Your favourite compass.

[doug748]

I had an early version of this:

Suunto KB-20 Handbearing Compass | Force 4 Chandlery

Which was excellent. I stupidly sold it for something newer which was worse. So it goes.

.

 

[ltcom]

I had an early version of this:

Suunto KB-20 Handbearing Compass | Force 4 Chandlery

Which was excellent. I stupidly sold it for something newer which was worse. So it goes.

.

That is an interesting one. Good make I believe.

 

[RupertW]

My favourite was on an old wooden boat my Dad owned. You just turned the parallel lines to the exact course you wanted then to steer you just had to stay between them. Instantly intuitive and very restful compared to “Steer 75 degrees” on a modern compass

 

[Refueler]

My favourite was on an old wooden boat my Dad owned. You just turned the parallel lines to the exact course you wanted then to steer you just had to stay between them. Instantly intuitive and very restful compared to “Steer 75 degrees” on a modern compass
View attachment 91037

Reminds me of the 'Aircraft Compass' my father had on our boat ... same idea ...

 

[RupertW]

Reminds me of the 'Aircraft Compass' my father had on our boat ... same idea ...

It was ex-RAF WW2 surplus he thought. Like on so many boats then.

 

[john_morris_uk]

My favourite compass is the one that, when I’m a few miles East of a favourite Caribbean island, indicates that I’m heading straight for it.

 

[Refueler]

It was ex-RAF WW2 surplus he thought. Like on so many boats then.

For years my father had cans of water ... life jackets ... all sorts of gear from aircraft !

 

[JumbleDuck]

My favourite compass is the one that, when I’m a few miles East of a favourite Caribbean island, indicates that I’m heading straight for it.

I have a special "destination finding" compass - a pivoted arrow at the top of my mast which invariably points where I want to go.

 

[Refueler]

I have a special "destination finding" compass - a pivoted arrow at the top of my mast which invariably points where I want to go.

I've got one of those !! Try on the river .... bloody arrow changes to match the line of the river as well !! So its tacking to go up[ river ... tacking to return !!

 

[damianod]

I liked the Sestrel one that came with my first boat. I could understand the correctors, which consisted of bars that you could add, and managed to correct 14 degrees deviation from the bracket of a fire-extinguisher that I mistakenly put on the other side of the bulkhead.

I would have moved the fire extinguisher...

 

[GHA]

Without a doubt favourite!

DSD TECH MPU-9250 9 DOF 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

 

[Refueler]

I

Without a doubt favourite!

DSD TECH MPU-9250 9 DOF 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

If you are into such ... have a look at Banggood ......

GPS modules size of a penny
3 or 6 axis as you link
Compass modules also size of a penny ....

 

[Kukri]

Sestrel Major Compass. I have sailed on two boats with them fitted as standard and my own boat has one. Nice and large, easy to use, well damped. Last year I had it professionally adjusted and it was not that far out. They are not made any more but can still be rebuilt if that is required. The needle can wear on the pivot and stick when healed over, but I have not seen this.

My hand bearing compass is fantastic to use close up, well damped but the light has faded from it; unfortunately I can not remove the name of it.

Definitely the Sestrel Major, for the reasons given and because it is infinitely repairable. Now as scarce as hen’s teeth, because the RNLI buy any that come on the market and get them rebuilt by Barry Phillips… enough said …

Barry rebuilt the Sestrel Brytlit hand bearer that I bought in 1973 and was able to replace the tritium capsule.

All Sestrel compasses are well damped but the damping in the Major is outstanding . No matter what the boat does, the card just sits there like a rock.

 

[andsarkit]

This is the original Mini Compass that I have from about 40 years ago. I think it was copied by the Iris 50 which uses the same principle of projecting the readings onto the horizon.

I'm also a fan of the Bosun grid compass except once after being becalmed and drifting for half a day I set off 180deg in the wrong direction when the wind returned.

 

[Blueboatman]

Once I tried a monocular I became a fan of the compass in binoculars .

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Mine's in better condition than this one. She's a beauty to behold with or without the cover on.

 

[Kukri]

“Old Moore’s Compass”. I have one too. Sits on the coachroof. That one is missing the azimuth sight, which always gets lost or broken, and is very useful!!!

 

[Refueler]

Thinking of 'azimuth rings' and traditional compasses ....

I have thought about a Pelorus on the main hatch top ...

 

[Kukri]

Thinking of 'azimuth rings' and traditional compasses ....

I have thought about a Pelorus on the main hatch top ...

That is exactly what my Moore is on top of the hatch garage for. The sailing yacht’s bridge wing repeater! The binnacle compass is a Sestrel Major.

 

[Tranona]

My Eventide (1963) had the full set of Sestrel Moore (complete with pelorus) for main steering, Sailing Grid under the tiller and Radient hand bearing. Moore went with the boat, still have the other 2 in the garage!