Compass Advice

[casampson]

I need to install a compass on my CD 25, and I am not sure what would be my best option. A bulkhead installed compass might be best, but I'm not wild about cutting a 3-inch hole in my boat. Plus it would probably require some sort of adapter to make it plumb, and I'm not handy with things like that. A bracket installed compass would work, but guests would no longer be able to sit up against the bulkhead, cutting down on room in the cockpit. I've also thought of buying a surface-mount kayaker's compass that would not require a cut-out or bracket, but I am not sure this kind of compass would work on a 25-foot sailboat.

Any advice on compass installation would be appreciated.

[jbenagh]

I had a bulkhead mounted one on my CD25. It seemed to work well. I don't think you'll need to get it more plumb than the bulkhead.

Jeff

[Steve Kuhar]

I do not like a bulkhead mounted compass because it requires that 3" hole, is not on the center line, and precludes sitting with your back against the bulkhead.

In our 25D we mounted the compass on the inside of the bottom companionway drop board. On those few occasions where we were sailing a compass course we simply put the drop board in backwards and the compass was mounted exactly where we wanted it, when not needed, or when the boat is not in use, the compass is out of the way and out of the weather.

The compass does not have to be mounted plumb, if you are having any fun the boat won't be plumb anyway.


Steve Kuhar

[Sea Hunt Video]

Steve:

Thanks a lot (not ). Now I have yet another project on my "to do" list.

Simple but brilliant idea

[casampson]

I watched a video sponsored by Ritchie that showed how to use a fairing block during the installation of a bulkhead compass to make sure the compass was installed vertically. It looked complicated to me. I am glad that it is probably not necessary.

[Jim Davis]

Back when I had my 25, I put a surface mount compass on the sea hood over the hatch. I was on the centerline, didn't block sitting and was easy to use. To light it I ran a wire under the hood over to the switch panel.

https://www.amazon.com/Ritchie-Explorer ... B000KOVIJ8

[casampson]

That's a great idea. Thanks, Jim.

[Dick Kobayashi]

This is probably not strictly kosher, but in this day and age I think I could get by with a handheld GPS with a chart base and a vacuum cup plus a hand bearing compass (cheap) as a back up. Esp if my sailing were mostly limited to BB

Mostly relevant nav info would come from the GPS and the hb compass and paper chart (essential) would support and serve as back up.

Here in BB. If it is not night or foggy you can see where you are going or at least an intermediate waypoint. If foggy or night one proceeds very carefully and generally requires GPS and/or intimate knowledge of local conditions, which you will develop, Chris.

I still use the GPS I bought in 2001 - works fine. A little tedious without a chart installed on it, but functional. My compass is busted and I have deferred maint on it, so in effect I am using the approach I mentioned above.

Spend the money on roller reefing - much better payoff, I think.

Davis hb compass is about 50 bucks from WM.

dk

[casampson]

All good information, Dick, but I think I'm going to install a good but relatively inexpensive compass nevertheless. I like to know my heading as I sail, just for fun, and I find it is easier to hold a course with a compass if there is not a good visual mark to go by.

I don't see myself sailing at night, but fog happens, and it is scary. We got a little lost in the fog off of Westport last week, and I would have liked to have had a good compass on board to make sure we were sailing in the right direction. We were using an iPAD with a navigation app, but that was running low on batteries and somehow I still wanted the reassurance of a compass.

A hand-held GPS is on my wish list, although my new VHF has a GPS function that I need to explore.

[Paul D.]

I still would prefer a proper ship's compass aboard. I try to think of the one time you are way out there and the solar flare hits and all our electronic infrastructure breaks down! If it happens, it will happen to me whilst farthest away from port. I know this.

Though I would probably go with a bulkhead compass, an option may be one of the high quality but small kayak compasses by Ritchie or Brunton. You could mount or strap it on in several places. I have used those sea kayaking. You can hold a course with them just fine and they are made to get really wet.

[mgphl52]

On my last Typhoon, I found a slightly warped 1X12, cut it to fit in the companionway and mounted a compass there.
When needed, it worked fine. When not needed it was totally out of the way... YMMV
PS: the "warp" made the board snug so it didn't rattle about...

[John Stone]

I don’t know how much room you have on a CD 25 but I’m awfully fond of our bulkhead mounted Richie compass positioned on the aft face of the cabin top. It is the most important piece of navigational equipment we have aboard the Far Reach.

If I did not have room for a bulkhead mounted compass I would consider installing a removable compass that fits into bracket on the forward face of the cockpit footwell just below the top edge of the bridge-deck. If that wouldn’t work, I would see if I could install the removable bracket on the aft face of the cabin top near the companionway. The compass does not need to be on the centerline.

[tartansailor]

Just do it.