Helm compass location on A25 ?

[Sven_G]

Our helm compass is unusable the way it is right now. The boat manual mentions that the wiring for the instrumentation can cause deviations and that's no doubt part of what we're seeing, but the magnets in the defroster blower and other stuff is no doubt also contributing. The result is that with everything loose removed for 18" or so around the compass it will show anywhere from 0° to 35° deviation from true North (natural large scale magnetic variations are only about 5° E where we are). When under power the compass will sometimes oscillate +/- 5-10° without the defroster on.

Compass.jpg

So, the question: Where is your usable helm compass located ?

And an additional question: Is there any ferrous material hidden in something near the helm that I may be overlooking ?

I'm about to get a second hand-bearing compass to use away from the helm, right now I have a small diving wrist compass that I'll take away from the helm to get sightings but that's a pain and inaccurate.

Thanks.

[don123]

I'm experiencing a similar quandary on my A27 project. There is no good place to put a standard magnetic compass directly in front of the helmsman and be able to count on it being accurate - There's just too much going on in that area which would affect it's accuracy

Since I will navigate 99% of the time with a fancy GPS and I keep a back-up GPS on board too, I thought about not having a magnetic compass at all, but the sailor in me still feels that every boat needs something to count on when everything else fails

I've decided to mount mine away from the helm position, on the centerline of the boat where it will be mostly free of errors caused by electronics and motors. To use it as a steering compass, I'll need to use the starboard lubber-line since it's not directly in front of me, but in an emergency, that's better than having an inaccurate compass directly in front of me

I suppose you could mount an electronic compass away from the helm and aim it at the helmsman, but that would be just one more electronic gadget you couldn't always depend on

http://www.amazon.com/Type-S-AC12320-60 ... B000CRO4OO

Don

[Sven_G]

Thanks Don,

I thought about the electronic compass possibility too, with the sensor mounted far away from all the ferrous and electrical stuff. Agree it is not the KISS optimal solution.

Here in the archipelago I really don't want to go by GPS since any glitches (do happen) could put us on the rocks in no-time and it makes me lazy

I might try a top of windscreen mount but there's the windshield wiper motor to worry about there.

Thanks for the ideas.