Cruising Sailors Forum Archive

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• Compass on a boat?
  • Here we go again!
    • How do you take relative bearings?
      • Yes, that is what I meant
        • I'll take you on with the napping offer!
      • Use your radar of course
        • Or, failing that, your pelorus
        • Only works when 1) radar is on; 2) object has a radar return.
          • Only takes a second to turn the radar on...
            • I've been surprised by the things that DON'T show up on radar...
              • I've had the same experiance on the radar
              • Broadband is instant on and very low power draw...
                • Forgot one thing...
                  • Same for me, picks up almost everything at close range
                  • same for me... I love Broadband.
                    • Sounds good, trouble is, Raymarine does not offer one, so I would need to change everything.
                      • me too. I checked today.
                        • DougR
                      • No, you'd just have to change the CP and scanner
                        • Well that's two chart plotters and a scanner...
                          • Would you do a mixed system?
                            • No room for two scanners.
    • I (and crew) had to handsteer acoss the Gulf
  • Really?
    • I have come up with a very good reason to replace the compass
  • I remember Evans Starzinger asking himself that same question.
    • Explain to me other than "it's traditional" why I should replace a broken tool that hasn't been used in 10 years
      • Also note that I'm a very good DR guy, can read the sun very accurately as well as follow the stars
        • Back prior to the invention of GPS I
      • Then, don't get a compass.
      • Last summer a friend of mine and I were delivering his
        • In daylight, with good visibility, I can sail a straight course without a compass
          • Is there any advantage to a digital compass?
            • Not much at all, and I prefer mechanical myself
          • Without a reference?
            • Me thinks that is a bit o' streatch too...
            • 1 hour watches
            • There are references all around
              • sailing vrs making a destination... two different things.
                • I don't want to be indelicate here
                  • Agree with everything you mentioned...
              • Ok, I gotcha
            • I sailed for several hours downwind in 35+ knts, in the dark, and never glanced at the compass.
              • Never say never, always avoid always.
                • Always certain, often wrong.
          • I suppose. It would all depend on
            • Situations with a large land mass to one side...
    • Compasses can turn to "toast" too...
  • Again I cite that you can sail without electricity at all...
    • For clarity, solar panels work fine without any controller at all
      • Solar panels with internal diodes are more sensitive
        • We had two vhf antennas hit
          • One panel was damaged
  • I only use a compass when I sleep
    • Bedside compass idea.
      • Telltale instrument..
      • MFD (Multi-Function-Display), as DDW pointed-out
        • telltale copmass
          • wow!
    • Our compass ove our V-berth....
  • Our real life usage....
    • Yes, I can't hand steer with no visibility without a manual compass either
    • I always write down the compass direction to clear water when possible.
  • Yeh of continuing faith.
    • I doubt many were thinking about removing their compasses before autopilots gained such widespread acceptance...
      • I agree that I prefer a manual compass
      • Damn, look at all the buttons...
      • Putting a display FLAT is not such a good idea