Looking for chartplotter to tiller pilot NMEA wisdom...

[kchunk]

I have a Garmin GPSMAP 420 chartplotter installed and am getting ready to pull the trigger on a Raymarine ST1000+ tiller pilot. While they don't speak the same proprietary language, they do both speak NMEA. Anyone have any luck getting a tiller pilot to follow a GPS route (waypoint to waypoint)? I'm pretty sure it's possible, but would like to know for sure before I try. Thanks!

--Greg

BTW...I found a ST1000+ and S100 Wireless Autopilot Remote for just under $700. I don't think a cheaper deal can be had!

[Shawn]

"they do both speak NMEA. Anyone have any luck getting a tiller pilot to follow a GPS route (waypoint to waypoint)? I'm pretty sure it's possible, but would like to know for sure before I try."

The Garmin will need to be able to spit out the proper NMEA sentence(s) for the Tillerpilot.

Do you have a list of which NMEA sentences it outputs?  Ideally it will also output cross track error as the Tillerpilot will correct for this. Otherwise when you are on a track you would have to watch out for drift off track yourself.

I've gone through this as I am setting up the same thing on my boat using NMEA but it isn't all in place yet. I'm using the ST2000+ and a Garmin 478.

If you download the tillerpilot manual the list of NMEA sentences it understands is on page 47. In a nutshell if that Garmin will output RMB that sentence has everything you need in it including cross track error. I tested a Garmin GPS V and it outputs that sentence when on a track. The 478 is supposed to as well but I haven't actually plugged into it and watched the NMEA data coming out of it.

Hope this helps,

Shawn