Richie compass

[paulga]

Is this Richie a compass?

It only displays a number that shifts around 125. It does not respond to pressing any of the three keys. My bow points to 125 SE on my phone gps, so I thought it could be a digital compass. How does it work?

 

[Comodave]

I have not seen a Ritchie fluxgate compass but that is what it looks like. It should have some programs in it that you can access through the buttons. You should be able to swing the compass electronically by running a program. I would search for a manual online and see what it says. I have had multiple Azimuth fluxgate compasses and loved them. But a Ritchie fluzgate is a new one to me.

 

[paulga]

I have not seen a Ritchie fluxgate compass but that is what it looks like. It should have some programs in it that you can access through the buttons. You should be able to swing the compass electronically by running a program. I would search for a manual online and see what it says. I have had multiple Azimuth fluxgate compasses and loved them. But a Ritchie fluzgate is a new one to me.

The other compass in the salon helm station is also Ritchie, making a pair. I'll keep the compasses as decorations.

 

[Delta Riverat]

Of course! Unthinkable to remove one of those classic oil filled beauties. I look at both of mine all the time to compare to the GPS -

 

[BowtomyStern]

Is this Richie a compass?

It only displays a number that shifts around 125. It does not respond to pressing any of the three keys. My bow points to 125 SE on my phone gps, so I thought it could be a digital compass. How does it work?


View attachment 160102

R. Ritchie is still in business in Massachusetts. They are working on rebuilding one of the two I have aboard.

 

[LenBuchanan]

I have an Azimuth flux gate compass, not a Richie. There should be a sending unit mounted somewhere in the boat, close to the centerline. Mine is mounted under the forward setee for the dinette.
I had the same problem with mine, not sure what caused it. The manual said to do a complete 360 to get it back showing the correct heading. I can't remember if it said to do a port or starboard turn, but I followed the directions and 'viola', it started working.
I would imagine that you can find a manual somewhere online if you don't have one.

 

[Keysdisease]

You may find a manual at link below. You may have inadvertently put a magnetic source near the sending unit. Stereo Speakers, vhf radio, etc magnetic sources. The fact its stuck on 125 means that might be the problem

Compass Manuals & Addendum’s - Ritchie Navigation

Thank you for choosing Ritchie Navigation. Below you will find all Instructions and Addendum’s broken down by Model Number. Model # (includes all variations) (Broken down by Family) Compass Manual / Addendum’s SportAbout X-11Y RS-0058 Ritchiesport X-10 RS-0130 X-21 RS-0154 X-23 RS-0181 Explorer...

www.ritchienavigation.com

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I don't know where the sending unit is for the first compass, but the flush mounted Ritchie is definitely too close to the Garmin. Watch the compass when you turn on the Garmin. I'll guess a 6 degree change. Actually, the interference will depend on your bearing, making the overall accuracy of the compass worse than it appears when stationary.

I had the same problem with my compass when I bought. It was about a foot away from my Garmin MFD. Moving it two feet away reduced the interference, but when swinging the compass I still had a max error of 6 degrees on my deviation card. Mine is a bracket mount, so moving it only left two screw holes.

That was always the problem with flush mounted compasses. When placed in the wrong location, the proper location means leaving a big hole. Maybe a coffee cup holder? The more common approach is to leave it be and not understand how to use it. A fellow boater told me they are only used when conducting a séance.

 

[rgano]

Paul, your comment about "keeping them as decoration" shows that you may want to broaden your horizons about the necessity of a traditional compass aboard. Yes, almost all of us have modern, GPS-based electronics aboard which show us our vessel's course made good, and some even have GPS compasses showing us our vessel's heading, but the oil-filled compass is still useful when all that electronics fails or just as a double check. If you only have a GPS and not a GPS compass, the heading you think you are seeing on your display can be quite a bit time late and impossible to use as a means of keeping a steady course. You may not be planning on venturing out of sight of land where a compass is always a welcomed instrument, but you could find yourself in a fog or in darkness in need of a real-time heading display. I found myself steering a narrow winding waterway at night using radar and GPS and the searchlights atop the pilothouse and was doing OK until a veil of fog descended below the level of the pilothouse windows at which time I switched off the spotlights and depended upon the compass to show me the rate of turn as the radar sweep was too slow to assure me of the preciosion I needed to remain relatively centered in the waterway. So keep that old thing and learn to compare it the the electronics all the time to assure yourself it is pointing correctly and get it adjusted if not. Remenber not ferrous materials should be moved within three feet of it once you have reading well.

 

[Cargile]

Of course! Unthinkable to remove one of those classic oil filled beauties. I look at both of mine all the time to compare to the GPS -

Which makes me wonder. I also have the traditional oil filled Ritchie compass. It points to magnetic north, yes? My GPS gives me true north, Yes? So what is the difference? The Ritchie seems to be difficult to use for navigation. Good for emergencies.

 

[rgano]

You can set your chartplotter to display magnetic north instead of true which makes a lot of sense with your card compass already displaying that, plus or minus the compass deviation, which I doubt one boat in ten thousand even has available since nobdy knows how to swing a compass anymore.

 

[Cargile]

You can set your chartplotter to display magnetic north instead of true which makes a lot of sense with your card compass already displaying that, plus or minus the compass deviation, which I doubt one boat in ten thousand even has available since nobdy knows how to swing a compass anymore.

Thanks. Good to know for when I get a chartplotter.

 

[J.T kearney]

R. Ritchie is still in business in Massachusetts. They are working on rebuilding one of the two I have aboard.

My ritchie compass decided to leave me and I wanted to know what the cost is for repair? She's laying sideways with small fractures in the globe.
Cheers J.T.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

I get that chartplotters and other instruments create magnetic fields that can impact a compass. Does Nordhavn not get it, or is the interference stable enough that you can calibrate it out of being a problem? The first video shows the new 41 with an in dash model pretty near other instruments. Go to 1:43 if my link doesn't automagically start it there.

The second video shows the 59CP with an in dash model right smack between two huge MFDs. The lower helm view is at 4:38.

 

[paulga]

I don't know where the sending unit is for the first compass, but the flush mounted Ritchie is definitely too close to the Garmin. Watch the compass when you turn on the Garmin. I'll guess a 6 degree change. Actually, the interference will depend on your bearing, making the overall accuracy of the compass worse than it appears when stationary.

I had the same problem with my compass when I bought. It was about a foot away from my Garmin MFD. Moving it two feet away reduced the interference, but when swinging the compass I still had a max error of 6 degrees on my deviation card. Mine is a bracket mount, so moving it only left two screw holes.

That was always the problem with flush mounted compasses. When placed in the wrong location, the proper location means leaving a big hole. Maybe a coffee cup holder? The more common approach is to leave it be and not understand how to use it. A fellow boater told me they are only used when conducting a séance.

The digital compass is surface mounted. There is only a small hole for the wire, not a big hole. The compass only shows a number, none of the three keys has any response. But it's not a major concern to me.

To do any rituals, I guess it has to be the oil filled one. I used to think it's water inside.

 

[Comodave]

You can set your chartplotter to display magnetic north instead of true which makes a lot of sense with your card compass already displaying that, plus or minus the compass deviation, which I doubt one boat in ten thousand even has available since nobdy knows how to swing a compass anymore.

I know how to swing a compass, have done it many times.