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Robie

ST4000 talking to a Datamarine windvane?

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Hi Ben and Forum
Just bought a Bristol 35.5 and will be aboard to cruise down the ICW from the Chesapeake in October.
The boat has a Raymarine st4000 autopilot and an old datamarine windvave/wind speed and direction unit. Can I get the windvane to talk to the autopilot? This would make my trip south much more enjoyable.
The raymarine manual talks about seatalk interface. Would that work with the datamarine? It seems like the seatalk and NMEA interfaces are really just shielded cable and a proprietary connector? Or is there more to it then that.
I follow your blog Ben but am not actually very educated with the electronic side of sailing and my previous boat had no electronics but a depth finder and my ipad.
If the two can't comunicate I would appreciate any suggestions for a low priced alternative windvane that I could mount on the rail and would talk to my st4000? The Raymarine one is fairly pricey.
Any help would be appreciated.

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