Navigation compass : How to choose your navigation compass
Navigation compass, an essential tool for keeping on course
In navigation, several tools allow you to plan your route and direct yourself on the water, where visual reference points are scarce. The navigation compass is one of these tools. It is a compass system that allows you to indicate North (on the horizontal plane) and to measure angles in the desired direction. Nowadays, it has been abandoned in favor of GPS, but it remains a reliable tool to take on board your boat. Reminder: you must carry a magnetic compass or a GPS-type satellite system for any navigation beyond 2 MN.
There are 3 categories of compasses: magnetic compass, bearing compass and electronic compass. You can find all our compasses in the category .
How does a compass work?
A compass is a box inside which is a compass rose. This compass rose is equipped with magnets that react to the natural magnetic field of the earth. The compass rose, driven by these magnets, will rotate until it points north, just as a compass can. The navigation compass is graduated from 0° (pointing north) to 359°.
To ensure the smoothest possible rotation with the least amount of friction, the compass rose is centered on a sharp pivot and bathed in a viscous liquid.
The navigation compass is therefore a product that consumes no additional energy and indicates North in all circumstances. Beware, different zones exist on Earth depending on the strength of the magnetic field received. It is therefore imperative to take them into account depending on where you are navigating to balance your compass.
Once North is indicated by the compass, you simply measure the angle between North and the direction you are aiming for and plot this value on a map to find your bearings.
The different navigation compasses
There are 3 main categories of compasses for your boat:
- Electronic compass: this compass can be fixed or mobile and generally has additional functions such as date, time, anemometer function, thermometer, etc.. The main technologies used by the electronic compass are fluxgate, Hall effect, magnetoresistivity and magnetoinduction.
In this category, you can find the on our online site. It combines copas, anemometer and thermometer in the same product for a price of only 90€. It can also indicate the direction and speed of the wind. It is equipped with a backlighting system for a reading in any light conditions.
- Bearing compass: it allows to measure the angle between the targeted direction and the north. The bearing compass is a mobile compass and the aiming is done by the axis of the compass rose.
- Magnetic compass, or course compass: it allows to keep a course or an angle during navigation. The magnetic compass is a cheap instrument (although some models can be expensive). There are several models, such as the caliper compass, the horizontal or vertical compass, the barrel/mini-barrel compass or the mast compass.
Choosing a magnetic compass
A compass can be both a magnetic and a bearing compass. The bearing compass is a function while the magnetic compass is a technique, similar to a compass. Thus, we can find many kinds of magnetic compasses.
At Plastimo, the acts as a road compass and a lifting compass. It can be mounted both horizontally and vertically and adopts a conical rose for horizontal or vertical reading. The Iris compass is very suitable for sailboats or small boats. It is available in blue and white or yellow and white.
Motorboats deliver more vibrations than a sailboat, which can disrupt the operation of the compass and the rose. It is therefore imperative to choose a navigation compass adapted to this type of boat. The is totally adapted to this use and is suitable for motorboats from 5 to 10 meters. You can find this black plastimo offshore compass on a bracket or to be flush mounted for a price of 265€.
A legendary compass that we no longer need to introduce is the . Derived from the plastimo contest compass in a regatta version, this black boat compass integrates a tactical rose and will be one of the undisputed accessories to take on board your boat.
If you want a multi-purpose product, choose the . These binoculars integrate a compass in the optics with a backlight system.
Navigation compasses at Nautisports
Find all the navigation compasses mentioned above as well as many other products for boat online on Nautisports. Each compass has a product page with all the information, such as price available, delivery time, lighting or not of the compass, its protection, etc.
Have a good navigation !
For any question or additional information, we are at your disposal at 04.78.41.79.31.
The Nautisports. com team
