hand bearing compass

[mckenzie.keith]

Do people still use and do you have a favorite hand bearing compass? In the past I have found them useful for quickly ascertaining whether you are on a collision course with another vessel (or just a strange light seen at night). Nowadays with AIS and radar maybe not as essential.

As a talking point, West Marine has the Ritchie SportAbout and the Plastimo Iris 100.

 

[Fleetwood]

I have one, never use it.
For collision courses, just use a couple of (fixed) points on your boat, does the other boat move fwd or aft wrt them? Or not...
Steering compass is good enough to check for strange lights against your chart (plotter).

 

[slug zitski]

Do people still use and do you have a favorite hand bearing compass? In the past I have found them useful for quickly ascertaining whether you are on a collision course with another vessel (or just a strange light seen at night). Nowadays with AIS and radar maybe not as essential.

As a talking point, West Marine has the Ritchie SportAbout and the Plastimo Iris 100.

The hockey puck is the best

The best ones have strong , durable luminescent illumination

I dont care how many electronic gizmos you have …stop watch and a hand bearing compass are critical

The compass in binoculars is handy , but the hockey puck is better and doesn’t make you cry when is falls over the side

 

[yoyo]

Hockey puck styles are great and fit in a pocket or easily hang on neck. I'd avoid the ritchie sport. A buddy had one, it worked but nowhere near as nice when compared to the plastimo or weems and plath hockey pucks.
That plastimo iris 100 looks like it would be nice if you wanted a simple compass inside by the nav station and then grab when you need it. They apparently make a lighted version.

 

[Monkey]

I use mine all the time. Mostly for race committee work, but also to see if you’re gaining bearing on boats off in the distance. I use the Weems & Plath hockey puck and love it.

 

[bloodshot]

Plastimo Iris 50 or GTFO

 

[slug zitski]

Plastimo Iris 50 or GTFO

Looks good

Sometimes you actually need to put it in your hand and use it to decided if it fits your use
I’ve always used the round rubberized pucks… they work for me

Don’t waste time with anything that needs a battery

 

[Munz]

Plastimo Iris 50 or GTFO

Another vote for the Iris

 

[DDW]

Personally I like the ones in binoculars. You can get an accurate bearing. If all you need is an approximate bearing, just sighting across the binnacle compass works well enough and you don't have to wear a necklace. But with AIS doing most of the collision tracking and calculation, I don't use either much. GPS eliminated the need for them for navigation.

 

[slug zitski]

Yikes

I just looked at the price !!!!!! 260$

If you needed two … Southern Hemisphere … you’d need to take out a bank loan

Hand Bearing Compasses

Hand-Bearing-Compasses

www.weems-plath.com

 

[Monkey]

Yikes

I just looked at the price !!!!!! 260$

If you needed two … Southern Hemisphere … you’d need to take out a bank loan

Hand Bearing Compasses

Hand-Bearing-Compasses

www.weems-plath.com

View attachment 557090

I remember it being pricey, but not nearly that bad when I bought mine a few years ago.

 

[slug zitski]

I remember it being pricey, but not nearly that bad when I bought mine a few years ago.

Yah

Same here

My hockey puck is so old that the rubber has gone gummy

Same with my stiener binoculars

 

[Zonker]

I liked the Autohelm ones. Could store up to 9 bearings. So for a 3 point fix I'd click button 3 times on first point, 3 more for second time, 3 again for last point.

Then when reading them out you can look at the first 3 and take a mental average. But it has a fluxgate compass that must be kept very flat or it gets inaccurate.

Nowadays I use a hand bearing compass for collision detection and sometime clearing bearings on an obstacle (like clearing a reef)

 

[Raz'r]

I like my little rubber hockey puck, in a sea, it's more reliable for me than binocs. Have that too.

 

[Raz'r]

I like my little rubber hockey puck, in a sea, it's more reliable for me than binocs. Have that too.

Oh, and the big grey boats don't broadcast AIS (and some of the fishing boats as well)

 

[CapDave]

Davis. I have one on my boat that I bought in the 70's. I find it easier to use than the hockey puck. It can however be fragile, you can't just toss it down. I've glued mine together a few times.....

 

[Slim]

$119 - https://www.celestaire.com/product/mini-2000-compass/

 

[slug zitski]

$119 - https://www.celestaire.com/product/mini-2000-compass/

Yah the price looks good

Normally you go to Weems and Plath for high quality tools

The 260 $ price is ridiculous

It would be interesting to find out why ?

Perhaps superior dampening or card magnification or someone once told me that high quality luminescent substance that the Swiss use in watches is expense

Hmmm

 

[Pinching]

+1 on the Vion -- ours is old (1979) and had radiation lighting that eventually went away. Now it's daytime use only. Have a Plastimo Iris for night use.

 

[Raz'r]

$119 - https://www.celestaire.com/product/mini-2000-compass/

That's the one I have. Works well.