NMEA interface for Ritchie Magtronic fluxgate compass

[PaulSommers]

Does anyone know where I can get an NMEA interface for a Ritchie Magtronic fluxgate compass? I sent an email to Ritchie but have not had a reply, and they don't make the Magtronics anymore so they may not be providing any support. I would love to use it with an autopilot but that is only possible if I can translate the signal from Ritchie's proprietary format to NMEA. My sailboat is steel so I need a fluxgate that will work in that environment, and Ritchie's old compass is the only one I have found that is supposed to work on a steel hull.

--Frustrated cruiser in Washington State hoping for great ideas from Forum members

[Pblais]

My sailboat is steel so I need a fluxgate that will work in that environment, and Ritchie's old compass is the only one I have found that is supposed to work on a steel hull.

Try this link:

http://www.ritchienavigation.com/docs/MS-100.pdf

It does output NMEA data if it is the MS-100 the others do not. The ability to translate into NMEA isn't anything you can easily accomplish. Another link I found stated it needs to be mounted 5 feet above any steel deck.

[GordMay]

There is an excellent article on the problems and solutions of compasses on steel boats on the W-H Autopilots website at
Steel Boat Compass Problems