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George, the sweet spot is relative to the capability of the computer to create 
a deviation equation/table which, although you won't see it, may be as curvy 
as your favorite Greek goddess.  Also relevant to the sweet spot is the need 
to be "far enough" away from transient field sources, such as electrical 
cables or transmitting antennas, but this isn't part of the deviation 
question.

Do steel vessels exist in your area, George?  Ferries, commercial fishing 
boats, yachts, etc?  How about taking a trip down reality lane and finding 
them?  I'll bet at least some have autopilots.  And at least some of those 
use a fluxgate or equivalent as direction input.  How are their sensor 
assemblies mounted in the real world?  You'll see, if you choose to look and 
ask, the successful installations are pretty simple, and rarely high on the 
mast as you (and Bowditch-2002) think are needed.

No idea what "warship bristle" means - an armchair term?  Going aloft isn't a 
big deal.  Maintenance gets done and new sailors get initiated.

One author's very short synopsis of the still prevailing point of view, 
regarding aluminum superstructures vs. battle damage in the Falklands War, 
can be found here:

http://www.hazegray.org/faq/smn6.htm

Scroll down to sections F.6 and F.7.  Not mentioned is the maintenance 
headache - gasketing  was used to isolate the very, very special steel from 
normal steel in a mostly futile attempt to prevent bi-metallic corrosion.  On 
my ships you could see holes where the very, very special steel bulkheads met 
the normal steel main deck.  The very, very special steel in the Oliver 
Hazard Perry class frigates was also in the hull.  Back to the topic: 
fluxgates were installed on all-steel Naval vessels, before the ring laser 
gyros were proven and retrofitted, and they worked.

Joe


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