Easternshore
Senior Member
I was replacing my old compass with a new Ritchie Helmsman when the unthinkable happened! My new compass slipped off the seat and bang resulting in a nice bullseye! [emoji24] any thoughts on how to repair the crack?
Embarrassing moment
- Thread starter Easternshore
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Lou_tribal
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It is still usable, leave it like that and it will be a good reminder to properly store your toys [emoji846]
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Easternshore
Senior Member
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Easternshore
Senior Member
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Easternshore
Senior Member
Thx, I placed a call to them, due to cv19……
I was thinking of clear epoxy to seal the crack, maybe the windshield epoxy.
OldDan1943
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If you come down to FT Lauderdale, there is a place that will take care of it for you. At this point and time, I cannot remember the name but it is on SR84.
Comodave
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I like the electronic fluxgate compasses. We have had KVH Azimuth 1000 in multiple boats and have been really satisfied with them.
rgano
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I bought a bunch of those KVH Azimuths for the Navy when I was developing a beach landing guide light for hover craft. It was mounted on a light tube with a gunsight to aim it down a mine-cleared lane. The light was center white when viewed from sea and left side green and right side red. The craft master was given our bearing shot down the lane by the beach masters for initial approach and then guided on the light trying to stay on the white. They got very good at it in short order. The KVHs are a fantastic machine, and are in kits distributed to the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets.
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Easternshore
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Thx, I can live with the bullseye as it’s in the upper left quadrant, I’m just concerned about a bubble developing and I didn’t want to spend another $200
backinblue
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Ritchie won't repair it?
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Easternshore
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Ritchie wouldn’t answer the phone on Friday and said to email then so I’m waiting for their reply to my email thanks.
backinblue
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If it were me, I'd try to return it to them and pay for them to do a proper repair/replacement.
I've tried some windshield repair in the past and it was useless. Maybe a professional can do an adequate job but I wouldn't bother trying that for your situation. I would re-buy new as last resort.
OldDan1943
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What does a new magnetic compass cost?
RT Firefly
Enigma
Greetings,
Mr. OD. (Post #9). Lauderdale Speedometer does compass repairs. Perhaps that is the firm you're thinking of...
Mr. OD. (Post #9). Lauderdale Speedometer does compass repairs. Perhaps that is the firm you're thinking of...
OldDan1943
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Yup, that's it. On SR84. Thanks!!!!
No matter if the compass is repaired of buy a new one, you gotta swing the compass to calibrate it.
I've got to get those folks out to my boat to do my compass and write the compass card
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gilbertpark
Senior Member
Compass
It strikes me that if you have bought a new compass then you are presumably going to depend on it to navigate your boat using it. If so then a cheap repair that potentially misses some damage to the Compass (causing it to be inaccurate) is definitely not the way to go. Hitting a rock (or similar) because the compass is misbehaving would be very expensive as well as potentially life threatening.
Get it done properly and then swing it would be my input.
It strikes me that if you have bought a new compass then you are presumably going to depend on it to navigate your boat using it. If so then a cheap repair that potentially misses some damage to the Compass (causing it to be inaccurate) is definitely not the way to go. Hitting a rock (or similar) because the compass is misbehaving would be very expensive as well as potentially life threatening.
Get it done properly and then swing it would be my input.
OldDan1943
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I have three projects, the last is to swing the compass.
Then, I will put an "ALL DONE" sign on my boat and wait for things to start breaking.
Then, I will put an "ALL DONE" sign on my boat and wait for things to start breaking.
Var Korall
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Did you buy it with a credit card? Some will replace a new purchase that was damaged by accident or theft. Might be worth a call to them.
psneeld
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You can usually just use your GPS to swing a typical small boat compass.....the days of pelorus use are pretty much over.
The last several compasses I installed had it right in the install instructions on how to....
The last several compasses I installed had it right in the install instructions on how to....
Knot Fast
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That's a slick e- compass. Too bad it is 0183 comm and not NMEA 2000. I'd hate to buy new gear with 20 year old electronic comm protocols. Sure, I can bridge 0183 data to my NMEA 2000 network, but why buy new gear built to an old standard....
Compass
I’d recommend scrapping the big compass. If you navigate electronically, you have very little use for it. A compass app on your cell phone might be more accurate.
Actually my first choice for compass is a Suunto hand held sighting compass. Not as whole lot of money, but a quality tool that is way more useful than a Richie. And it takes up no space.
I give this advice after traveling 3200 miles on waterway, river and open (salt) water since last Thanksgiving. My compass mostly just blocked my forward vision and I resented it.
I’d recommend scrapping the big compass. If you navigate electronically, you have very little use for it. A compass app on your cell phone might be more accurate.
Actually my first choice for compass is a Suunto hand held sighting compass. Not as whole lot of money, but a quality tool that is way more useful than a Richie. And it takes up no space.
I give this advice after traveling 3200 miles on waterway, river and open (salt) water since last Thanksgiving. My compass mostly just blocked my forward vision and I resented it.
rgano
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I recommend having an installed steering compass of known error regardless of how much electronics you have. NOTHING will give you a better idea of what is happening to your boat's head as it yaws frantically about at anchor in a blinding rain and strong winds. And if you break free and need to try to get her head up into the winds to survive, you cannot possibly steer properly into the storm without a compass because the electronics will be too slow to give you heading info.
I remember a time when I was running through some oxbows at night watching the radar as we went. I was not having much trouble until we noticed a layer of unexpected fog lowering just above the pilothouse. Soon it was below the PH, and I was trying to steer with the radar, but its speed of refresh was not fast enough to keep me for oversteering or understeering in the tight turns. The compass was the saving grace as I began to use it to determine rate of turn. It was installed where best seen, had no battery to quit, and it was adjusted properly and not something you pull out of your pocket, fumble with buttons to find the app, and slap down on the dash possibly near something ferrous.
I turn the chart plotter and AP on whenever I get underway, no matter how short the trip, but I never have to think about the compass. I always compare it to the indications on the AP and the plotter to ensure all is well. If there should ever be significant disagreement, I'd slow/stop until I had it figured out. When the fuse blows in the night and the electronics quit in the middle of a night time run into the bayou, I know the compass courses home and can get there fine as long as I can look out at the lights to get a general clue as to position.
I remember a time when I was running through some oxbows at night watching the radar as we went. I was not having much trouble until we noticed a layer of unexpected fog lowering just above the pilothouse. Soon it was below the PH, and I was trying to steer with the radar, but its speed of refresh was not fast enough to keep me for oversteering or understeering in the tight turns. The compass was the saving grace as I began to use it to determine rate of turn. It was installed where best seen, had no battery to quit, and it was adjusted properly and not something you pull out of your pocket, fumble with buttons to find the app, and slap down on the dash possibly near something ferrous.
I turn the chart plotter and AP on whenever I get underway, no matter how short the trip, but I never have to think about the compass. I always compare it to the indications on the AP and the plotter to ensure all is well. If there should ever be significant disagreement, I'd slow/stop until I had it figured out. When the fuse blows in the night and the electronics quit in the middle of a night time run into the bayou, I know the compass courses home and can get there fine as long as I can look out at the lights to get a general clue as to position.
backinblue
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I agree with Rich. Always good to have mechanical backup compass even though most of us never use them when navigating. Just like carrying paper charts. You may never really need them but good backup to electronics. On the delivery trip of my boat a few years ago, in unfamiliar waters, I didn't realize that my batteries were not charging. My GPS starts warning me of low voltage before shutting off. I pulled out the paper charts for the several miles left to get to our planned anchorage where I found a tripped breaker that was preventing the charging. I still use the mechanical compass just as a double-check on what the GPS compass is telling me.
OldDan1943
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IMO, someone piloting a boat without a magnetic compass and paper charts equates to someone driving with one headlight.
First, the compass can be fixed, and most likely a DIY deal, but you need to put it back together submerged in the kerosene fluid. I've done a few and not hard. BUT, logistically a new one could be more practical. Or just send it to one of the guy who do this (above).
Second, agreed, it's more than just nice to have a compass heading, or perhaps a satelite compass. There is no such thing as a GPS compass and a GPS unit does NOT give heading (unless it's input from a heading source, like one for the autopilot or radar). GPS give track and if you're not moving, it gives nothing.
A compass I want.
As for paper charts... what the hell is that? Oh... in a museum.
Second, agreed, it's more than just nice to have a compass heading, or perhaps a satelite compass. There is no such thing as a GPS compass and a GPS unit does NOT give heading (unless it's input from a heading source, like one for the autopilot or radar). GPS give track and if you're not moving, it gives nothing.
A compass I want.
As for paper charts... what the hell is that? Oh... in a museum.
psneeld
Guru
From Furuno......
Satellite compasses work by comparing the position information generated by two adjacent GPS antennae. The SC33 measures and compares the very slight time differences between the two antennae which are situated just 30cms apart in the compass antenna.
So unlike GPS heading, they work sitting still or very slow speeds.
Satellite compasses work by comparing the position information generated by two adjacent GPS antennae. The SC33 measures and compares the very slight time differences between the two antennae which are situated just 30cms apart in the compass antenna.
So unlike GPS heading, they work sitting still or very slow speeds.
