My boat has only been commisioned for 13 months and I keep postponing the
steering compass adjustment, because I'm still loading gear/spares aboard
and installing electrical equipment that will, no doubt effect the compass..

Then I got to thinking, I'm a DIYer and always wanted to learn how to do
this.. The instructions that came from Richie make it sound so easy and I
recently found a computer generated deviation table program..

It may take me a little time to do it the first time but once I have done it
once, I won't have any hesitation about re-swinging the compass after I get
all my gear on board or head offshore.

During this summer I seldom took the cover off the compass because I had
already noticed some major error on certian points. I suspect my engine is
causing some of this since it is only about 20 inches below and slightly aft
of this bulkhead mounted compass. Not an idea situation but I had no choice
in the location since this is a toller steered boat. The only location that
I could see from the tiller was on the forward face of the cockpit foot
well.

I was expecting to do and 'self adjust/compensate' on my fluxgate, like you
do with a autopilot, but when I read the manual, I found that you have to
swing the compass and enter the correct bearing at about every 60 degrees.

Anyway, it all seems like some good winter projects.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions