MacGregorSailors.com

Hello,

My first time joining your discussions. I am awaiting delivery of a blue M and wondered if any of you sailors have any experience with the Contest and Saturn bulkhead compasses? Not sure of the bulkhead angle, but think either will mount ok.

Is there a preference to mounting the compass on the pedestal vs. the bulkhead? I'm more used to a bulkhead mount, but wanted to get your opinions.

I've read almost all of the posts. You all seem like a very serious, fun-loving group of sailors. Thanks for having me.

Michael

IMVHO.

Bulkead, starboard side...especially if you dont have a lot of electrical lines running in that location..... (very lucky if you dont). Preference on the sailboat is saturn........

leave the contest on the kayak and dinghy...

Isn't the starboard fitted with a hole already?

Just mount it away from the blue hull. (The fun loving response).

You won't need a magnetic compass unless you are offshore, and/or in the fog. Scrap the compass, get a GPS. If your boat moves, you'll know it. And in which direction. No corrections needed for variation and deviation. Magnetic compasses rarely get used when land is in sight.

Norm wrote:Scrap the compass, get a GPS

I believe it's wise to have both. I have both a chartplotter and a backup handheld GPS, and I still use my compass all the time.

The stock boat has no hole for a compass. You, or the dealer will have to cut one.

Everyboat needs a compass, even if it's for show. I prefer not to make a big hole for a compass. I use a Plastimo Iris 100. It mounts nicely on a bulkhead with it's fixed mount yet can still be removed and used as a handheld bearing compass as well. The card is plenty big to see from the helm.

I have both it and a second handbearing compass, neither of which get a bit of use as my GPS/Chartplotter provides all the necessary info. Still, any nautical cockpit would look naked without a compass.

yes, a compass is a must! i have a ritchie compass on the pedestal. easy to read and does not clutter the bulkhead surface where you may lean your back when sitting in the cockpit.

Mount it on the starboard bulkhead. Rig the boat first to see where your sheets and possibly the halyards drape. The x is real handy for having an access plate to this area. Don't know about the m.

On our X the bulkheads on each side get heavy use as backrests. I wouldn't want anything hard sticking out there. Besides, if the compass was there I would never be able to see it because of the people in the way. We have sheet bags mounted on each side on the bulkhead. These keep all the line tails neat and serve as nice pads for the back.

Keep your compass at the pedestal.

. . . bulkheads on each side get heavy use as backrests. . . .
Keep your compass at the pedestal.

Unless you'll be mostly single-handing.

• * in which case the compass (and GPS) are largely useless at the pedestal;
  * and needing just one bulkhead for lounging, mounting there becomes vastly better;
  * Further, my (26X) bulkhead is fine ... verticle throw cushion solves the lounging problem.

So, it depends largely on which boat and how you'll be using it.
Moral: ---advice granted within a vacuum . . . is prone to suffocate.

Moe, that picture of your pedestal puzzles me. It looks like your steering wheel is completely vertical, 90 angle, is that correct? I have a 99X but the wheel is with a 75% angle and I think on the spot where you have the compass mounted. I did not know of that model change or was that part of the famous rack and pinion option?

Frank, Duane, I think you're both right. I do a lot of single handed sailing and a Compass on the pedestal would not work for me. I have the mini Contest on the Port side bulkhead and a Navman log/depth on the starboard side. Some lazy passenger rested his back against my log the other day and by doing this he switched on some sort of an alarm. Now I need the instruction booklett, which is off course hidden somewhere where I have not got a clue where to even start looking for it, to reset it.

I just mounted a Saturn on my new 26M a few weeks ago. I had to drill a 4 inch hole on my starboard bulkhead to mount it. I put my VHF radio on the port side to avoid interference with the compass. I have not wired the compass light yet. However, there is a nice access panel in the cabin which provides easy access to the rear of the Saturn. It almost looks like the bulkhead was intentionally designed for the Saturn bulkhead mount compass.

We've only taken the Carribean Amphibian out one time so far and that was under motor power. I was pleased with my choice of the Saturn. It was large, conveniently located, and easy to read while driving the boat. I hope to see how it feels under sail next week if all goes well.

I made an error in the installation. The built-in inclinometer is off by about 7 degrees because I drilled the smaller mounting holes around the circumference of the compass in the wrong locations. I do not wish to drill new holes and fill the old ones for cosmetic reasons. With due care, you can avoid my mistake. I guess that I'll just know that the boat is heeling too much when the Admiral screams. That usually occurs well before the boat rounds-up.

I have just mounted a Garmin 178C GPS map. Having been on a friend's powerboat on two occasions when we lost power out of sight of land, I am well aware of the value of having a compass to get us back to our inlet. I wouldn't feel comfortable going out without a compass.

Good luck with your decision.

Regards,
ROB

wow, great responses with excellent observations. I was wondering about the backrest thing, but wanted to be able to single the boat and the ped mount compass seemed to be less visible there unless at the wheel.

The hole I mentioned in my first post was on an M at a dealer - wondered if it was stock, I think so.

I like the Saturn's visuals, they're both probably as accurate as they need to be.

Any good deals on either?

Ahh OK Moe I see now why I thought my wheel was mounted higher. It is not, you have the higher pedestal. You see there is no way I could fix a compass where you have it.
By the way I love that Crab bar, was that already on the boat when you bought it? I am already looking for it for 2 years, Can't get it in Europe. Tried to get it last year during my holidays in Florida, no luck. I'll have another go in August, we're going coast to coast (NY to LA) with a car (unfortunatley not with our Mac) although come to think of it, I could ask Brent to sail her over from Europe
I have contacted Power Sailing Centre in Burton if they have it in stock.