Non NMEA trolling motor to fishfinder link

[gkallevig]

I'm looking to get my first setup where my TM and fishfinder actually link up. I'm looking at Lowrance Elite12 Ti2 and a Motorguide xi5. My boat doesn't have NMEA. All the connection guides i see specify linking up through NMEA. is there a way to link the TM and fishfinder directly?

[NoCAL]

Depends on what you mean by linking. The transducer in the Motorguide will connect to a Ti2 with a simple transducer adapter available everywhere. If you are talking about trolling motor control through the chartplotter, that only occurs over NMEA 2000.

NoCAL

[gkallevig]

I was referring to controlling the TM with the graph. Specifically, I'm wanting to be able to have the TM follow a set of waypoints I lay down on the graph. I was told you could add something called a NMEA backbone, is that complicated? The boat in questions is a 2016 Yamaha 190 FSH so we're talking about an inboard motor. I realize its not a common application.

[kennybryan]

Watch the you tube Lowrance video by Jacob Scott and how to set this up.

Just google it.

[gkallevig]

I think understand now. I was thinking nmea was some computer signal from the engine, but you can literally build the backbone and put on anything.

[doyce]

I just did it with mine. It’s very simple to do. Just need to make sure you add the power to the back bone. The Jacob Scott video is good information.

[NoCAL]

In addition there are diagrams in the pinned threads at the top of this forum. At a minimum you will need a NMEA starter kit plus a few more T connectors and some drop cables. Should cost about $100.