ABYC T-17 July 2019 Hull Division Technical Information Report Hull and Deck Structures Project Technical Boating Safety... Built In Committee The ABYC Standards and Technical Information Reports for Small Craft are the product of @ consensus of representatives of government, industry and public sectors. Its intended solely as @ guide to aid manufacturers and the marine community in the design, construction, equipage and maintenance of small cra ABYC reviews each standard at least every five years at which time it may be reaffirmed, revised, or withdrawn. ‘ABYC welcomes any written comments on the Standards and Technical Information Reports ABYC T-17 COMPASS INSTALLATION © 2019 American Boat & Yacht Council, IneT.7 m9 Origin and Development T-17, Compass Installation was frst published by ABYC in 1970 and appeared as S-17, Compass installation. In 1989 the table of contents of Standards and Recommended Practices for Small Craft was modified and 5-17 was listed as 7-17. In 1998 the project designator on the document was changed to T-17 and the information report was revised in 2000 and 2013. The 2019 revised edition is the work of the Hull and Deck Structures Project Technical Committe. Hull & Deck Structures Project Technical Committee This list represents the membership atthe time the committee was balloted. sim McCrory, Chair Mare Nugent, Vice Chair Frank Beckerer Charles Fort Gere Schmitt Scott Berry Dave Marlow Erie Skaggs Lou Novak Membership on a committee shall notin and of itsef constitute an endorsement of ABYC or any document developed by the committee on which the member serves. This technical information report, which is the result of extended and careful consideration of available knowledge and experience on the subject, was developed under procedures accredited as meeting the criteria for American National Standards and is intended to provide minimum performance requirements. The Project Technical Committee that approved the report was balanced to ensure that individuals from competent and concerned interests have had ‘an opportunity to participate. ABYC's Project Technical Committee (PTC) meetings are open to the public. All inquiries regarding standards activity, Interpretations, or meeting attendance should be directed to the ABYC Technical Department at comments @abycine org. ABYC and its committees do not “approve" or “endorse” any item, construction, or proprietary device. Request for Interpretations Upon written request the Hull and Deck Structures PTC will ender an interpretation of any requirement of the report ‘The request for interpretation should be clear and unambiguous. Requests should be presented to the PTC in a manner in which they may be answered in a "Yes" or 'No" fashion, The committee reserves the right to reconsider any interpretation when or if addtional information that might affect it becomes available to the PTC. Persons aggrieved by an interpretation may appeal to the Committee for reinterpretation © 2019 American Boat & Yacht Council IneTar 719 ‘Summary of Revisions This is indicates revisions to the report when compared with the previously published version. It is not intended to be Used independently of the report. It should be used for informational purposes and as a guide to the offcial recommendations contained in this report. It is the responsibilty of the user to read and understand the complete report The main changes in T-17, Compass Installation in this revision as compared with the previous edition dated 7/13, + Editorial improvements DISCLAIMER |ABYC technical board rules provide that all reports, including standards and technical information reports, are advisory only. Their use is entirely voluntary. They represent, es of the date of publication, the consensus of| knowledgeable persons currently active in the fleld of small craft on performance objectives that contribute to small boat safety The American Boat & Yacht Counell assumes no responsiblity whatsoever for the use of, or fallue to use, standards or technical information reports promulgated by it, their adaptation to any processes of a user, of any consequences| flowing therefrom, Prospective users of the standards and technical information reports are responsible for protecting themselves| against liability for infringement of patents. The American Boat & Yacht Council Standards and Technical Information Reports are used to achieve a specific level of design or performance, and are not intended to preclude attainment of desired results by other means. © 2019 American Boat & Yacht Council, IneT.7 m9 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTENT GENERAL INFORMATION. COMPASS ADJUSTMENT. Compensate the Compass FIGURE 1 - Cardinal Headings © 2019 American Boat & Yacht Couneil, IneTar 719 T-17 COMPASS INSTALLATION INTENT This technical information report is a guide for the placement and adjustment of compasses on wood and fiberglass boats NOTE: Stee! hulls may present problems that require special skils for installation and compensation. GENERAL INFORMATION The compass should be located so that it can be easily read by the boat operator. The compass should be installed as close as practicable to the centerline, with lubberline parallel to centerline. All boats have inherent varying magnetic characteristics. These are caused by various factors. Strong magnetic influences sometimes affect the ‘compass significantly, Most ofthese interferences can be eliminated by the careful location of the compass itself. It should be located as far away as possible from large ferrous metal objects, Le.. engines, ballast, electrical coils, tools, etc., electronic ‘equipment, and other apparatus with strong electrical fields. Consult the compass manufacturers installation manual for specific compass placement instructions. Electic and electronic equipment, such as radios, radio direction finders, indicators for electrical tachometers, electic windshield wipers, speakers, microphones, and other similar devices can affect the accuracy of the compass. The compass should be temporarily placed in the selected location, and all electrical accessories aboard should be operated, one at a time, to determine whether operation of specific equipment influences compass readings. Care should be taken to remove all metal tools, too! kits, and similar objects from proximity of the compass during ths test Special care should also be given to plastic steering wheels having a steel core. Such wheels should be rotated slowly and any corresponding movement of the compass card noted. If accessories ot steering wheel affect the Compass readings, the compass should be moved to an unaffected location. COMPASS ADJUSTMENT ‘Adjustment, oF compensation, of a compass is needed to offset or neutralize deviation caused by magnetic materials In the boat, especially those near the compass. Some fluxgate compasses are self-compensating. Other fluxgate Compasses may require compensation. If compensation is required, folow the compass manufacturers instructions, If following the manufacturer's directions does not give satisfactory results, the compensation procedure outined below can be used. The principles for accomplishing compensating a fluxgate compass are the same as for a ‘magnetic compass. The process may be more complicated as external magnets are often needed for accuracy better than several degrees, Compensate the Compass The compass should be compensated with equipment installed such as, but not limited to: electronics, e.g. radios, speakers, cellular telephones, direction finders, and microphones, and other similar devices, and electrical equipment, e.g, tachometer indicators, electric motors, engines, engine controls, and other accessories that can have an effect on the accuracy of the compass. Each piace of electronic and electrical equipment should be energized (e.g. including keying microphones on single side band [SSB], running reftigerator compressors) and the effect on the compass should be noted. The compass should be installed parallel to the centertine ofthe boat, and vertically located as intended for use. To compensate the ‘compass, position the boat on the cardinal headings, ie., N, S, E, W, by some means independent of the compass, itself (see FIGURE 1 The best accuracy is obtained by using a pelorus with the azimuth of the sun or a known position and a far cistant object, such as a water tower or tank on the chart. Be sure the compass compensators, ie., adjusting rods, are in a neutral position (see the compass manufacturer’ instructions). A brass screwdriver, copper or silver coin, or other nonmagnetic tool should be used to turn the compensators. If internal adjusters are not available, an external magnet can be used to achieve the same objective. © 2019 American Boat & Yacht Council, Ine 1T.7 m9 With the boat headed magnetic east, the proper adjusting rod should be rotated litle by litte until the compass shows 8 heading of exactly east, Then heading exactly west, half of the deviation should be removed. This will affect the previous adjustment, The same procedure should be followed for north and south, At that point al possible adjusting has been done. Record the compass readings when the boat is heading exactly on the intercardinal points, .e., NE, SE, SW, and NW, Record the residual deviation on permanent record or deviation card. FIGURE 1 - Cardinal Headings ‘ort magnetic heading (0), use ne NS compensators o adjust ie ‘eacing oO" A v 180° South magnate heading (180), use the N'S compensators to reause he Irdeatod ever by one-halt Ths fhe ‘Racing 18, aust to read Tez (©2019 American Boat & Yacht Council Ine 2 1 90° De ‘ca magnets nesting (09), use he Ew compensates to aust the "eacing 080. 1 ae | West magnets headng (270) use the EW conpensetorsto ecu te Irdeated err by one-hall Ts fhe ‘readings 26°, aust to read 259"