Garmin with TimeZero

[La Sirena]

I have TZ Pro, but Navigator is probably similar. You can download routes in a variety of standard formats that can be uploaded to a variety of plotters. I'd be very surprised if a format isn't supported by Garmin. You can go to the TZ website and get access to they're online manual which will answer your question.

 

[ranger58sb]

We have 4 Garmin 8616's on board and I plan routes on the PC, then upload to Garmin via a SD Card. Can the same thing be done with exporting from TZ onto an SD card to input into the Garmin?

Yes.

I haven't done it to the Garmin, since we also have a Furuno MFD too, but our TZ Navigator will export in several formats including GPX, and our Garmin will import GPX files from a card.

Probably a way to do it wirelessly too, given the Garmin can create a WLAN and/or use ActiveCaptain.

-Chris

 

[Versingetrix]

You can route plan on Navionics which will sync with the Garmins once you fire Active Captain up locally on the Garmin local WiFi network. I used to be able to route plan on my PC on Navionics and have that load, but Garmin killed that option so as to keep everything in the Apps ecosystem.

 

[ksceviour]

Has anyone tried to connect a PC to the Garmin Wi-Fi and transfer a file that way? I have no idea if the SD cards will be visible as a drive. If it is that would make sharing a route GPX file much easier.

I'm in the process of installing a PC running TZ Navigator with a Beetronics display.

 

[mikehar]

I have been boat shopping, and noticed a lot of newer Krogens have Garmin, which doesn’t make sense to me in an ocean going yacht. It is annoying to have to immediately spend $50/100,000 to install the Furuno equipment which should have been there in the first place. A higher percentage of Nordhavns seem to have Furuno.

I'm curious why you think Furno is a better choice than Garmin. I'm currently looking at redoing the electronics on an ocean-going 80' boat. I am very seriously considering a Garmin system alongside a TZ system. I'd avoid the Garmin autopilot on larger boats, but the rest of the system is looking pretty good these days. What has your experience been with both systems?

I've had several Furuno systems on bigger boats and Garmin systems on smaller boats. I don't have a lot of complaints about either, but Garmin seems more modern these days. The one thing that Furuno does have going for them is the radar integration with TZ.

 

[ranger58sb]

I'm curious why you think Furno is a better choice than Garmin. I'm currently looking at redoing the electronics on an ocean-going 80' boat. I am very seriously considering a Garmin system alongside a TZ system. I'd avoid the Garmin autopilot on larger boats, but the rest of the system is looking pretty good these days. What has your experience been with both systems?

I've had several Furuno systems on bigger boats and Garmin systems on smaller boats. I don't have a lot of complaints about either, but Garmin seems more modern these days. The one thing that Furuno does have going for them is the radar integration with TZ.

We have both Garmin (7612xsv, so not new) and Furuno (TZT3, newish, but not the absolute latest gen). My impression is that the Garmin GUI was written by three different guys who never spoke to each other. The more current Furuno GUI seems to be more cohesive and more intuitive.

Garmin charges for annual chart updates. Annual NOAA updates for the Furuno system (and TZ) are free (optional C-Map charts probably different; haven't used those).

Some of that about charting may be changing. TZ Navigator v5 uses a newer MapMedia vector charting system (or you can also switch back and forth with the older style) and I think that newer mapping system is what the newest TZT XL models use too.

We haven't tried to integrate radar with TZ, because our Garmin system is also our radar. Had it been me buying, I'd have gotten a Furuno radar, but instead we just accepted what came on the boat. Still, that integration possibility for a new installation is a good point, especially if you already intend to use TZ anyway.

-Chris

 

[jcottis]

Thanks @twistedtree, I figured it out and pretty much exactly that. A/P get's its data now from the N2k Network and TZ outputs navdata to NMEA2000. Beetronics screen ordered and now either keeping the Garmin 12" as a spare or i'll sell it. I feel like I can run it in this configuration for a year or two and decide whether or not to go back to Furuno.

Hi Stiggy, I am trying to put together a similar setup as you describe, can you please share any further details on what you had to change and where in the Garmin devices for the A/P from TZ outputs via NMEA2000, thanks for your assistance.

 

[jcottis]

We just recently purchased a KK that has a full Garmin electronics suite. While the installation is proper and seems to be working well enough, i certainly miss Furuno and TimeZero. Before we go down the route of a full replacement, which i rather not do near term, I'm going to try and run a NUC with TimeZero running on it. It seems to be able to grab most things off the network and display them just fine. While not crucial it would be nice to have Timezero running the routes (at least displaying them) and have the autopilot steer based off of these. Somehow share planned routes between the two. I know a workaround would be through Navionics and then to TZ iBoat on an iPad and upload to the TZ cloud, which is fine for planning but routinely we adjust courses on long passages and the two would get out of sync rather quickly without a way to resync them.

Has anyone tried to integrate the two? Garmin system has GPSMAP 8616 and 8612s with a Reactor 40 A/P.

Hi @stiggy I am trying to put together a similar setup as you describe, can you please share any further details on what you had to change and where in the Garmin devices for the A/P from TZ outputs via NMEA2000, thanks for your assistance.

 

[stiggy]

Hi @stiggy I am trying to put together a similar setup as you describe, can you please share any further details on what you had to change and where in the Garmin devices for the A/P from TZ outputs via NMEA2000, thanks for your assistance.

I won't be down to the dock for another week or so but if I remember right you go into the autopilot settings from one of the MFDs and select the source for NAV Data to NMEA2000. When i get back down there I'll take a picture of the screen.

 

[jcottis]

I won't be down to the dock for another week or so but if I remember right you go into the autopilot settings from one of the MFDs and select the source for NAV Data to NMEA2000. When i get back down there I'll take a picture of the screen.

Thanks @stiggy I appreciate your assistance.

 

[stiggy]

Thanks @stiggy I appreciate your assistance.

@jcottis sorry for the delay, I finally made it down to the boat.

On TZ make sure you have the output to NMEA2000 set.

Enable a route, then on the garmin goto autopilot setup-> preferred sources -> Autopilot Navigation -> NMEA2000 PC Interface (NGT-1).

 

[jcottis]

Thanks @stiggy for your assistance, much appreciated, I will give this a try.

 

[jcottis]

@stiggy are you using an actisense product from the PC (USB) to NMEA2000, if so which model please?