The Sailcomp 103AC is shipped from the factory with auto-compensation enabled.
Every time the vessel completes a 360° turn within the time constraints of the system,
the sensor will check its accuracy and recompensate itself if required. Both "hard"
(magnetic) and "soft" (iron) errors are automatically compensated by this procedure.
This procedure will produce excellent accuracies (±1°) even on steel hulls. The
Sailcomp 103AC may recompensate itself during normal boat use anytime the boat
completes a 360° turn within the time constraints and the resulting data is 25% better
than the previously stored data for the sensor.
Important - Read before compensating for the first time!
Intentionally compensating the Sailcomp 103AC at installation is very important to
ensuring its accuracy on your boat and is very easy to do. It involves turning your
boat through two large, lazy circles at a slow, steady speed (the circles may be slightly
out of round or elliptical if necessary). During this procedure, it is critical that the boat
remains level and slow enough (idle speed) so that a full circle takes at least 2 minutes
to complete. You cannot go too slowly, but if you go too quickly at any point while
doing the circles, the sensor is programmed to ignore the data to ensure a perfect com-
pensation.
To Compensate the Sailcomp 103AC:
1. Select a calm day and a clear area without too much current or tide. Watch out for
excessive pitching and rolling, as this can make your boat turn in surges faster than
the Sailcomp 103AC sensor will accept.
This procedure should be done under
power, not sail, if possible.
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INSTALLATION— AUTO-COMPENSATION
take 30 seconds or more to
complete 90 degrees.
circles may be clockwise
or counter clockwise.
