Compass suggestions?

Moderator: GreenLake

Compass suggestions?

Postby Guest » Thu Oct 26, 2000 4:03 pm

I'm thinking of buying a nice boat-mounted compass to aid me in my racing efforts. Does anyone have suggestions on size and location for mounting?

Kevin Clark
Dallas, TX

Kevin Clark (clarkr-at-usa.alcatel.com)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Thu Oct 26, 2000 8:19 pm

Kevin,
I bought a compass and located it atop the cuddy between the tw cleats. I think it works quite well. I bolught a $19.99 special from Hamilton Marine. E

Eric J. Nelson (nelsonjnelson-at-msn.com)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Fri Oct 27, 2000 7:33 am

Kevin,

I have a Suunto B-95, and originally mounted it on a home made post below the cuddy top. The post also supported a deck that worked great on camping trips and kept stuff dry. I removed the deck and post this spring to lighten the load (50 pounds) for more serious racing, and had to find a new place for the compass. Bought a purpose made bracket from APS (www.apsltd.com) for 29.95 to mount on the mast. It worked well, but had to be mounted and removed each time I trailered the boat, and that was not easy or convenient. Then I lost the slug that fit in the mast slot and just left the compass off. I just recently found that they have a strap on accessory to solve the mounting/removal problems. However, since I race on inland lakes, with shore always in sight, I was readily able to detect lifts and headers by watching the relative postion of landmarks on shore, while trimming to the telltales. As an added benefit there was one less thing for me to keep track of during our highly contested racing. Bottom line, I don't think that being without a compass was a detriment for the conditions I race under.

Lee

Lee Peterson (leep-at-means.net)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Fri Oct 27, 2000 9:09 am

Why I want a compass...

I was talking w/ a guy who had crewed for a 2 time DS national champion. This guy has his crew read off compass headings every 20 seconds when beating. Even though he'd been racing 30+ years, he still trusted his compass more than his feel. That got me to thinking and since I'm an engineer and into numbers, geometry, etc..., I think it might benefit me. We'll see...

Kevin Clark
Dallas, TX

Kevin Clark (clarkr-at-usa.alcatel.com)
Guest
 

Postby Bob Hunkins » Fri Oct 27, 2000 12:10 pm

Hi Kevin,
The Ritchie Tactician I've got works well for me.
They run about $60 which is less than a lot of compasses I've seen on the market.
I've found that using a compass while racing helped me a lot, but it took me a while to get used to it. I also had to sit down with the thing last winter and think about what it would do what I got headed or lifted, - I actually went through a race in my mind to help me figure out how to read the lubber lines (there are three - one red one on centerline and two 45 degrees to either side)

If you want a compass, get one. I'm like you I like numbers and data. Feeling a header or lift is not my style. But, I admire those who can do that.
Bob Hunkins
Site Admin
 
Posts: 378
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 7:37 pm
Location: Fleet 25, Houston, Texas

Postby Guest » Fri Oct 27, 2000 1:07 pm

Bob,

I've seen that one and I did like it, but I was concerned when I read on the box that it "works up to a 25 degree heel angle". Do you think our boats exceed that when we're beating in a 15-20 knot breeze..? What has been your experience?

Kevin

Kevin Clark (clarkr-at-usa.alcatel.com)
Guest
 

Postby Bob Hunkins » Fri Oct 27, 2000 4:22 pm

I was a little concerned about the 25 degree heel angle when I first bought it, but I've never had a problem with it. It could be argued that you want to keep the heel less than 25 degrees anyway.
Bob Hunkins
Site Admin
 
Posts: 378
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 7:37 pm
Location: Fleet 25, Houston, Texas

Postby Guest » Fri Oct 27, 2000 9:55 pm

I have a Plastimo "Mini-Contest" compass on SUNBIRD, it is actually a bulkhead-style compass and I originally planned to mount it on the aft bulkhead of the cuddy, between the cb trunk and the seat riser, port-side, or between the cb control linea and the seat riser, starboard-side. Since I store my 4# Danforth anchor and 3' of chain just forward of this spot on the port side.........I knew these locations were not going to work! I considered buying the mast-mount that Plastimo makes for this compass, but it was $95 even at DEFENDER, this mount straps to the mast with a velcro strap I think. I finally made my own bracket to mount the compass to the mast inside the cuddy. I bought some teak-faced plywood from Rudy at D&R (he has lots of scrap pieces!) and the mount sort-of wraps around the mast. Since I keep my boat in the water all Summer with the mast up, this semi-permanent mount works for me, it is not hard to install/remove....but not something I would want to do every time I go out. I similar mount could be built that would be easier to take off/ put on but I'm satisfied with the way I have it at the moment. I lucked out on buying this compass, I got it for $70 at a marine consignment store.....unused and in the original box! The normal price at WEST or BOAT/US is around $100. I looked at several good compasses at the consignment stores, many were $30 or less....but most were "powerboat" compasses and would not work when the boat heels. I had originally used a RITCHIE "EXPLORER" bracket-mount compass, but never found a practical way to gimble it so that it would remain level while sailing. The Plastimo compass has a built-in inclimeter, and I seem to sail at an average heel of 15 to 25 degrees.

Rod Johnson (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)
Guest
 


Return to Miscellaneous

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests

cron