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Compass recommendations - what to consider - binnacle mount

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Can't have no responses at all after 24 hours, so...

I'd say, whatever compass makes the best decoration--because that's mostly all a whisky compass is in the era of GPS--and multiple backup GPSs..

The one remaining use for a binnacle compass is steering a course if the chartplotter goes out.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
The one that looks exactly like mine is for sale today at WM for $599.99.

If buying one, I would probably also shop around further. Considering the cost to rebuild an old one, I would probably not want a used one off of eBay, tho.
 
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Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
Check out the compass repair shops. Most sell refurbished Ritchie and Danforth models for $200-300.

Vikingcompass.com
 
Can't have no responses at all after 24 hours, so...

I'd say, whatever compass makes the best decoration--because that's mostly all a whisky compass is in the era of GPS--and multiple backup GPSs..

The one remaining use for a binnacle compass is steering a course if the chartplotter goes out.

Thanks Christian.

The skipper who taught is was pretty old school school and wouldn’t let us use gps. It kind of stuck.

Although we are planning to upgrade the gps and have a handheld as a backup

Shannon
 
Thanks again

Thanks for the tips. I think may look at refurbishing the one we have. We believe it’s a [FONT=&quot]Riviera Genoa. The diaphragm seal was torn and the fluid has almost drained out and the dome is yellowed, but somehow it did seem to work somewhat when we were out.

I think part of the fun of owning a boat is figuring out how to fix it [/FONT]
 

Teranodon

Member III
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the only use for a binnacle compass (other than as a nice decoration) is steering a magnetic heading. This, in turn, happens primarily in open water when there are no landmarks on the horizon. How many Ericson sailors do that on a regular basis? Here in the "Salish Sea" (the former Puget Sound) it never happens, except in fog.

On the other hand, a handbearing (hockey puck) compass has lots of uses. I'm always reaching for mine, I know.

Whenever I've sailed on blue water (e.g., Atlantic crossing) I would try to sail magnetic courses. I was terrible at it, even after weeks of practice. Something in the way my brain works. Every time I stopped staring at the compass, the boat would drift off course. Bad genes, I guess.
 
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kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author
Compass Use

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the only use for a binnacle compass (other than as a nice decoration) is steering a magnetic heading. This, in turn, happens primarily in open water when there are no landmarks on the horizon. How many Ericson sailors do that on a regular basis? Here in the "Salish Sea" (the former Puget Sound) it never happens, except in fog.

On the other hand, a handbearing (hockey puck) compass has lots of uses. I'm always reaching for mine, I know.

Whenever I've sailed on blue water (e.g., Atlantic crossing) I would try to sail magnetic courses. I was terrible at it, even after weeks of practice. Something in the way my brain works. Every time I stopped staring at the compass, the boat would drift off course. Bad genes, I guess.

I've sometimes used the compass to work out the new heading to follow after tacking ~90 degrees when I have a non sailor at the helm especially if no land marks available and I'm busy on the sheets.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
...watching the needle...

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the only use for a binnacle compass (other than as a nice decoration) is steering a magnetic heading. This, in turn, happens primarily in open water when there are no landmarks on the horizon. How many Ericson sailors do that on a regular basis? Here in the "Salish Sea" (the former Puget Sound) it never happens, except in fog.

On the other hand, a handbearing (hockey puck) compass has lots of uses. I'm always reaching for mine, I know.

Whenever I've sailed on blue water (e.g., Atlantic crossing) I would try to sail magnetic courses. I was terrible at it, even after weeks of practice. Something in the way my brain works. Every time I stopped staring at the compass, the boat would drift off course. Bad genes, I guess.

All good points. I recall that over a decade ago with my wife joined me for a delivery down the WA coast (Cal 34-3) we both got very used to steering a course by matching the "swing" of the needle from side to side as the boat moved around in the seas. This was at night, well over 15 miles off shore. Nothing outside the boat to see to orient by. Beautiful night, BTW.

More recently, I was driving in big seas, during a rough crossing of the Columbia bar, and found that my compass was a Great help to stay on course, even with a large plotter mounted nearby. There is always some latency in the GPS information and the compass was very helpful.
 
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toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
it never happens, except in fog.

So, like, every morning then :egrin:

When I had my boat on the lower Columbia, I steered by the compass all the time. Even though you can see the shore or the next buoy now, in five minutes you might be in fog. This has happened every time* I’ve crossed the bar.








Well, it sounds better than "both times." Although I think it was that way the time that I wasn't driving, too ;)
 
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Grizz

Grizz
A Freshwater Inland Sea Compass Viewpoint

This is a late-breaking compass related check-in from the middle of the continent...

A 2018 file was created last summer entitled 'Unanticipated Consequences', after the installation of the new B&G Zeus Chartplotter onto the binnacle guard. It was a fantastic upgrade, transporting us from analog Datamarine World and into full digital mode. The pod swivels on an arm, intended to be viewed from either a port, aft or starboard position (successful!). Unfortunately, it was discovered early in the season that certain pod positions throws the Ritchie Globemaster completely out of whack (a highly technical term for 'way off').

The investment in the B&G's array of options far outweighed the Unanticipated Consequences of the compass SNAFU. As stated previously by others, unless the entire canopy of satellites is hijacked by a Rogue Nation State, the critical need for an accurate magnetic compass has been made largely unnecessary.

That said, there still remains a use for this Ritchie Globemaster, especially at night, even if the B&G has inflicted a disorientation variable onto it: the 'lubber lines' around the compass' circumference provide great reference points of heading, especially when seated on the port/starboard side, helming with 1 hand, in pitch dark conditions. Yes, the B&G has heading, VMG and Boat Speed visible. But finding that lubber line and seeing that it's toggling between 90*-95* (as an example) is a quick means to confirm 'we're still on course'.

Others may have different experiences with their compasses, this inserted as 1 opinion. Have a great day. Take care.
 
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