Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 01-10-2011, 12:08   #1
Registered User
 
hoppy's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,844
Replace Compass at Helm with GPS

I'm toying with the idea of replacing both compasses on my dual helm with GPS's (Raymarine E7)

I know that some people will be horrified at the idea but I am just wondering if it really is so bad an idea.....

I have been looking to buy a MFD GPS to mount either on or under the table but after 6 weeks sailing in Greece I found I did not use the compass all that much. Mostly I sailed with the autohlem on or I sailed to a point on an island or just used the telltails.

With the announcement of the RM E7 at a half the price of the E90W I had been thinking of getting, it occured to me that maybe I could look at mounting an E7 at each helm in place of the compasses.



Don't worry I am not thinking of been compass free as I would look at mounting one of the compasses just aft of the table and if necessary mount smaller compasses to the side of each helm.

I figure that if I am needing the compass when motoring the table mount would be fine and when sailing a compass mounted closer to the rail where I am sitting would be better than the existing placement.
hoppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2011, 12:35   #2
Moderator Emeritus
 
Boracay's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia
Boat: CyberYacht 43
Posts: 5,174
Images: 19
Why not?

You mean replace those huge expensive unreliable inaccurate pieces of antiquated junk with something modern and useful?

The real value of compasses can be judged from the fact that nobody ever steals them. A nice expensive plotter on the other hand...

If only they made a plotter with inbuilt gyro compass.
Boracay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2011, 12:54   #3
Registered User
 
hoppy's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,844
Re: Why not?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boracay View Post
The real value of compasses can be judged from the fact that nobody ever steals them.
LOL

hoppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-10-2011, 14:53   #4
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 20,420
Re: Replace Compass at Helm with GPS

Why not place the GPS things alongside with the compasses?

Should all electronics die, how will you steer?

Should the boat stop, how will you know your heading?

Remember these options:

- you can use GPS compasses,
- you can use fluxgate (electronic) compasses.

I think it is OK to forego the classic compasses if that's what you want. Just make sure there is one on the boat that you can snap on in the cockpit in an emergency.

b.
barnakiel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 06:52   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SW Florida
Boat: FP Belize, 43' - Dot Dun
Posts: 3,823
Re: Why not?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boracay View Post
If only they made a plotter with inbuilt gyro compass.
A close alternative - iPad2 3G

Many apps available......
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	ipad-compass.jpg
Views:	409
Size:	22.2 KB
ID:	32257  
DotDun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 07:01   #6
Guest

Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 433
Re: Replace Compass at Helm with GPS

You can use your wristwatch and the sun to determine direction; unless your watch happens to be digital.... compasses only point North anyway, geesh; what good are they....
Noname is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 07:03   #7
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 20,420
Re: Why not?

Quote:
Originally Posted by DotDun View Post
A close alternative - iPad2 3G

Many apps available......
Not waterproof. Useless as a helm station, great elsewhere - say at the nav table.

b.
barnakiel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 07:05   #8
Registered User
 
Mark1977's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Halifax, N.S Canada
Boat: Tanzer 26, Walk22
Posts: 930
Re: Replace Compass at Helm with GPS

I don't know , to each there own, but i like my compass. We just started fishing with a brand new boat this year and guess what, no compass. I bought my own and mounted it.
Mark1977 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 07:26   #9
Registered User
 
Ziggy's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: U.S., Northeast
Boat: Currently boatless
Posts: 1,643
Images: 2
Re: Replace Compass at Helm with GPS

Quote:
Originally Posted by hoppy View Post
I'm toying with the idea of replacing both compasses on my dual helm with GPS's (Raymarine E7)

[...]

Don't worry I am not thinking of been compass free as I would look at mounting one of the compasses just aft of the table and if necessary mount smaller compasses to the side of each helm.

I figure that if I am needing the compass when motoring the table mount would be fine and when sailing a compass mounted closer to the rail where I am sitting would be better than the existing placement.
GPS provides course information, a compass provides heading. Tow different things. Personally, I would not want to sail on a boat without reliable heading display visible from the helm.

But as long as the heading display is clearly visible from the helm, I see nothing wrong with your idea.
__________________
... He knows the chart is not the sea.
-- Philip Booth, Chart 1203
Ziggy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 07:42   #10
Registered User
 
tartansail's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Tiverton, RI, USA
Boat: ex-Tartan 40
Posts: 619
Images: 1
Re: Replace Compass at Helm with GPS

The time that I still rely on the compass is when I need to hand steer with bad visibility -- at night or in fog. I get the desired heading from the GPS, but steer to the compass. The heading on the chartplotter lags a few seconds so isn't a reliable alternative. I'd be sure you weren't going to find yourself in those circumstances before losing both compasses.
__________________
- David
S/V Sapphire Tartan 40 #71

tartansail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 07:53   #11
Registered User
 
svcambria's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Mexico (currently)
Boat: Panda 40 - S/V Cambria
Posts: 573
Re: Replace Compass at Helm with GPS

Quote:
I have been looking to buy a MFD GPS to mount either on or under the table but after 6 weeks sailing in Greece I found I did not use the compass all that much. Mostly I sailed with the autohlem on or I sailed to a point on an island or just used the telltails.
Sounds like you don't need either. In any event, GPS is probably not dampened very well to try and make steering decisions from it in active seas - lots of numbers whizzing by and you get to try and find an average - and lit up numbers at night - you don't have a radar that can display a way point lollipop?

Michael
svcambria is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2011, 08:03   #12
Registered User
 
ADMPRTR's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Boat: CS36 Traditional
Posts: 551
Re: Replace Compass at Helm with GPS

Quote:
Originally Posted by tartansail View Post
The heading on the chartplotter lags a few seconds so isn't a reliable alternative.
I would like to add to this is that I find when making a course change I much prefer using the compass. When using a chartplotter I find I wander back and forth as I try to get the the bearing to match my course. A compass makes this a much faster action. Then I switch back to the chartplotter to stay on my course.

In fact, I believe my compass is broken and will need to find the money to fix it but money I think is well spent.

But then again, I still use paper charts...
ADMPRTR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2011, 11:37   #13
Registered User
 
nwdiver's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Vancouver, BC
Boat: C&C Landfall 38
Posts: 821
Re: Replace Compass at Helm with GPS

As noted you can see where a compass is going (or the boat really) and how fast, very difficult to do on a chartplotter, even an electronic compass shows direction (of movement) and a sense of speed. If you are navigating in the clear med daytime with mostly visual reckoning do it, should you start lots of low vis work leave one helm with a compass. Or pull one compass put in the chartplotter use it and the compass the other helm and make a decision, you might end up with one of each for different situations.
nwdiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2011, 11:38   #14
cruiser

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Tampa Bay area
Boat: Hunter 31'
Posts: 5,731
Re: Why not?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boracay View Post
You mean replace those huge expensive unreliable inaccurate pieces of antiquated junk with something modern and useful?

The real value of compasses can be judged from the fact that nobody ever steals them. A nice expensive plotter on the other hand...

If only they made a plotter with inbuilt gyro compass.

I guess, but the compass will look more useful if the chartplotter goes out.
Rakuflames is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2011, 11:47   #15
Nearly an old salt
 
goboatingnow's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
Images: 3
Lots of mis information here.

Since you have an autopilot it's very likely you have a good source of HEADING information. This is derived from a fluxgate compass not GPS. The e7 will display this. You can of course display COG as well

It's a good idea. Just keep a backup compass somewhere.
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
goboatingnow is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
compass, gps

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
GPS Signal Interference in US CarlF Navigation 36 19-05-2012 08:13
Challenge: Autopilot Drive Wrecks Compass Direction TomandAnitas34 Challenges 5 30-07-2011 20:54
GPS Compass Tashtego OpenCPN 17 27-07-2011 22:53
Route Properties, Missing Functions James Baines OpenCPN 13 13-07-2011 04:31

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 23:08.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.