Changed my Mind about Compass

[sketchrbob]

I spent a good part of yesterday looking at pictures of a lot of your C Dorys -- something I should have done before I attempted to write about the "Best Compass" for a C Dory. I learned a lot about you and your boats.

I learned that you really do not use your compasses very much and some of you do not have a compass at all! I also learned that you really do not have much space on dash in front of the wheel and that space of often taken up by a 12" Chart Plotting GPS.

These not only take up the dash space but also partially block the windshield! I know all about that -- at one point my wife would say "You stare at that screen so much, you are not enjoying being out on the water -- you might as well be home playing a video game on your computer". And that was a 4" screen! And of course she was right. When we first get these new toys we become obsessed or absorbed by them.

At some point we should realize they are just a navigation tool and relegate them to their proper place on the boat. What did I find that you use for compasses? There were quite a few bracket mounts, some Ritchie "Anglers" and other small compasses. Did the C Dory Builders ever supply compasses as standard equipment? If so what did they provide? I only saw one compass that was mounted as it should be -- on Bob Austin's TomCat. Right in front of the wheel.

I did also see that you really love these boats and the projects you have done on them are fantastic. Really a joy to see.

OK now for some suggestions. The way I like to use a compass is to take a heading provided by the GPS and steer to it by the compass -- not staring at itr but occasionally glancing at it. I gather that most of you navigate your boats sitting down. In order to make it easy to use the compass you have to be able to read it at a glance. Direct Read compasses can be read most easily that way.
It should be a medium sized compass -- easy to read -- but not taking up too much of that precious dash space.

Looking at the available compasses with these thoughts in mind, I would recommend you take a look at the Ritchie Voyager, Model S87 surface mount. The list price is $222.83 but Hamilton Marine sells it for $119.99. It has a combo card which means that you can read it directly sitting down but as an open face standing up.

I like to stand some of the time while steering and I imagine you do too. I would mount the compass a little to the left side of the dash maybe about half way from the center of the wheel to the left edge of the dash, so you can easily see it standing . Then you can mount your GPS toward the right side. I really like the arrangement on C Quest with the electronics mounted under the upper shelf. They can be tilted downward there so you can easily see them at the helm.

Incidentally you really do not need a 12" screen. I used a 5" screen for quite a few years and thought it was fine. Of course I started navigating with a chart, parallel rules and a kitchen timer and then Loran, so any GPS was wonderful. But they are not fool proof as we discuss in later questions. I never owned a Radar.

I still stand by my original recommendation of the Helmsman Deck Mount but that was when I thought you had more room than you do. So I apologize for not looking at your pictures first. I have been aboard a C Dory but I had forgotten how little dash space there was.

Bob W

 

[thataway]

The reason a bracket mount compass is used on my C Dories, is that the dash area is not level, and it is easier to make a wedge of starboard for a bracket mount than a surface mount--this also puts the compass "card" up a little higher, and into the same plane of vision as the chart plotters.

The reason the chart plotters are offset toward the center of the boat, is that I like to put them below the fiberglass piller, which does create a blind spot forward. (again since you have not been aboard a C Dory, you might not know these details).

The reason my chart plotters are under the electronics shelf, and are on the "dash" is that I want them just below my line of sight, not above, where I have to crane my neck, and take my eyes off the water (or put bifocals in the upper parts of my glasses).

My my 18 foot boat, a 5" screen is adequate--for larger boats, I like at least a 6 to 7 " screen. There is more detail visible with the larger screen. The radar is used less frequently and often by the first mate (Admiral) so it is more toward the center, and higher--But in some parts of the world, and doing some types of cruising radar is essential for safety.

If you are going to put fish finder, radar and chart on one screen, then there can be justification for a 10 to 12" screen, but not to obscure lines of sight forward.

How do I use a compass in todays world (my 18 footer always has its compass aboard, even though I may not have the GPS or fish finder hooked up)? When I am going up the bay where my house is located, I go under a bridge. I know that I have to steer 62 degrees to the entrance to the bayou. I bring the boat to 62 degree course, and then look at the landmarks. I then run the boat, keeping my eyes on the water, and looking for other boats, as well as keeping the land marks in prospective. Every so often I check my bearing to be sure I am on course. Same when running on the ICW: I know what my compass course will be when I cross a bay or larger body of water. I put the boat on course, and note surrounding landmarks.

As for GPS and chart plotters--yes, perhaps new boaters need to learn more about navigation (and that is why we suggest that new boaters take at least a CG Aux or Power Squadron course on navigation). But they have made boating far safer (as has Radar and AIS) and easier. But the compass remains an essential tool.

 

[Sea Angel]

Well said, Bob.

On Sea Angel I have both worlds covered with a Garman 2006 on the 'dash' and a 2nd chart plotter/RADAR hanging from the electronics shelf. You are quite right abt the neck thing as I track the Raymarine C80 Chart Plotter/RADAR...... Space available for what I desired to mount at the helm can be a pain in the neck if you don't keep a full head/eyeball scan going.

As to the compass, I have learned to interpret my lubberline/heading - reading thru practice. Though I have two GPS systems,, I have lost the signal which drove my fluxgate compass nuts. You can't beat the KISS standards... No batteries needed compass. Though I must admit I do fine it a lot easier to swing my standby compass with the chart plotters and flux gate, all to cross checking each other for refinements.

Art

 

[Adeline]

If you are going to put fish finder, radar and chart on one screen, then there can be justification for a 10 to 12" screen, but not to obscure lines of sight forward.

It's also nice to watch the fishfinder from the cockpit, especially when fishing alone...

 

[Will-C]

Times are a changing, while compasses and paper charts are great. Making things easy for new boaters to navigate easily is important to sell someone on the cruising lifestyle. It's like GPS in cars versus road maps. Paying bills online versus using paper invoices,checks and postage stamps. Some of us actually use a hand held remote to steer the boat which is part of a basic point and shoot auto pilot system. The new larger screens allow folks to display bottom contours,radar and an electronic charts at the same time. I'm sure some the folks are acquainted with parallel rulers and compass roses etc. but choose the newer bigger screens because our eyes are not what they used to be. Some parts of your post sounded like you were scolding us. Which ok some of these guys really need that!
D.D.

 

[rogerbum]

If you are going to put fish finder, radar and chart on one screen, then there can be justification for a 10 to 12" screen, but not to obscure lines of sight forward.

It's also nice to watch the fishfinder from the cockpit, especially when fishing alone...

EXACTLY. Also the large screen allows for split screen displays while cruising - radar + GPS, sounder + GPS, GPS zoomed in + GPS zoomed out. I've used all of these at one time or another and I couldn't do that on my older, smaller GPS in my previous 22. So to my mind, the larger screen is more important than the compass placement.

This is especially the case on a faster boat (like a TomCat) as one can really benefit from the split screen zoomed in / zoomed out GPS display. On a sailboat or displacement type cruiser, the terrain passes by slowly enough that such things don't make much of a difference. However, at 30kts, it's nice to not only see the things very close to the boat but to also see a few miles out (especially with AIS integrated with the GPS).

Bob - the factory has never supplied a compass as standard equipment to my knowledge. All electronics and instrumentation was added on at the dealer (with the exception that for a time the factory was also a dealer). So what you see on these boats was the personal preference of the buyer (as advised by a dealer) or what a dealer put on as part of their stock packaging.

 

[Captains Cat]

I'm taking the USCG Auxiliary Advanced Coastal Nav course right now on a Webinar. Interesting that we're using the same chart I used when I went through OCS in 1964. Didn't even HAVE GPS then, we used Loran stuff for the problems. Deviation and Variation problems along with current set and drift in a cruise scenario can get quite tricky! Along with using Light Lists, manual tide tables (with corrections applied to key sites) make it very interesting.

Charlie

 

[Dora~Jean]

The way I like to use a compass is to take a heading provided by the GPS and steer to it by the compass -- not staring at itr but occasionally glancing at it.

Yep, exactly the way I use it along with my GPS, less complicated, keeps my eyes ahead on the water where they belong. I have a 5" Ritchie (I believe) flat card, reading on the rear portion, love it. I enjoy your suggestions.

 

[sketchrbob]

I guess I got carried away! I said the best compass for your C Dory is the one you are using right now. I should have quit right there. Sorry about that. Bob W

 

[starcrafttom]

Good commits, I use a gps as it is a lot more accurate then any person with a compass and a map..I have done a lot of land nav in the middle of the night and I know that even on a good night standing on land, not drifting with a current, with good land marks I will only be able to come with in 40 yards of where I am standing. anything else on a map of 1000yard scale is just guessing. the gps on my phone of the way to work to day was never more the a lane of traffic off.

Now I have heard from several people that they had the gps show then going over land??? no you had a chart that had land in the wrong place. the gps info was correct your chart is off in that area and its the same chart you would use with a compass , so off is off. My gps has accurately measured the distance across my living room to with in 3 ft. Now you try that by reading a map and shoot a bearing to two land marks from the corners of your living room and let me know how that works out for you :wink:

Now I do carry a small compass , same one I carried in the corps, thats with a S :roll: . Its for a emergency should one arise. If its foggy out it will do you little good other knowing what direction you are headed. You can not start using a compass after you are in the fog to find your position. You have to know before you are in the fog, With a gps you will know all the time.

I carry a chart plotter and a hand held gps and compass. after that you should just drop anchor and wait for help because you are in deep do-do by that point.