handbearing compass or binoculars with compass and rangefinder?

[niccapotamus]

our boat lacks a handbearing compass - mind you we never used them in the old boat

do you think we can get away with a decent 7x50 binoculars with built in compass and rangefinder rather than buying both?

 

[Monique]

I have both.

Hand bearing may be better if your boat rocks and rolls a lot.

Binoculars are great on my boat.

Horses for......

GL

 

[prv]

I use visual bearings a lot, but nowadays pretty much exclusively through the binos.

Pete

 

[sailorman]

The OP might find some in the for sale section, Im told Steiner are quite nice :encouragement:

 

[actionoptics]

Firstly I admit I am Action Optics and possibly biased but I find it easier and more accurate to use the compass in my binocular
and next season I am going to use one with an electronic compass built in as trials on land have been most impressive.

 

[dom]

I find that the compass reading in both bounces around all over the place in even moderate seas and above - and invariably when crossing the shipping lanes in the Channel! I wonder if anyone has found a solution for this, or is purchasing a set of horrendously expensive stabilised ones the only option?

 

[niccapotamus]

The OP might find some in the for sale section, Im told Steiner are quite nice :encouragement:

had a look but can't see now't still for sale. the steiner look hideously expensive!!

 

[actionoptics]

I find that the compass reading in both bounces around all over the place in even moderate seas and above - and invariably when crossing the shipping lanes in the Channel! I wonder if anyone has found a solution for this, or is purchasing a set of horrendously expensive stabilised ones the only option?

Can you get stabilised binoculars with built-in compass?
If you can, won't the compass card still only be damped by the oil in the compass module?
My land trials with binocular and electronic compass have suggested that they will be better but I will have to wait until next spring to find out for sure.

 

[LadyInBed]

I have both (3 HBC's). The Bins compass has developed a bubble, so that function isn't much use.
On the other thread about Compass Bins I came across Bins with electronic compass, they might be worth serious investigation.

 

[actionoptics]

I have both (3 HBC's). The Bins compass has developed a bubble, so that function isn't much use.
On the other thread about Compass Bins I came across Bins with electronic compass, they might be worth serious investigation.

I have some compass modules in stock so could probably change your bubbly one.
P.M. for details.

 

[prv]

Can you get stabilised binoculars with built-in compass?

I don't think so, or at least I couldn't find any when the topic of stabilised bins came up on the Mobo forum the other week. I was quite taken with the idea of stabilisation, but I use the compass nearly every time I use the binos so that's a deal-breaker for me.

Pete

 

[dom]

Can you get stabilised binoculars with built-in compass?
If you can, won't the compass card still only be damped by the oil in the compass module?
My land trials with binocular and electronic compass have suggested that they will be better but I will have to wait until next spring to find out for sure.

Yes I was thinking of the electronic stabilised systems I have heard about but not seen. My problem is that from say a F6/7 and above the compass cards bounce around so much that a half decent bearing (+/- 5 even 10 degrees sometimes!) on passing ships is difficult.

I use Fujinon binos and a cheap and cheerful Plastimo handbearing compass and was wondering if those with better equipment suffer the same problem.

 

[johnalison]

I use Fujinon binos and a cheap and cheerful Plastimo handbearing compass and was wondering if those with better equipment suffer the same problem.

The only solution is to get a bigger ship.

The bearings taken with a compass will be no more or less accurate in practice than those taken through binoculars. I don't have compass-binoculars but the only function I miss is the ability to search for a distant ship or mark whose bearing has already been established from a plotter or AIS.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I have a compass monocular on board which is nice, but not nearly as easy to use for me as my old Sowester handbearing compass.

 

[LadyInBed]

I have some compass modules in stock so could probably change your bubbly one.
P.M. for details.

Thanks, will do.

 

[blackdogsailing]

I have a compass monocular on board which is nice, but not nearly as easy to use for me as my old Sowester handbearing compass.

I have exactly the same and totally agree. I also have the old autohelm compass and that is good to. Take half a dozen different bearings 1 after the other and take an average! I never did understsnd why they stopped making them.

Chris

 

[JumbleDuck]

I have exactly the same and totally agree. I also have the old autohelm compass and that is good to. Take half a dozen different bearings 1 after the other and take an average! I never did understsnd why they stopped making them.

The Autohelm Personal Compass is horribly sensitive to non-horizontality (I have just invented that word), which may have put people off. I bought a new old stock one for twenty five quid last year but haven't got round to using it in anger because I found a source of replacement beta lights for the Sowester.

 

[sailorman]

had a look but can't see now't still for sale. the steiner look hideously expensive!!

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...-x-50-Electronic-Bino-s&p=5003303#post5003303

 

[GHA]

The Autohelm Personal Compass is horribly sensitive to non-horizontality (I have just invented that word), which may have put people off. I bought a new old stock one for twenty five quid last year but haven't got round to using it in anger because I found a source of replacement beta lights for the Sowester.

Just had a chance to use one I got off ebay on a over/Falmouth passage so plenty traffic. Really good, dead chuffed. Daylight line up the little sights and hit the button 4 times then the timer. Whatever minutes later do another 4 and compare. Also fine at night with a red headtorch just lighting up the sights.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Just had a chance to use one I got off ebay on a over/Falmouth passage so plenty traffic. Really good, dead chuffed. Daylight line up the little sights and hit the button 4 times then the timer. Whatever minutes later do another 4 and compare. Also fine at night with a red headtorch just lighting up the sights.

I think the sights originally had glow-in-the-dark stuff on them, but if they did mine has long since lost The Power.