Using the compass or not?

[chromer]

Main system is Raymarine C-80 with radar
Backup 1 is iPhone 3G with Navionics app/chart (I like this)
Backup 2 is a handheld VHF with rudimentary charting and GPS (kindof old now)
Backup 3 is a handheld compass

[Chester]

When we lost power to the nav system in the San Juans we found the abilty to take bearings using the binoculars built in compass more helpful than the just using main compass.

[Chris Bulovsky]

I'm reading about the probability of GPS failure. Yes it happens but you ever have your compass point you the wrong direction?

I was on the North side of Isle Royale when the GPS said to go one way and the compass said another. Visual references confirmed the Compass was wrong. I moved the boat less than a quarter mile and the compass rebounded and was in agreement with the GPS again. I'm no geologist but the hefty iron/oar deposits in the area may have some thing to do with that and may explain the high number of ship wrecks that pepper Isle Royale.

It was a humbling experience. I totally understand how big boat can plow into the shoals in low visibility. That had me and my buddy on edge when the fog rolled in a couple of days later. It really made us slow way down and be a little more deliberate with our navigation.

Chris Bulovsky

[journey on]

All mechanical/electronic things have problems. But, if you understand those problems and work with them they're wonderful. If they don't, you better have a Plan B.

Your chart plotter/GPS gives absolute position: here is where you are supposed to be and here is everything else that's supposed to be there.. A compass gives relative direction to North. A radar will give you what is needed most relative position: here is where you are relative to that island/ship/whatever. It's the only instrument that can see through fog or darkness. To do a good job all the time you need to use them all. Just look at all the wrecks caused by fog, wrong dead reckoning and bad guesses before we had those instruments.

And if they malfunction, you need to have the knowledge to recognize that and go to plan B. That's where pager charts and a compass come in. Its not that they're the best thing to use, but they're certainly the most dependable.

You just have to know what to use when. And you'd better have the correct stuff on board for the right situation. That includes a compass and paper charts.

I'm not sure why I wrote this, but Chris' note started me. Chris, you're to blame for this post, unless you already have a radar.

Boris

[Chris Bulovsky]

No radar yet Boris. As much as I would like to drop some coin on fabulous electronics my budget has limitations. Yeah I could probably could sacrifice my other hobbies/passions but that lead to deep depression and subsequent visits to mental health wards and the cascading bills all ending in a failed marriage........then I 'll living in a "VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER"well you see my point. This all over a Radar unit.


You tube the "Van down by the river" if you don't get the joke!


Chris Bulovsky

[journey on]

Chris, I'm sorry about that comment. Blame it on old age and getting my truck running, neither of which I want.

The subject of "all the modern equipment we use, and I'm gonna get rid of my compass and charts" just gets me going, not that that's what you posted.

Though radars are cheap, $1300. And I'm incoherent, and that truck
will run today.

Boris

[Chris Bulovsky]

Boris- No apologies needed. Please comment away. This is how I learn stuff. I for one find great value in the opinions of the experienced.

Chris Bulovsky

[Robbi]

Harvey, Here is the compass that I use. It is nice because it can be mounted in any inclination, even upside down. It can also be used as a hand held compass for taking bearings.

http://www.ahoycaptain.com/shop/pl_iris100.html

Robbi

[breausaw]

The previous owner of TripleJ was active Coastguard, so it pleased me that smack dab in front of the wheel was a nice big compass. Even though my chart platter is right there along side, once I have established a barring I use the compass. I find it easier to maintain a true course this way, the lag time associated with the GPC has me all over the place…especially in fog.

[thataway]

I would not rely on my i phone G3 as a back up--the GPS is not accurate enough. I have also heard stories that when at sea, and in Mexico etc the positions are even worse than when near cell towers. It sort of puzzles me why apple does not put a better chipset in the i phone.

As for a back up compass, I like the hockey puck type--it is a very accurate hand bearing compass, as well as being readable from over it.

As for an overhead compass--the "Tell tale" type of compass is what is needed, but you cannot easily offset the reading.



As beautiful as these are, they are not really practical for reading a course, especially from one side.

There are definately times when a compass is a life saver. For example one time we had to "cut and run" from an anchorage in almost zero visability--It was before chartplotters, but even with a chart plotter, the delay of a bearing could have been fatal. The pre-determined compass course took us right out of the harbor into the safety of the open sea. It is always a good idea to take a bearing to safety--as well as how the boat is lying at anchor when you bed down for the night.

[hardee]

Robbi,

Cool compass, thanks for the link. I have seen them before but never thought about mounting that one overhead.

We use the binocular compass for a handbearing compass. Works great for that. (Like fixing an anchor position.)

Harvey
SleepyC

[Levitation]

We have all the same electronic goodies in aircraft that these boats have, plus having VOR and ILS magic boxes to lead us to an airport and guide us to the ground...
Still, it is against the law to leave the ground without an installed compass that has been swung and has a correction card posted..

While there is no compass law/requirement for boats (colregs maybe?) that I am aware of, not having a properly functioning compass and a chart (even an old tattered one) is foolish...

IF a compass were a multi thousand dollar device I might be sympathetic to those who scorn it... Given the low cost, works day or night, requires no power, and has a track record going back thousands of years, it is a no brainer...

[Alyssa Jean]

Aside from the obvious possible electronic failure. Assume you are dead in the water or barely moving. It's foggy. What compass direction are you heading? Your GPS won't tell you, you have to be moving for it to figure out what your course is. You should always have a compass of some sort on board.
Of course if you are not moving you aren't going any direction anyway, so maybe to some that is a mute point.

[Jim & Dara]

We recently had some of our soft keys as well as the Lat/Long read out fail on our new Raymarine C-80. I realized it is time address the compass I have taped to the dash.

After purchasing a Ritchie at West Marine I've been reluctant to permanently mount the compass because I don't understand how to verify that the compass is reading true or adjust it if required. My internet searches haven't been fruitful to date...

Does anybody have advice for a rookie?

I would like to mount it next to my chartplotter

[1TUBERIDER]

I have at the helm a chart plotting gps, radar, depth finder, a back up gps, vhf and a backup handheld vhf.

I also have a dash mounted compass and a larger compass near the throttles, charts and a line with a steel weight (anchor setup).

I used to fish with just a compass and chart, now I would not dream of going offshore with out the electronics on a day with limited visibility.

What I like about the chart plotter, is that I can pick the rocky points I want to fish without translating paper charts to positions on a gps. I can also go back to where I had my last bite if trolling.