Auto pilot compass location

[Clydo]

Idle question - Think our factory auto pilots have a separate location
for compass? On some boats should be near centerline and away from
metal objects? Any idea where ours are located?

Clyde Thorington
C310 # 245
ILEAN TOO
San Jose, CA

 

[centerline]

Idle question - Think our factory auto pilots have a separate location
for compass? On some boats should be near centerline and away from
metal objects? Any idea where ours are located?

Clyde Thorington
C310 # 245
ILEAN TOO
San Jose, CA

the compass is inside the autopilot control head unit....

 

[Tom J]

My fluxgate compass is located in the aft cabin, behind the sliding panel on the port side.

 

[Long Story]

Same here - Port side, inside the sliding unit and against the bulkhead between aft-cabin and head. I have a second compass unit that is needed for heads up radar and it is on center, under the rear bunk about 3' aft of the stuffing box.

 

[Deleted member 117556]

Just upgraded to an EV 100 autopilot from Raymarine and they have eliminated the fluxgate compass in favor of a sensor. Same location as previous fluxgate which is below the aft cabin. Much better sensor.
bob

 

[Bob James]

Mine is located inside the port setee on the bulkhead between salon and v-berth. This was not a factory install.

 

[c130king]

Aft cabin underneath panels...starboard side in compartment just aft of raw water intake through-hull.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Autopilots, chart plotters, VHFs, radars, etc. are not factory installed. The dealer who commissioned the boat installed them. So they are all different.

Also, there are some variation in hulls pre number 100 and post. My neighbor Andrew has a 2001 C310 also but we have found a lot of small variations. So hull number may play a roll on how things are setup on your boat.

 

[gpd955]

Same as bob's....port side settee forward bulkhead and I have problems with it going off course a lot. Not sure if it's location or some other problem. This was a factory install since it was on the invoice provided by the PO.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

This was a factory install since it was on the invoice provided by the PO.

The invoice from the dealer? I don't think your PO bought it direct from the factory.

I spoke with one of the local brokers about this at a boat show. When you order a boat, Catalina delivers a basic boat without electronics an without bottom paint. Then the broker will have a crew install the electronics, wax the hull, barrier coat and paint the bottom, etc. All the boats in a given area will tend to be similar because the broker will typically use the same guys for the install.

I have even talked to some people who bought new boats that this was a major problem. The brokers sometimes use less than skilled people to do this work and they have issues because of that.

Same goes for heat or AC units.

 

[gpd955]

Now that you mention it, it may have been from Tidewater.

 

[jsalley]

If you order a new boat through a Catalina dealer, but built to your specs, the electronics will be installed on the assembly line by a subcontractor, Ocean Equipment. At least, that's been the case since 2006. Any additional electronics will be added by the dealer, particularly if the boat was from the dealer's stock.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

If you order a new boat through a Catalina dealer, but built to your specs, the electronics will be installed on the assembly line by a subcontractor, Ocean Equipment. At least, that's been the case since 2006. Any additional electronics will be added by the dealer, particularly if the boat was from the dealer's stock.

I find that a little hard to believe since they are located in Oregon and the C310s, actually all Catalinas now, are built in Florida. But who knows.

Thanks for the info.

 

[jsalley]

I find that a little hard to believe since they are located in Oregon and the C310s, actually all Catalinas now, are built in Florida. But who knows. Thanks for the info.

They have a 2-person operation in Largo, Florida. I met one of them at the factory while he was installing an AP on a new 355. They are part of the Ocean Equipment company on the west coast and are subcontracted by Catalina Yachts.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

They have a 2-person operation in Largo, Florida. I met one of them at the factory while he was installing an AP on a new 355. They are part of the Ocean Equipment company on the west coast and are subcontracted by Catalina Yachts.

Ah. Interesting

 

[rpwillia]

Fluxgate

I installed my AP myself and I put my fluxgate compass on the aft side of the bulkhead of the rear bunk directly centerline. It was one of the few places I did not see interference.