What compass is on your boat?

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doehunter

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Sep 26, 2010
808
Macgregor 1993 26S Houston
I started working on the boat today, beginning with learning how to run my new gps unit. So then I'm all ready for the install and i run down to the local West Marine.
I picked up a breaker panel, steaming/deck light combo, thru deck connector, and looked at compasses. That's where I got stuck!
The ones they had were big and cumbersome looking. I thought I wanted one that mounts in the bulkhead, but then realized I gotta cut a big hole in the boat so I backed off. The ones on the little swivel bracket's look like they would get broken if they get bumped. And I'm wondering if they will lock up when the boat heels over?
So I'm wondering what you guys are using.
Jim
 
MrBill_FLL

MrBill_FLL

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May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
I really like the bulkhead compass on my boat. thankfully the PO installed it...

those gimbal mount types just look like painful boat bites... or snagged lines.

have you looked at the tacktic or digital types? and a hand bearing as a backup.


if you do cut the bulkhead pick a popular model.... just in case you need to replace it in 20 yrs...
 
BrokeNotBroken

BrokeNotBroken

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Oct 19, 2009
81
MacGregor 1995 26S Fort Walton Beach, FL
Plastimo Mini Contest

I have the plastimo mini contest that I got for 75% off when the local West Marine was closing one of its stores. The price was right but come to find out it is meant to mount on a bulkhead with no more than 10 degrees from vertical. Where I want to mount it, the cockpit wall just aft of the companionway, has a 20-25 degree pitch. So now I'm trying to figure out how to make a wedge to take out the angle, and what to make it out of. I'd rather not use wood as I don't want to feel compelled to keep it pretty. Anyway, good luck and post pics when you're done--if you get one.
 
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doehunter

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Sep 26, 2010
808
Macgregor 1993 26S Houston
Well I've been looking at pictures of boats all evening and only saw a few showing their compass. Those were the bulkhead mounted ones with the incline meter built in. I assume those ones are made for heeling and won't stick when your leaning over?
I just have a hard time with paying near 200.00 for a compass. It's hard to see why they cost so much. (this coming from a guy that puts a 250.00 scope on a pellet rifle!) It's been an expensive day. I gotta slow down the admiral is getting edgy!
Jim
 
Timo42

Timo42

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Mar 26, 2007
1,042
Venture 22 Marina del Rey
Plastimo Mini Contest, $122, if you look in the traveller thread, you can see how mine is mounted. It's a Mac, don't be afraid to drill holes in it to make it the way you want.
 
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doehunter

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Sep 26, 2010
808
Macgregor 1993 26S Houston
Timo42 said:
Plastimo Mini Contest, $122, if you look in the traveller thread, you can see how mine is mounted. It's a Mac, don't be afraid to drill holes in it to make it the way you want.
Click to expand
One of the things I liked about the boat when I bought it was the lack of mods! The only holes he drilled that come to mind were to mount the depth finder. So It's kinda virgin! When I do cut I don't want to discover a month later that "this shoulda bee there" lol.
As much as possible I want to hide all the wires. I'm moving the batteries to the bow, and I thought I wanted to put the breaker panel up top over the galley, but I'm not sure how to run the battery wires to it if I do.
Well, goin to the boat now. This morning I'm going to look for a place to put the new transducer.
Jim
 
MrBill_FLL

MrBill_FLL

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May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
doehunter said:
I'm not sure how to run the battery wires to it if I do.
Click to expand
between the inner liner and the hull, you can run wire with a fish tape.
or, on the stb side below the head you can run wire, to front. might want to run a pvc raceway...

if you understand how the boat was built its pretty easy to do anything you want. basically a hull, bottom inner liner, top inner liner, and cap.

I think you tube has the vintage production assembly ... the jigs they used for drilling were pretty impressive... and I think they were building 2 a day back then..

ps: I would pay the extra $ for the tinned boat wire, and I go up one gauge to handle any resistance in the future.
 
Timo42

Timo42

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Mar 26, 2007
1,042
Venture 22 Marina del Rey
The bow isn't a good place for the batteries, you want the weight amidship, not at the ends
 
PuckandTitania

PuckandTitania

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Feb 19, 2010
62
Macgregor 1995 26s Windycrest Sailing Club, Lake Keystone, OK
I used a 4 ft. piece of blue flexible conduit to run wires from under the galley up the back starboard corner of the overhead. I found out that if I cut the end at a 45 angle, I could twist and turn it past the hull deck joint easier. The blue flexible conduit can be picked up at Lowe's and Home Depot cheap in 10 ft pieces. Makes pulling wires a lot easier.
 
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doehunter

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Sep 26, 2010
808
Macgregor 1993 26S Houston
Got the transducer epoxied in. I hope it works!
In the post above I probably wasn't really clear.
Getting wires from under the V berth to the space under the galley is easy.
I guess my thing was how to get them up to the top. they need to be behind the bulkhead with the mirror on it, but that puts them in the head. I could run em against the bulkhead in the open, or put em inside conduit? The conduit almost seems like it's more obvious!
I agree it's best to keep weight centralized if you can, but I have plans for the under galley area that doesn't include the batteries. Plus the under galley battery spot is off center, and only enough room for one.
Tinned wire? I guess that's better. I didn't know.
Jim
 
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captsam54

captsam54

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Apr 11, 2010
5
Albin Ballad Marco Island
Compass is most important piece of equiptment on your boat

Don't forget when all else fails at sea.. You have your compass...

If you don't want to cut holes in your boat get a box or dory type compass so at least you have one... That's what they did in the old days.. In fact they were so precious that they would carry them from boat to boat...

I like the "Saturn" bulkhead compass.. It is not too expensive and works great for a power or sailboat..(plastic lens will fog in a few years in the sun) BUT I would rather have the Biggest Richie compass I could fit on the boat.. I am a bit predigest as I am/was a compass collector..

I have over 30-40 of them.. old dry card compasses, pocket ones, and liquid filled ones.. the largest being a big ship Richie Constellation w/ a 6" globe.. I am selling most of my collection now though as I have to cut down to move... Here is the Richie and I will be putting more up as time goes by... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...674105762&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MESELX:IT

Remember, all in all, the compass IS very important when at sea... maybe not on a pond when you can see shore.. But if all goes south in a big blow etc. and you can still steer and use your compass to plot and navigate back to port... invaluable... So don't go cheap... just sayin...
 
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doehunter

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Sep 26, 2010
808
Macgregor 1993 26S Houston
captsam54 said:
Don't forget when all else fails at sea.. You have your compass...

If you don't want to cut holes in your boat get a box or dory type compass so at least you have one... That's what they did in the old days.. In fact they were so precious that they would carry them from boat to boat...

I like the "Saturn" bulkhead compass.. It is not too expensive and works great for a power or sailboat..(plastic lens will fog in a few years in the sun) BUT I would rather have the Biggest Richie compass I could fit on the boat.. I am a bit predigest as I am/was a compass collector..

I have over 30-40 of them.. old dry card compasses, pocket ones, and liquid filled ones.. the largest being a big ship Richie Constellation w/ a 6" globe.. I am selling most of my collection now though as I have to cut down to move... Here is the Richie and I will be putting more up as time goes by... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...674105762&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MESELX:IT

Remember, all in all, the compass IS very important when at sea... maybe not on a pond when you can see shore.. But if all goes south in a big blow etc. and you can still steer and use your compass to plot and navigate back to port... invaluable... So don't go cheap... just sayin...
Click to expand
I agree in that the compass is not something you need messing up. It's the bottom line for navigation. But, as with a lot of other things for boats, there is function, and there is bling. I just need something dependable.
I'm guessing now that Ritchie is a good brand? that seems to be the ones everyone has for sale. I probably won't be sailing anywhere where I can't see land anytime soon. (maybe never in the Mac) but I want to practice my nav skills anyway, as if I am. That way, when I do end up out there, I'll be ready.
Jim
 
captsam54

captsam54

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Apr 11, 2010
5
Albin Ballad Marco Island
doehunter said:
I agree in that the compass is not something you need messing up. It's the bottom line for navigation. But, as with a lot of other things for boats, there is function, and there is bling. I just need something dependable.
I'm guessing now that Ritchie is a good brand? that seems to be the ones everyone has for sale. I probably won't be sailing anywhere where I can't see land anytime soon. (maybe never in the Mac) but I want to practice my nav skills anyway, as if I am. That way, when I do end up out there, I'll be ready.
Jim
Click to expand
Richie, by Danforth.... Try to get one with a glass dome and power dampened... Then you will be fine.. Of course the bigger the better when ur trying to navigate by it...
 
R

Robspan

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Apr 30, 2006
610
Macgregor 26s Kemah, TX
I know this will sound like heresy to many, but I don't have a built in compass. As Jim said, in the Mac, even on Galveston Bay, I'm never out of sight of land. They're made for coastal cruising.
I might use my hand bearing compass to check the course every so often, but I really use the gps much more often to be sure I'm on course to the next waypoint. I know it's not smart to depend on an electronic gadget exclusively, but with the chart, printout of the route with bearing and distance to each waypoint, and handbearing compass, I'm pretty well backed up. If I were cruising to Catalina, for example, I would probably want a builtin compass.
 
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doehunter

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Sep 26, 2010
808
Macgregor 1993 26S Houston
Over the years, I've done a lot of fishing and duck hunting in a 16 ft jon boat.
I can probably count on one hand how many times I actually needed a compass.
BUT, It was on board and I was real glad! In the dark and in the fog, I've been on some pretty hairy rides. I don't intend on being underway in those conditions on the Mac, but you never know. Course now I will have the gps too, but as what was said above, its good to have something non electronic, that won't let me down.
So, I think I'm hearing the consensus is, a bulkhead mounted Ritchie. ($$$!)
Jim
 
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