Handbearing Compass

Not everyone enjoys using the Autohelm and choice of model can be quite personal. I would expect all models to have adequate accuracy, since getting an accurate reading anyway even with a well-damped compass can be difficult on a small boat. Most compasses, such as my 40yr-old mini-compass have a lens so that the numbers can be read and not all models will suit spectacle-wearers. I believe the best answer is to pluck up the courage to go into a chandler's and try out a few and fork out for the one that you enjoy using best.
 
It depends if you want this type of thing

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That can also be used as an emegency steering compass


or this type of thing

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For a pure hand bearing compass my choice would be the Axium, the last of all those.

For one which could also be used as a steering compass I'd probably plump for one from the Silva range.

If your are a die hard traditionalist and you have a battleship rather than a manky little yacht you may prefer to look out for a Sestral Radiant

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I have both an Iris 50 and an older Axium hand bearing compass on board. Of the two I prefer the Axium, but there is not much in it.

I would avoid electronic ones that need batteries, there is just no need to add complication to such a simple and practical tool.
 
Norman_E said:
I have both an Iris 50 and an older Axium hand bearing compass on board. Of the two I prefer the Axium, but there is not much in it.

I would avoid electronic ones that need batteries, there is just no need to add complication to such a simple and practical tool.
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a 10 yr + battery life ;)
you can also time your eggs in the morning :cool:
i also have a offshore instruments mini with a duff illumination cell & they are not replaceable like wot a battery is :p
 
I used to use a Vion MiNi 2000 Handbearing Compass, but every winter a few air bubbles appeared inside the casing, and the fluid had to be topped up. Not one that think of buying again.......
 
Requirements;

Easy to read
Comfy to hold
Easy to store & find again
Reasonable cost

That should help you sort out the dross, and anything that's left will probably do fine. I used to like the really old ones, but they kept getting nicked so I ended up with a plastimo one.

I hardly ever use it now, just judge the angles by eye & pointing, then transfer hand angle to chart - it's close enough for jazz & very quick.
 
Iris 50

I have had a Platimo Iris 50 for a long time and I have been quite happy with it except that the light stopped working after a couple of years.

Does anyone know if the light can be replaced, by the way?
 
Does anyone know if the light can be replaced, by the way?
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If its a tritium capsule ( betalight) it should be possible. I had the capsule replaced in my Offshore mini-compass some years ago. Needs doing again now!

New ones are photo luminescent. Last forever ??? but need a bright light shone on them to activate them

Youd expect the "radioluminesecnt" type to last longer than a couple of years . Tritium has a half life of about 12 years so should only be down to half its brightness in that time.
A broken tritium capsule perhaps leaked all that radioactive tritium into your boat!
 
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I've been looking at the Plastimo Iris 50, which has a rubbered covered body, I've also looked at the Silva SM360 LMG, which is also rubber covered. Handy for a clumsy clot like me. The Silva only comes with a light if you double the price, which seems a bit steep. Do you really need a light?
 
The Plastimo Iris is fine - no you don't need a light. Like others have said the photoluminescence works fine at night.
My preference is to avoid anything with lights or needs batteries - as they say - Keep it simple. Then it is not likely to go wrong or break.
 
For night use, the Iris 50 needs to be "charged" by a bright lamp and its luminescence decays quite quickly. This can be a bit of a pain. That said, I've had one for a long time, it came in a solid wood box and I'm a sucker for such detail. It takes a while to get used to but overall I'd rate it quite highly.

I also have one of those that can double as a steering compass. I took it off my last boat and it's rested in a drawer at home for the last 6 years. This has a soft, almost velvet draw-string cover. Clearly the touchy-feely bits make all the difference for me :)
 
I use a Rigel Capstan hand bearing compass - no longer made - I bought one of the last in the country some years back. Very similar to the Plastimo Iris except used at arms length with a cord looped around your neck for stability. I wear glasses so didn't get on at all with the eye held type. Occasionally they come up on ebay. I must be honest and say I have not used it for several years now due to reliance on GPS........ When was the last time you used yours?
 
VicS said:
If its a tritium capsule ( betalight) it should be possible. I had the capsule replaced in my Offshore mini-compass some years ago. Needs doing again now!
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The best hand bearing compass I have ever used, bar none, is the Sowester one I bought 25 years ago. Alas the tritium light is now completely dead, and I haven't been able to find any replacement - the ones sold as fishing lures are all far too big.

I bought a Plastimo Iris from Marinescene, and it's OK-ish, but not nearly as easy to read. Once I have built an LED lighting kit for the Sestrel, it's going in the boat.
 
Plaicemat said:
I want to buy one of these. Can anyone suggest which one? It's a minefield out there.
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With the Autohelm electronic compass you just have to take the bearings on trust: with a magnetic compass you can SEE how much it is swinging about and get an idea of the probable degree of accuracy.

The old Offshore mini compasses were brilliant till the tritium light went out: mine lasted about 12 years till that happened. The newer Plastimo mini ones seem to need to be held against the stern light or chart light for a few seconds to turn on the glow, which then fades away after a while.
 
Ubergeekian said:
The best hand bearing compass I have ever used, bar none, is the Sowester one I bought 25 years ago. Alas the tritium light is now completely dead, and I haven't been able to find any replacement - the ones sold as fishing lures are all far too big.

2nd that, My Sowester is great. The problem of beta/tritium lights was covered in a recent post. I had considered an LED solution, but have yet to get round to it. The bits with a small cell would be small. Just the magnetic influence to consider.
A
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