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Send a BoatKit route to an autopilot

BoatKit can broadcast guidance for the current leg of an active, reviewed route to compatible equipment on your NMEA 2000 network. A navigation display can show this guidance, and a compatible autopilot can use it after you separately engage route following.

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Broadcasting route guidance never engages an autopilot or causes it to steer by itself. After engaging route following, confirm the mode and commanded course on the equipment manufacturer's approved control display. Maintain a proper watch and be ready to select Standby immediately.

Before you start​

You need:

  • An enabled physical NMEA 2000 integration in BoatKit.
  • A compatible autopilot or navigation display connected to that NMEA 2000 network.
  • Valid, current vessel navigation data. BoatKit requires a trusted live GPS position; current speed is also used by the Time turn transition.
  • An active BoatKit route whose calculation has finished and that you have reviewed. BoatKit blocks output when the current or remaining route contains clearance warnings or unverified segments.
  • Administrator access if you need to change output-network or turn-transition settings.

Compatibility and route-following controls vary by model and firmware. BoatKit does not currently document a model-specific compatibility list for this feature. Confirm that the exact equipment aboard supports NMEA 2000 PGNs 129283 and 129284 and can use them for the intended purpose.

Select the output networks​

  1. Make sure at least one physical NMEA 2000 integration is enabled.
  2. Open Settings > Routes > Autopilot Route Guidance.
  3. Under Output networks, leave each network on which BoatKit should broadcast guidance checked. Clear the checkbox for any network that should not receive it.

Every enabled physical NMEA 2000 network is selected by default. This includes a network added or enabled later, until an administrator clears its checkbox.

If no physical NMEA 2000 integration is enabled, Autopilot Route Guidance does not appear in Settings > Routes.

Choose the turn transition​

Turn transition determines when BoatKit advances the current detailed route point—the next point reported as the destination.

  • Time is the default and initially uses 15 seconds. BoatKit multiplies the vessel's current speed by this time and advances the route point when the remaining distance falls within that calculated lead distance.
  • Distance advances the route point when the vessel comes within the configured Transition distance. BoatKit displays this value in your configured units.

These settings control which route leg BoatKit reports. They do not control how the receiving equipment turns. BoatKit does not ask you to configure rudder speed, turn ramp, command latency, or a future-route-chord setting for this output.

Start route guidance​

  1. Calculate a BoatKit route and wait for the calculation to finish.
  2. Review the route, including its current and remaining segments, clearance information, and any warnings.
  3. Activate the route.
  4. Confirm that guidance appears on the compatible receiving equipment.
  5. When appropriate, engage route following separately using a BoatKit control that supports your installation or the equipment manufacturer's approved controls.

There is no separate send or arm step. BoatKit automatically broadcasts when the active route, live navigation data, and selected output network satisfy its requirements.

What BoatKit broadcasts​

BoatKit sends two standard NMEA 2000 Parameter Group Numbers (PGNs) on each selected network:

  • PGN 129283 for cross-track error.
  • PGN 129284 for navigation data for the current route leg.

Together, these messages provide the current leg's origin and destination, destination coordinates, bearings, distance to the destination, cross-track error, and arrival and perpendicular-crossing flags. BoatKit also includes closing velocity when sufficient live course data is available.

The receiving autopilot owns its steering response and turn execution. BoatKit does not transmit a vessel turn-rate, rudder-speed, ramp-time, or command-latency profile.

Confirm it is working​

Before engaging route following, confirm that:

  1. The receiver shows current navigation information such as the destination, bearing, distance, or cross-track error.
  2. The correct network remains checked under Output networks.

After engaging route following:

  1. Confirm the active mode on the manufacturer's approved control display.
  2. Confirm that the displayed course and destination agree with the reviewed BoatKit route.
  3. Continue monitoring the vessel and surrounding traffic, and remain ready to select Standby.

Operation without BoatKit Cloud​

Route output is local to the vessel. It continues without BoatKit Cloud while the BoatKit vessel runtime is active and valid route and navigation data remain available.

BoatKit pauses route output:

  • While the Training Simulator is running.
  • While the scripted simulator is running.
  • During input-log replay.
  • When the active route is missing, incomplete, invalid, or blocked by clearance warnings or unverified segments.
  • When required live navigation data becomes stale or invalid, including when trusted GPS updates stop.

Troubleshooting​

The receiver does not show route guidance​

Check these items in order:

  1. Confirm that the physical NMEA 2000 integration is enabled. If Autopilot Route Guidance is absent from Settings > Routes, BoatKit has no enabled physical NMEA 2000 network available for output.
  2. Confirm that the receiver is powered, connected to the same NMEA 2000 network, and that this network is checked under Output networks.
  3. Confirm that the BoatKit route is active, its calculation has finished, and the current and remaining route contain no clearance warnings or unverified segments.
  4. Confirm that BoatKit is receiving a valid, current GPS position.
  5. Check the receiver's documentation for support for PGNs 129283 and 129284, including any model-, firmware-, or navigation-source requirements.

Do not inject test messages onto a live NMEA 2000 network as an ordinary troubleshooting step. If these checks pass, contact BoatKit Support with the receiver model, firmware version, and selected network.

The receiver shows guidance but the autopilot does not steer​

This is expected until route following is engaged separately. Use the equipment manufacturer's approved controls or a BoatKit control documented as compatible with your installation. The required mode and engagement sequence depend on the exact autopilot and firmware.

Turns occur earlier or later than expected​

Review Turn transition and its Transition time or Transition distance value. This changes when BoatKit advances the reported route point. The receiving autopilot still determines its steering response and how it executes the turn.