Shannon & Doran Jones
Member III
We are shopping for a new compass for our 30+. Any thoughts or recommendations?
Thanks in advance!
Shannon
Thanks in advance!
Shannon
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.
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.
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.
it never happens, except in fog.