Compass Location?

dogon dory · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 1:07 am Post subject:

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

True Story · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:12 am Post subject:

What I would like to find is a good sized (readable) compass I could hang below the electronic shelf on the right side. But, I haven't noticed one designed for this type of installation. Perhaps somebody could point me in the right direction? Seems to me this location would almost be in the line of sight which I think is important and likely, far enough away from the typical sources of interference.

Tim

rogerbum · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:27 am Post subject:

I've been looking a bit for compasses that can be mounted under a shelf and haven't found any designed that way. I don't see why one couldn't use a bulk head mount type and fabricate a bracket either out of wood or aluminum though.

Roger on the SeaDNA

SeaSpray · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 1:09 am Post subject:

I have my compass mounted to the overhead. I could have mounted it under the shelf but did not want it right under the radio. I did have to make an angled pice of wood for mounting but was not much work. The wood makes it level and the mounting bracket is screwed to it. Stuck the wood up with 4200.
I will try to get some pics up by this weekend.
Steve

MOOSE · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 11:18 am Post subject:

Though admitedly somewhat unconventional (the story of my life...), I mounted a Ritchie Helmsman on the bulkhead below my right (er, starboard) knee while sitting at the helm. I did so because of electrical interference higher up. I find I don't use the compass a lot, but when I want to, all it requires is a quick glance down to get the approximate bearing and this location puts the compass more directly in line with my point of view than one placed on the dash in the center of the boat. Perhaps not ideal, but we do what we can with limited space.
Al

SeaSpray · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 11:33 pm Post subject:

Hi Guys,
I took some pics and added them to my album. Page three has pics of my compass. I take it out of the bracket for trailering and put it in a nice bag that came with it ( forgot to remove it last time and it was just fine).

I have only been out once since installing it but it seemed to not be affected by the electronics and is easy to see.

Steve

True Story · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 12:44 am Post subject:

I'm with you Moose. I also put my compass on the side of the wall that I write with although I'd ultimately prefer not to have to look down to read it. I get a similar sensation when taking my eyes off the road to use my cell phone in the truck.

True Story · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 12:51 am Post subject:

Thanks Sea Bran for the photos. Nice install job. That might just be the ticket for me. Tim

CAVU · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 1:15 am Post subject:

Seabran,
This doesn't have anything to do with your compass, but I noticed that on your undersink photo, you don't have any insulation on the Wallas exhaust pipe. When I bought my boat used it didn't have it either. I would have thought that it was standard equipment? Anyway I ordered a short section from Scan Marine in Seattle. That pipe gets pretty hot and if something under the sink rests against it-could melt it.

Pat Anderson · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:18 am Post subject:

OK, now I agree with the heretic here...the only way we are going to get into trouble with our chartplotter / handheld backup GPS combo is if the government turns the satellites off. We HAVE paper charts, and took the Power Squadron course - the problem we soon found with traditional coast piloting techniques is, you have to know where you are to figure out where you are going. This can be tough until you have acquired enough time to recognize what you are seeing on shore, and even then, as Austin observed, one island looks pretty much like another (except Speiden, I can always recognize Speiden!) Nope, we are firmly planted with both feet in the satellite age! And I can make change by counting up in my head, too!

Pat Anderson · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:23 am Post subject:

Yeah, I guess you don't have to compensate for tide too much in Spokane! Seriously, trying to follow a heading on a compass in the fog, with wind and tide? Nope, give me a good GPS route to follow...also, I don't troll, so that is a non-factor.

On the "no GPS heading info when going slow" there is a solution, in fact it might be a necessity - either an electronic compass or an autopilot hooked up to your chartplotter for fast heading update (Les recommends one or the other with every C80 system). We opted not to get the electronic compass, since I have since seen the light on the necessity of the autopilot (sorry, Bill!) and am just gathering another two BOAT units...

Little Catelyn · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject:

While these fluxgate compasses may be more accurate, they are not immune to this mounting location problem. My fluxgate and heading sensor are mounted on the bulkhead under the Wallas --- probably one of the best locations to mount these EXCEPT when you store canned goods in the galley cabinet. A storage bin in the galley cabinet containing a couple of canned goods slid aft while underway and caused the fluxgate to be off by a little over 20 degrees. When it occurred to me what was going on I moved the offending bin and everything returned to normal. But since that time I have had problems with the compass being off --- I think that I will need to recalibrate the compass.

Corwin

SeaSpray · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2005 8:30 pm Post subject:

Ken,
I have tried to keep plastic stuff from getting up against the exit pipe but had no idea you could insulate it. Is there a pic somewhere that shows this - what do you use to insulate it?

Nice looking folding steps!

Steve