Do we still need a compass in our boats?

[MH Hawker]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

dont leave home with out one at night in a fog , yea it will save you a long night out on the water or your life

 

[Beefer]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Ya know, about a year ago I did a poll here about whether or not members had, or used a compass, etc. Since then, I've noticed that if I did go out 50 miles and my GPS went out, I would be able to get to land, but probably wouldn't get too close to my inlet. I have found that I don't really memorize (I look, but don't commit it to memory) my heading when I'm going out. Having a compass, and using it, and knowing how (and when) to use it, are entirely different things.

I have no idea what the purpose of my post is.... :redface:

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Definitely keep the compass. In addition, always have paper charts of the areas you're boating or planning on boating. Don't rely upon or allow yourself to become dependent upon electronic devices. They are a wonderful convenience. They can allow a disaster if relied upon completely, though.

+1...well said.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Ya know, about a year ago I did a poll here about whether or not members had, or used a compass, etc. Since then, I've noticed that if I did go out 50 miles and my GPS went out, I would be able to get to land, but probably wouldn't get too close to my inlet. I have found that I don't really memorize (I look, but don't commit it to memory) my heading when I'm going out. Having a compass, and using it, and knowing how (and when) to use it, are entirely different things.

I have no idea what the purpose of my post is.... :redface:

That is the purpose of your post. You have identified the problem. Now do something about it. A post-it pad & pencil at the helm are a great way of jotting headings and notes. I keep the log book by me in unfamiliar waters or when warnings come over the VHF on 16 from the CG. I can jot them down and reference them later when I'm approaching an area without trying to remember exactly what it was they said.

 

[KDAVID1]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

No!!

Anything electric is vulnerable to failure and a compass, though vulnerable, is still needed as a back up.

+1. This is why aircraft have regular back-ups.

 

[high'n'dry]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

I navigate with GPS but I steer by compass heading.

Yes, if you are on big water, you should have a working and usable compass.

 

[captainzac]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Boeing 787 newest aircraft out there
composite, fly by wire, glass cockpit, 0-0 landing capability, I could go on

HAS A WET CONPASS

 

[BugsBunnyBoater]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

I guess what we really need are people to teach us how to use a compass correctly. I really would love to learn to use a compass and charts.

 

[NetDoc]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

I have more than one compass on my boat. One is mounted, one is handheld for sightings and the third is on my dive gear. I'm not sure you need a mounted compass anymore, but you should at least have SOMETHING to steer you in the right direction.

Funny thing, the line of travel on your compass is called the lubber line. When compasses where first attached to sailing ships, they lacked this line. Sailors simply pointed the boat where they wanted to go looking at the lubber line free compass. Unfortunately, there were a bunch of idiots that could not accomplish this reasonably simple task. They just didn't get it and often took a wrong turn in Albuquerque. Well back then, they didn't call stupid people idiots... they called them lubbers! Hence the origin of the terms lubber line and land lubber. Remember that the next time you use that lubber line whilst you navigate.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

I doubt many would make it home in a heavy fog with just a compass and a chart

Not many, it really helps to have an accurate watch too. My grandfather never had any navaids except a compass and a stop watch on his little salmon boat but he went out in the fog and came back many times. He had to feed his family and that was his side job. I remember my dad telling stories of how he'd listen for waves as he got close to the entrance to Bodega Bay in Northern California.

 

[DANZIG]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Not really an issue where I play( I have a compass anyway) but I vote for keeping the compass.

Related:

I recently read an article about folks using those single screens that ALL the electronics and gages are displayed on,, The gist of it was, if you lose the screen you have lost everything. -- all your eggs in one basket--

 

[mbhoag]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Call me old fashioned, but I just mounted a compass in my new-to-me 1986 bass boat. I may never be in a lake big enough to have to use it, but why take a chance.

I remember back in 1976 we were on the ocean off Long Island in my dads 26' sailboat... he saw a fog rolling in from the distance, took bearing of where we were and a compass heading to the inlet for the marina. Fog hit us within about 10 minutes, so thick you could not see from bow to stern.

45 minutes later, using just the compass we powered right into the middle of the channel, with 1/2 a dozen boats following us.

I will always have a compass in my boat.

Now, can anybody teach ME how to use it??

 

[jamesgduratech]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

i think you really do need a compass. you don't really need a gps or anything fancy, you just need something that works when
the rain comes and you forgot the roof!

 

[sschefer]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

I've got Smart Craft and a Lowrance HDS-8 so I have every possible guage you'd ever want but I also have a analog tach, fuel gauge and compass. I don't know why but I just trust them more.

 

[beau262]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Keep your compass! Use your compass, love your compass!
When my wife and I are offshore we have our properly mounted Lowrance, + an ipad with 4 separate GPS apps, 2 smartphones on separate networks (3 if you count the ipad), a marine VHF radio and a handheld ham radio. Even with all that coverage I would never consider removing the compass and a book we keep on board with charts, heading and waypoints etc.

The next time you "NEED" your compass may be 50 years away from now, on your Yacht, halfway to some exotic island but becoming familiar with it today will make it a nonevent.

--

Here is a tip:
Your GPS owners manual may have a reset procedure, look it up, write it down or memorize it. A couple times when our Lowrance 540c stopped getting a fix, we power off, hold down PAGES & PWR at the same time, this performs a soft reset and the GPS comes back to life!

 

[RandyJ]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Though I know very little about how to use a compass and I have never piloted any type of boat out of sight of land... ain't no way I would ever get that far away from land without a compass.

 

[NetDoc]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Now, can anybody teach ME how to use it??

You're old fashioned! (You told me to call you that! )

As for learning how to use one, come on down to Key Largo and I'll help you out. Or, you can start here: http://www.learn-orienteering.org/old/

Or you can see if there is an orienteering club near you! http://orienteeringusa.org/clubs

 

[phillyg]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Yep, still need one. I've been "out of sight of land" in the middle of the Potomac River in a vicious thunderstorm. Would not have known my heading had I not taken a quick look at the compass before visibility shut down.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

Boeing 787 newest aircraft out there
composite, fly by wire, glass cockpit, 0-0 landing capability, I could go on

HAS A WET CONPASS

Yup - one of the airplanes I fly in for SAR is a 182 with a Garmin G1000 rig (total Star Trek flyin') ... and a wet compass hanging right over the dash.

 

[high'n'dry]

Re: Do we still need a compass in our boats?

I do not understand how or why people keep asking how to use a compass???? This is kind of a man skill like using pliers and making fire with rocks.

The compass card is magnetic and aligns itself to the earths magnetic field. The current MAGNETIC north, which moves around more than you think, is in Greenland. The magnetic north is not, is NOT, the same as TRUE north, which is the rotating axis of the earth, the so called North Pole where Santa lives.

For precision navigation you would notice that charts have magnetic declination correction which is the difference between Magnetic north and True north but for casual navigation with the compass, on open water, simply point the boat where you want to go and then notice the bearing/heading on the compass card and hold it as you steer. If you know, from GPS or a chart, the bearing too some distant location you wish to proceed to then again, simply point the boat in that direction and continue to adjust your heading until the compass card reads the same heading as the heading derived from GPS or your chart.

This is not rocket science.

JFYI, over the millions and millions of years the old earth has been around, the magnetic north has moved around considerably, even flipping/reversing. No, the earth does not flip upside down, the magnetic pole simply reverses poles. Marine, aviation and other charts are updated for changes in magnetic north declination on a regular basis.

Also, you must adjust your compass field to your boat with the little adjusting screws. This adjustment moves little bits of metal in the compass to compensate the compass for the magnetic field of your boat. Of course, if you have a big chunk of ferrous metal next to it or something that generates a magnetic field then the compass reading could be in error or inconsistent.