Using the compass or not?

[CAVU]

I just read a couple of posts on another thread advising someone that they probably didn't need a compass since they could use the GPS. That got me to thinking about how I have always navigated using the GPS and compass. I have never owned one of the mapping type units and with my older technology GPS I have always put in a waypoint, checked the bearing to the point and turned the boat on the compass to that heading. After a minute or two, I check the cross-track error and make minor corrections on the compass to stay on course. With my older GPS unit, if I try to use the steering arrow I end up S-turning back and forth across the course track because it is too slow reacting. I am curious if the new units are easier to follow your track without reference to the compass? I have navigated this way for so long I don't think I would ever be comfortable without a good compass. Curious how others would use their units.

[Pat Anderson]

Compass? What's a compass??

[Larry H]

What's a compass?

It's the thing that can point the correct direction to get you out of the fog AFTER THE GPS QUITS due to power failure, broken antenna or wire, or the chip inside the GPS just dies.

[Casey]

Interesting topic.

I'm generally a very conservative, safety oriented boater, but when we bought Naknek I didn't even bother with an "installed" compass on the limited dash space that was available. I find the GPS aspects of the Raymarine system totally acceptable (the mediocre C-Map cartography is another matter...).

Having said that, I wouldn't go out without my old handheld GPS as a backup system! I think redundancy is very important, and the higher the technology, the greater the opportunity it may fail; often with serious consequences. We RELY on technology and it works MOST of the time; so BE PREPARED.

With that in mind, you will also find my fifty year old Boy Scout handheld compass in its permanent spot next to the helm; just in case!

Casey
C-Dory Naknek

[Mr. Fisherman]

I for one would NEVER go out without a compass. I have a chartplotter and a backup hand held backup, but I would NEVER be without my PAPER chart and my compass.
I would not recommend it.
Too many things can happen. I think that todays electronics give folks a false sense of security. It is too easy for electronic systems to go south and then what are you going to do?
Chart AND compass. Don't leave home without them. There are lots of compasses out there... small ones, flush mount etc. Surely you can find one that will work for you.
It is important to have the compass installed AND calibrated for your vessel and that it be mounted such that electronics and communications equipment do not affect the bearing.
The more I fish offshore the more value I put on the old school equipment... When it comes to something that can help me find my way home I am all about affording one on my boat.

[rascal]

the boat should not leave the dock without an accurate compass.......electronics fail.
ras

[MOOSE]

Last year we had had a problem with our chartplotter that Raymarine thought was related to a faulty GPS antenna. After changing out the antenna the unit worked perfectly until a couple of weeks later while on our trip on Lake Superior. After the first night at anchor we turned the unit on to be greeted again by a “NO FIX” display. After a few choice epithets, we decided to continue our 250 mile trip on map and compass. We did so without incident whereas proceeding without them would have been foolhardy. There’s nothing like the comfort of both belt and suspenders.
Al

[Robbi]

I think that a handheld is a good backup, and I also agree that a backup, either mounted or handheld is vital. Robbi

[Sneaks]

[CAVU]

I hope I didn't come across as critical of anyone's decision about a compass as I am sure everyone has some type aboard. I was more interested in navigation technique and using the compass in conjuntion with the GPS. As a side note, if you have paper charts with a good depth finder aboard, you can do a good job of coastal nav by following depth contours in the fog. I often used this technique fishing around the corner at Neah Bay when all I had was a very cranky LORAN unit and a compass. I couldn't agree more with all the statements about back-up units. I even carry a back-up compass(small handheld). Three years ago while fishing off the west coast of Vancouver Island, the rough water caused my main compass, a Ritche mid-price model, to come off its pivot and the card was jammed useless against the side of the dome! You can't be too careful.

[Byrdman]

No compass on board at all not a good idea to me, but I do not take up space to mount one. Have the Raymarine chart plotter mounted, the Garman 76S for back-up redundancy, compass (or two...have not dug that deep in the bag in a while) always in the "just keep this bag on the boat bag..", mounted VHF, hand held VHF again for back-up redundancy, binoculars...wow... you can see further on the roof!!! If I get lost with all of that.... I might consider taking up knitting...indoors, at home, on land. From what I see of most C-Dory owners.... find your way around stuff is generally not in short supply. Most of us drive cars instead of walking too. That big ol most of the time floating/spinning compass might be loosing its appeal as a mount it there and leave it item..

[flagold]

I would encourage everyone to simply get a "Kayaker" compass. I velcro'd mine to the dash, but you can also use the adhesive tape that comes with it if preferred. It has a big glass bezel that is large enough to read at a glance, and sitting flush on the dash, looks like one of the big buck in dash installation mounts, but you can move it anywhere you like. $17-24.

[El and Bill]

Compass aboard is a must! Electronics can fail. Even backups can fail. But, the question is - what compass? A big one mounted on the limited space of the dashboard, that is really only there as a backup to the backup? Not for us. Like Casey, we have a primary Garmin GPS system that has a beautiful compass display and a backup handhelp GPS (in our ditch bag) with a good compass display AND a Boy Scout handheld compass that has had a lot of experience taking bearings from the scouting days, and even from the boating with LORAN days. That little compass is all we need and I think has greater usefulness than a mounted compass. I can take accurate bearings to land points, lights at night, etc. with the handheld that would be a problem with a mounted compass, unless you want to spend time swinging your boat around from bearing to bearing.
We also second the motion that navigating by depth sounder can also be a good "backup" -- in dense fog, with radar and GPS going, we also routinely track the depth with the chartplotter and sounder.

[B~C]

Me like compass, I'm always comparing my gps info with the compass heading and checking steering corrections with the compass. My compass has a magnetic mount that just sticks to the back of the electric windshield wiper....did I ever tell the story about how we ended up in Guam?

[El and Bill]

Oh, and Bill forgot to mention that his wristwatch has a digital compass built in - he claims it always points to the nearest pub.