made you pay extra for it.  This is great, because I may eventually install it just to tweak the system a little better.

 

I an going to start my install today.  Im going to work on the P70R control head.  It calls for a 3.5-4in hole in the dash, which I do not want to do. So I am going to make a mounting back for it out of Azek, router the edges to a nice contour.  That way the P70R will mount flush to the dash without needing such a big hole.  Ill only have to drill a hole for the spur cable.  Ill post pics when I get some of it done.

[Chas0218]

Huge thumbs up to Hodgesmarine.  Not only did they have the best price on the EVO200 Sportpilot, but they also threw in $20 two day shipping.  Got mine right on time.  Furthermore, the kit INCLUDED the rudder feedback unit…where other vendors made you pay extra for it.  This is great, because I may eventually install it just to tweak the system a little better.

 

I an going to start my install today.  Im going to work on the P70R control head.  It calls for a 3.5-4in hole in the dash, which I do not want to do. So I am going to make a mounting back for it out of Azek, router the edges to a nice contour.  That way the P70R will mount flush to the dash without needing such a big hole.  Ill only have to drill a hole for the spur cable.  Ill post pics when I get some of it done.

I was disappointed they didn't make is so it could be mounted on a stand/bracket. I too didn't want to add any other large holes on my dash so I made an enclosure for her.

[jigstick]

Chas

 

Do you have a pic of the enclosure?  My mounting plate is in clamps right now….the Azek needs glued together with PVC cement.  Ill post up some pictures in a bit

[vetting]

Finished the install today and took it out for a spin.  It linked up just fine with my A77 chartplotter.  I couldnt get it to do the compass calibration under speed - it kept on failing even though I going as straight as possible.  It holds a track pretty well at 2.2 mph but it steers back and forth like crazy.  I went into the menu and the only response modes are Cruise Leisure Performance.  I thought there was supposed to be a bunch of individual response settings.

[jigstick]

I just finished my install as well.  Got everything all in place and wired up to the Seatalk NG backbone.  I have yet to launch the boat and do the dockside calibration.  

 

Vetting…Try playing with that setting.  My impression is if you put it on "powerboat" or "performance"…whatever that one is…the drive unit really tries to keep you super tight straight.  So when going slow i.e. trolling…it will kinda zigzag to the point your lines / rods may get tangled.  You want SLOW GRADUAL change.  Try it on the other settings like cruise or leisure.  That MAY help. Not sure why your EV1 won't calibrate.  Ill look into that.  I also remember reading through the  manual and seeing "Gain" settings…which may need some tweaking for you.

 

I have a question now…After installing the drive unit to the steering wheel…I now have about 1/2 - 1 inch of slop when turing the wheel clockwise / counter clockwise before the outdrive actually starts to turn.  Have any of you guys noticed this?  I had a small amount of it PRIOR to installing the drive, but It seems like I picked up some more.  Everything is mounted up tight.