After market NMEA 2000 Mercury cable

[Master nut job]

Anyone have experience with connecting your mercury outboard with the NMEA 2000 network? Would like to know if anyone has found a cable to fit the outboard to the network? Let’s be honest, the US$700 OEM cable is not rational for inland fisheries.

[RandyLinden]

Hi

From your post, I'm not sure which Mercury outboard engine you are trying to connect to a NMEA 2000 network. Most Mercury engines require a NMEA 2000 Gateway interface. This interface converts Mercury engine and systems data to the NMEA 2000 standard. This is not just a NMEA 2000 cable and that's why it's more expensive than just a cable. I have not heard of an aftermarket or less expensive option and I doubt that we will ever see one. 

[blush]

Near your topic.

I bought a 2023 Fourstroke 90 and added the BlueTooth interface unit under the cowl to allow me to monitor the motor from my phone using the VessleView Mobile application on my phone. This was valuable for prop selection, where the target full throttle gives 5000-6000 rpm.  This Merc 90 replaced a 1998 Mariner 75 2-stroke. 

On this 1998 Starcraft Superfisherman170, with the 90 and full down trim, full throttle gets quickly to 33mph at 4800 rpm. Adding up trim in steps brings to the speed to 39 mph empty, at 5300 rpm. With load, 39 becomes 37, but 5300 remains. As up trim is added, the boat gets faster, skitish for steering, and prop cavatation is the end. Back to less up trim.

The VessleView application does more, like showing me I have used 215.5 hours on the motor.

I want to know more about the data interface to this motor. Boat has Humminbird Helix5 supporting NMEA data. 

 

[AKRISONER]

when i got my new motor, it made logical sense to add NMEA and for yamaha it was only about $350 to have everything monitored right through my garmin unit at my console. I wouldnt change it for a thing. Coolest thing is to be able to monitor Water pressure, RPM, GPS speed and trim percentage all right on the same screen as my chart in full screen.