New Compass for a CD28 Sail

[MarkW]

Hi All.

Well, I finally have a question that isn’t already answered in the archives.

Been sailing for a few years but this is my first boat. I gotta say I love the CD’s. Barefoot (my CD 28) is up here in Boston waiting for launch day.

When I bought my boat last year, she was on the hard with the mast down. Okay, I needed to figure out what to do to get her in the water. I found the owners manual and a bunch of posts about stuffing boxes, engine maintenance, stepping the mast tuning the rigging, etc. Every question I have had, up until now, has been answered somewhere on this board.

Late last season my bulkhead Ritchie Helmsman gave up the ghost. It doesn’t appear to have been covered over the years and the plastic is all crazed, cracked, and breaking.

So, now to the question – mounting for a replacement compass.

I know that I could drop in a new bulkhead Helmsman and use the same mounting holes, etc., but I am considering switching to a Helmsman bracket mount near the top of the bulkhead. My thinking is that this would let people lean against the bulkhead without blocking the compass, would move it more towards the centerline, and also let me take the compass off when the boat is stored. Also thinking that the dual read may be a nice thing when trying to read from the opposite side of the cockpit.

Before I started this thing I figured this would be a good place for a sanity check. Thanks much.

Fair Winds…………………………………Mark

[Neil Gordon]

Two things I'd worry about...

1 - The exposed compass would be banged by people and whatever in the ordinary course. I can see a boat wake tossing someone into it, etc.

2 - As for taking it off the boat, for me, I'd likely forget it at home and/or forget to remove it and worry that it might disapear.

I like the notion that it won't be blocked, though.

Except where people sit in front of it, moving it to the centerline would make no difference to me. I can see it from anywhere in the cockpit.

Where in Boston will you be?

[Steve Laume]

With the Typhoon I made a an extra drop board with the compass mounted in it. It worked well enough in the Ty where you didn't go down below very often. On the CD-30 it is pedestal mounted so no problems. When I bought the boat the globe was slightly crazed. I knew a compass adjuster who offered to work on it for me. He put a new globe on it, replaced the fluid and looked it over in general. It is beautiful now. You might also consider the racer's approach and install two compasses. That way you could always see one. It would make resting against the bulkhead worse than it is now.

Lastly I think you have already failed the sanity check as you have already bought the boat, Steve.

[Sailing Soldier]

The compass on my CD28 was in similar condition to yours. I guess they didn't cover compasses then!

Anyway, I discovered a fellow by the name of Robert Hempstead here in RI who just happened to help design that compass.

He is a professional compass adjuster and had the parts in stock. My compass looks & works like new!

If your interested, his number is 401-294-9310.

Good luck!

Capt John
CD28 #177
"Liberty"
RI

[MarkW]

Thanks for the advice. Continuing with the bulkhead seems to make the most sense.

I think I'll pull the compass this weekend and get a quote on a rebuild. Then I'll have to decide whether to fix or buy new.

I like the idea of two compasses. Something else to think about............................. There's always something.

Thanks again....................................Mark out

[Neil Gordon]

I like the idea of two compasses. Something else to think about...

<<

While you're thinking, think about a hand bearing compass. Get a model that you can mount on the side opposite of your primary compass. You'll have a backup that you can see if someone is sitting in a blocking position and you'll also have the hand bearing compass you can use for its intended purpose (the best of which is to see if the giant container ship will actually hit you unless you do something different).

[MarkW]

Well, I have finally gotten a picture of the compass and am going to try to post it now. I was motivated by the lack of activity on the board so here goes........ Let's see if I can get this one right.......

I pulled the old compass and it was original equipment. The serial number indicated 1977. Given the condition of globe, housing, etc. I decided to replace with the new Venture compass. It was almost an exact fit. I just needed to drill the mounting holes a little larger and then slide it in.

It is very easy to read during the day and twilight. I haven't been out late enough for full dark yet.

Thanks for the advice. All is greatly appreciated.

Fair winds....................................Mark out

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[barfwinkle]

Is there a product the will out last the UV damage those little plastic compass/instrument covers absorb?

Fair (but VERY WARM now) winds

[rtbates]

Is there a product the will out last the UV damage those little plastic compass/instrument covers absorb?

Fair (but VERY WARM now) winds

Yes there is. 303 UV Protector for PLASTICS. Use on dodger windows and all plastic/rubber. NOT FOR SUNBRELLA.

[Wayne Grenier]

I'm actually having trouble with a new compass I just installed-it has so many dampening magnets that you need to jostle it to get it to move and "settle down"-on a rough day I've always had trouble with the compass-either it would bounce around so much it was useless or in this case its "overdampened"-(new word)-so I always use the gps or the handheld as a back up-I always got a kick out telling my wife or whomever was at the helm to steer a course of say 183 degrees while the boat was smashing all over the place-not going to happen-we end up just keeping it between 180 and 190 and hope for the best-powerboaters don't have this problem-they just point and drive-but the key is back up-back up and more back up-

[Sailing Soldier]

I had mine rebuilt & couldn't be happier with the results. See my previous post.

[tartansailor]

Ritchie BN-202 installation in a CD-25

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