I don't map enough to call myself a mapper, but I do have the compass you have, a
Silva/Brunton 54LU.
I found a
Suunto KB-14 on ebay for about half of retail price. There is also a
Suunto KB-20 which is cheaper, but plastic. If you like sighting, I doubt it makes a difference.
I'm aware of three methods to transfer angles to the map:
1. A board with north lines and a compass.
2. A sighting compass.
3. A long baseplate.
With 1, you line up the compass to the north lines and draw the line by eye.
With 2, you read the angle, and then use another tool to transfer that angle to the mylar. (With the Silva/Brunton 54LU, you can use the capsule to transfer the angle.)
With 3, you aim the baseplate at an object, turn the capsule to north, and then use the compass itself to draw the line on the mylar. Moscow Compass makes a long mapping baseplate, but I can't find an image of it.
I have used all three, but I'm not even close to being an authority. I like 1 for adding details in a small area. I like 3 for the additional reassurance of getting farther objects a little more accurately. I tend to use 2 for when I want the best accuracy for stuff that's really far away. The additional step of transferring the angle to another tool adds time and the possibility for error.
I know people who swear by 1 and think the other ways are a waste of time. I also know people who do 3 all the time and think 1 is too inaccurate. For me the biggest issue is the quality of the basemap. If it's good, you don't have issues with long-distance alignment. But if your basemap is bad, you need to be careful lining up distant features.
(If you send me the photo, I can host it and provide a link to it.)