Compass advice please

[pheran]

The only compass on my steel motor-cruiser was the one that was an integral part of the auto-pilot set up. This was a flux-gate job (I assume), the unit itself sat high up on the radar-arch and had a proper analogue display.
Well, the A/P electronics have gone seriously kaput and given the sort of boating I am doing for the time being, I don't intend to go for a replacement. But I would like to fit a compass, preferably another fluxgate one rather than an ordinary magnetic one given the complications of all that steel. Does the panel have any advice/recommendations please.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>A convert to steel boats and displacement cruising - the only way to go</font color=blue>

 

[ccscott49]

I would be interested in this aswell, with NMEA output, please.

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[bpscmarine]

If you do change your mind on a magnetic compass we offer a full range of magnetic compasses suitable for steel hulls
www.bpsc-marine.co.uk

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[wpsalm]

You don,t have a magnetic compass...? find that hard to believe... considering how over regulated your part of the world is...its a very important peice of kit, properly installed and adjusted, almost fool proof only one moving part ...think electrical failure and fog..

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[boatmike]

This is largely personal preference but if you are going to fit a fluxgate make sure it will integrate with other things on the boat either now or in future. If it talks NMEA you are fairly safe but some sentences are slightly different with different manufacturers so try and stick to one make. Raetheon have a very good range of instruments now and they talk pretty universal NMEA. Their service is better than most too. As a stand alone I would favour Brookes and Gatehouse but they are expensive. There are real advantages to be gained from integrating with Radar (to achieve a stabilised North Up display) and of course imperative for the autopilot. Some like the autopilot, chartplotter, radar to be fully integrated. I prefer for a number of reasons to keep them seperate (We all have our preferences!) but use the same fluxgate input to them all. Even if you are buying a stand alone compass buy something you can expand later if you want to.
Don't economise. Buy the best you can. Some cheaper fluxgates are pretty inaccurate.
For the record, I am ripping out all my old Cetrek stuff as it is unreliable and their service since they were taken over by Morse Teleflex is dreadful. I intend to deep six the lot and replace with Raetheon. I already have their LCD Colour Radar (Amazing piece of kit) And will now fit Wind,Log,GPS,Plotter from the same stable
I would consider their autopilot too but I have an excellent Robertson electro-hydraulic one with its own fluxgate which talks NMEA at present so I will just buy a Raetheon compass read out for it.
Thats the long answer.
Short answer
Buy Raetheon with confidence as best value for money and easily expandable later.
B&G if you can afford it as an alternative but watch compatability.
Don't buy Cetrek.
Having said this I would welcome others opinion as the electronics field is constantly changing and others may know more about what's out there this week.....

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