Fluxgate compass on a steel boat

[soaringalbatross]

Hi all,
I've just read previous postings on this site and although fairly helpful they don't quite answer my questions. All these questions relate to my steel boat.
Where, generally, is the best place to site a fluxgate compass; inside or outside?
How much influence will the usual electronic masthead equipment (lights, wind vane, radio aerial, etc..) have, siting it at the base of a keel stepped wooden mast?
If it's positioned inside the hull will the steel hull shield it from the earths magnetic field?
I have a fairly cheap 'normal' compass at the moment and that seems to be way off.
I haven't used the boat for real yet as I'm fitting it out to circumnavigate but want to circumnavigate the world not the middle of the Atlantic, so I need to have a reliable compass.

Thank you in anticipation for your replies. Mike

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[AndrewB]

If this compass is for steering, then the normal recommended position is around 2-3 meters up the mast, with the repeater in the cockpit. This is sufficiently far away from the steel body of the yacht, but not so high up as to be unstable.

If this is an autopilot rather than a steering compass, then it is not quite so important to eliminate deviation caused by the hull, and nearer the deck is acceptable.

On no account should a fluxgate compass be installed inside a steel yacht.

 

[soaringalbatross]

Thanks.
The compass is for steering. I have a Simrad Tiller pilot as well which came with the boat. After reading some previous posts it seems I may have a few problems with it but will find out when I get on the water. Oh well, that'll be another hole in the deck. The deck will look like a strainer soon!
Thanx again.

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[JEG]

The metal boat soc. website has a number of entries on it which indicate that installing the fluxgate low down inside the steel hull works well.

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