Compasses to avoid?

It's a fairly simple device, but once your over the horizon, nothing is more vital. I have had problems with a Sunto in the past, and thought I might ask here what magnetic compass brands are most reliable and accurate, or which are least reliable.


Many thanks
Eric G.

 

The compass "swung" properly is usually the most accurate.

I find the stars to be remarkably accurate.

-Tom

 

When the bottom membrane of my Suunto cracked and the oil dripped out, I bought a new one. Because there should be at least one magnetic compass on a boat and because removing the old one left two holes that needed to be covered again. But the price was outrageous.

For the equivalent of $15 I bought a waterproof fluxgate compass that also is a clock, a calendar and a stopwatch. It is powered by a lithium battery which lasts for more than a year if you don't use the illumination too often. And it is also more accurate than the Suunto.....

 

I do have a couple of good handheld compasses that I use ashore in the mountains and woods. This one needs to be hands-free and easy enough to read from a couple of feet away:
It will be mounted between my legs, facing up, to give me my heading while rowing. I'm a bit of an oar-tugging enthusiast, and am planning an over-the-horizon trip next August (if you're curious, I'll start another thread in an appropriate forum). A GPS will be handy in emergencies, but when I'm tugging away it will be nice to just glance down to keep her true.

 

Bigger the card the slower the swing. For a small boat you want the biggest card you can stand. It will swing less in your small boat and make it a lot easier to steer a true (magnetic course). Just remember:
Dead
Men
Can
Vote
At
Weddings

K9

 

There should be very little deviance from the craft itself, as it's all UHMW with the occasional bit of aluminum. Off hand, I can't think of anything ferrous that will be along for the ride. Even those who question my sanity say I have big brass ones, not iron.

 

Not just ferrous. Also think electronic. IE Phones GPS Radio and such.

K9

 

Excellent point. The hull being UHMW also begs the same question about static fields.

 

Or window rain spinners!!

 

Can you indicate type and from where?

 

It won't do you much good, but here's a picture.
Forgot to mention the thermometer function.

On the back are instructions for calibration and mode switching, all in German. No reference to a manufacturer; I bought it in an Aldi supermarket where it was one of the weekly changing special offers.

 

thanks...i guess i have to wait until Lidl comes up with something similar. No Aldi around here.

 

Have a Harbor Freight?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66484

Three bucks, cheapest I've seen.