Raymarine C-80 - compass needed?

[flapbreaker]

So far I really like the c-80 but when crabbing the bays I do notice that if I don't keep moving the chartplotter doesn't know what direction I'm heading. So I was wondering if anyone is using an electronic compass patched in through seatalk? I don't really know if this would solve anything for the C-80 as it's not covered in detail in the manual but I'm guessing that it would help. Any thoughts?

[Casey]

Just a thought.

If you're thinking of installing a compass in addition to the C-80 system, you might want to think about a regular old magnetic compass.

It would provide bombproof redundancy (from what I'm told, magnetism is here to stay), and probably a lot cheaper than an electronic compass, and needn't take up much space. There are endless choices. Before you go spend big bucks on a regular navigation compass, consider how often you'll actually be using it (maybe not that often since the electronic systems are very reliable). Something like a smallish "Boy Scout" compass or a kayaker-type compass will work and allow you to locate/relocate it (velcro is wonderful...) anywhere in the boat.

I keep my old "Scout" compass in a small basket beside the helm, and although we haven't had a need to use it - nice to know it's there.

"Be Prepared!"

Casey
C-Dory Naknek

[MichaelOnTheClaraMae]

Casey is right. Do yourself a favor and mount a good quality compass at the helm. And stow a paper chart of the areas you boat in. One day it will happen and all of your electronic screens will go blank. It will happen on that one, overcast day, that you ventured into unfamiliar waters.

[flapbreaker]

Thanks for the advice guys. I do plan on installing an "old school" compass as well. I guess I just wanted to know if I added an electronic one to the c-80 would that keep the map orientated correctly when your at a near idle?

[flagold]

The small compass connected to Seatalk is designed to give target compass directions with MARPA. The direction your own boat is going still comes off the satelites.

[MichaelOnTheClaraMae]

I know what you mean. I have a Garmin chart plotter and a Raymarine autopilot with an electronic compass. Since the two talk to each other, you would think there would be an option on the Garmin to use the heading info from the Raymarine compass instead of the GPS. Unless the boat is moving, the heading on the Garmin is incorrect. It is a little aggravating when trying to orient yourself in the AM on the chart plotter after swinging with the tides the night before. I just haven't been aggravated enough to spend any time on it I guess.

[Sneaks]

I hope I'm not accused of hijacking the thread but I know the C-80 folk are reading this and it's just a quick question for you C-80 owners:

Specs seem to say that to get the radar overlay to work it needs the electronic compass input. I would think that would only be true if the boat wasn't moving. True?

[flagold]

I think they're referencing MARPA again. Map overlay works, and so does targeting, but the overlay of target heading will not (so that portion of overlay will not work).

Thinking of it this way helped me: take that compass right out of my boat and set it on the helm of the boat I'm tracking with the overlay. Now on my unit I'm seeing the compass direction the captain of that vessel is seeing (along with its speed, and ETA to my "safety" zone ring -- it has nothing to do with my own navigation -- but eveything to do with (moving) target avoidance.

If that's wrong, somebody correct me, I'm just repeating what I was told.

[Sneaks]

Thankyew flagold. You answered the burning question, which was "do overlays work while underway without installing the very expensive and touchy electronic compass." The target track and whether it works correctly with the boat motionless if MARPA is unavailable isn't that important to me at this point.

Again, thanks, and back to the topic subject.

Don