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where to site new autopilot compass

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gertha View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gertha Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: where to site new autopilot compass
    Posted: 17 March 2012 at 18:20
I have purchased a new rate compass to improve the performance of my autopilot.
The problem is where best to locate it.
Best location is in centre of boat at water line.
This puts me in the seat in front of the sink, tradition has it that we keep food including tins in here, this could change; but I am only apron 300 mm above iron keel.
I can move back and up to be under sink, however random saucepans and cutlery go here.
I can go forward and up under table however the table bracket is a lump of iron.
I can go into stern cabin; but to be the recommended 2 meters from engine I am in the lazarette(can some one tell me how to spell this) and close to cockpit speakers, gas bottles and autopilot drive .
I can go forward into front cabin; but to be far enough away from keel I am getting close to anchor chain and windlass.
Under the head lining is an option ; but the new compass is too deep to fit in the void.
On deck is another option, however again it is a bit of a lump and needs to be away from all things ferrous .
The only two safe places are up mast or in a dingy towed behind; but neither of these are practical.
Any help much appreciated.
Yours
Simon Ridley
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holby View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote holby Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 March 2012 at 18:57
Simon, I know the layout of a 301 is diferent to your one, but to get my fluxgate compass close to the centre line and close to the water line. I mounted it in the locker under the port berth in the saloon. 
I checked with a "professional" compass swinger, and he said that if you have a lump of ferrous metal nearby, and that after swinging the compass according to the instructions it passes this and the deviation is less than the max recomended in the instructions then all should be well, so long as the ferrous metal is fixed i.e. not tools that you use and put back, or saucepans again that you use.  In my locker I store my reserve water, (bottled) and my deviation is 6 dgrees, the max my instructions say is 15 degrees, but it goes onto say that higher figures are OK if it is a steel boat.
 
So basically what I am saying is that fixed in somewhere like under a bunk, that is away from ferrous or the ferrous is fixed and then swing to see if the deviation is below the max allowed.
If it is it is sorted, but you wont know for sure until you have swung the compass.
Dave
Hanse 301, tiller steering, Volvo 2010 (10hp)
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Ian Robinson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ian Robinson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 March 2012 at 08:30
Hi Simon,
 
Almost anywhere has pluses and minuses.  I do not have a rate compass, but my basic electronic compass is situated high up in the portside clothes locker in the front cabin since 2006 without any obvious problems. 
 
 
Regards
 
Ian
 
Ostara a 370#88
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samuel View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote samuel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 March 2012 at 09:11
I put mine in the chart table!!!
This is much more fun because you never know if something in the table has fallen against the sensor  & put you 20 degrees off course
The biggest problem is that wherever you site these things you cannot easily move it because of the difficulty of threading wires
Hanse stick loads of extra wires in that are not needed but they do not put any draw wires in
When I do put in a new wire I always stick a draw wire with it for future use
One other problem is that (on a 311) it is about 4 metres from the hatch garage to the electric box & if one wants to site the sensor one has a limited area that the wires will reach..
It is because the wiring on the NASA Clipper compass is no long enough I had to put the sensor in the chart table
Another niggle is that some items - echo sensor etc - have to remain attached to the unit. You have to start from the sensor end & after half a day of threadling you suddenly find the wire is 6 inches too short
I am not a fan of compassess where you have to concentrate on a number (although most electric compasses have an off course indicator)
 
On my boat I have a 44 year old Sestrel grid compass which is mounted beneath the tiller where one can look down on to it
I find that when the helmsman is very tired he can easily forget the course & watching numbers spin before his eyes makes it difficult to concentrate. I have often caught a tired crew steering the wrong course
The grid compass stops this happening
Why on earth one cannot buy a decent grid steering compasses these days is beyond me
 
Hanse supplied a compass on the hatch garage as standard but the stupid thing has a light in the top & it does not shine onto the rim where the numbers are. As a result the helmsman cannot use it at night. the very first night sail we did caused near panic as we had no other compass to steer the course to, so a crew had to sit shinning a torch on it, which effectively blinded every one in the cockpit
Daydream Believer- Hanse 311- No GBR9917T- Bradwell Essex
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gertha View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gertha Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 March 2012 at 09:17
Ian,
I have the same setup as you, however I can keep the existing compass as a backup so do not wish to remove it, however I am told it is not good to have two compasses close together.
Having blown a chunk of money on this toy I will let the forum know if there is any improvement in performance.
The compass supplied was a simrad RFC 35, this is described by Simrad as suitable as a back-up compass.
I have bought the RF36 which is the compass designed to go with an AP25, the autopilot that I have.
Simon
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echoofwight View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote echoofwight Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 March 2012 at 09:48
I had the same problem.  I finally mounted the compass on the waterline in the forward cabin under the bunk.  So far this has been great.  Very good course keeping and the headings seem to be accurate with no noticeable deviation.  Putting it in the forward cabin is further forward than recommended but all the 'recommended sites were close to the engine,  keel or water pump.
Steve. Hanse 341 Echo of Wight, . Deep draft and rudder, white hull, Single aft cabin. Raymarine instruments. Raymarine radar. Garmin AIS. Wheel Steering,   Portsmouth.
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Brufan View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Brufan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 March 2012 at 10:49
My compass is located under the main locker floor under a wooden hatch, approx, 1,5 m from engine, 0,3 m from calorifier and 1 m form rudder stock.  It's also located 0,7m under steering column base.
Works well (till know).
Note that I have upgraded from FC 40 to RC 42 but I kept both connected to Simrad Network.   The reason for this is that I wasn't able to remove FC 40 original cable (stuck somewhere).  So I have both compasses connected but autopilot is set to work only with RC42.  FC40 will act as back up.
Bruno

hanse 355 - 57

S/Y Spicy Ginger

White hull, 2 cabins, Volvo D1-30, Selden rig, removable mainsheet track system, Simrad (now B&G)-Jefa autopilot.
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Tigger View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tigger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 March 2012 at 20:37
We had a major problem with the Simrad-Jefa autopilot compass, it was badly located from new in the port stern cabin on our 470.
I have  put a post  (17th Jan) called 'compass location' on the 461/470 section with pics of where an electronics engineer re-sited it. 
Hope it helps
Tigger  
470e
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Inopio View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Inopio Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 March 2012 at 16:09
Hi all,
I just completed sea trials (60 miles with the wind) testing new Autopilot Raymarine's SPX-5. The floodgate compass is installed in the vertical wall of the sink cabinet (under the sink) at the toilette, near floating line.
The main advantage of this position is that the cable reaches that place easily and cleanly.
The autopilot steer the boat very finely.
Inopia
Hanse 312
Bahía de Cádiz, Spain
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gertha View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gertha Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 April 2012 at 20:53
Have mounted new rate compass under the sink in the toilet, it is an easy installation and clear of most lumps of ferus metal.
I am in the middle of the boat front to back,and on the water so two out of three.
Sitting in the marina we are 3 points off the original compass, will check it all in the summer.
S
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