Rowing Compass?

Is anyone aware of a source for a rowing compass that would work in the footbrace of the Chester Yawl? http://www.rowingsport.com/compass.html is sort of what I mean but it should mount flush like the Brunton 70P, work on the 54 degree incline of the footbrace, be in the neighborhood of 3" round, as well as have the reverse compass card. Ideas?

If that isn't possible, does anyone know of a non-electric compass that will mount flush in the footbrace and handle the 54 degree incline? I am not sure that the Brunton 70P will do that but maybe you know.

Thanks again, folks!


13 replies:

« Previous Post       List of Posts       Next Post »

RE: Rowing Compass?

I used a Nexux 70UNE like this:

https://www.celestaire.com/compasses/nexus-70une-detail.html

...as a steering compase aboard a Sea Pearl 21 cat-ketch for 20-plus seasons with great success.  Very flexible as to how it is mounted, and it worked quite well at extreme angles of heel.  You might even be able to mount it "tail up" (upside down) to use as you describe, due to the angle of the bezel relative to the stem.  If not, you ought to be able to add a little bracket to the center of your footrest to mount the thing more vertically to get it to where it's easy to view.  It does work well as a bearing compass, and it was nice to be able to pack it away carefully out of harm's way when transporting the boat or otherwise not needed.  I am thinking about getting one for our Passagemaker Dinghy, but I'm still cogitating on different ways of mounting it yet.

I did find some places where that Brunton 70P could mount either horizontally (as on a kayak deck) or vertically in a bulkhead.  Some of the photos I turned up suggest that an angled surface like your footrest could work, too, so you might want to look into that further.  I've no experience with that one personally, though.

.....Michael

RE: Rowing Compass?

"Nexus" not "Nexux."  Duh.   

RE: Rowing Compass?

Thanks Gramps! I will have to look for evidence that the 70P can be mounted at such a high angle. The problem with these compasses is that they work better if you are facing forward, which is not the case when you are rowing! What you are reading is the heading for where you have been. It's a bit of a curious thing, isn't it, but it is, after all, just a matter of flipping the heading. It would be nice if someone knows of a compass that mounts the right way and has the reveresed compass card, otheriwse I will just have to learn to think backwards... ;-) 

RE: Rowing Compass?

Well, heck, you are a rower, right?  You already go backwards better'n you go forwards, you think?  <;-)  

RE: Rowing Compass?

   :-D 

RE: Rowing Compass?

   Duckworksbbs.com sells a reverse rowing compass. I am thinking of trying one for a Northeaster Dory I built last year. I keep holding off because the high cost of shipping north of the border is quite painfull.

RE: Rowing Compass?

I recently swapped e-mails with Ritchie Navigation looking for a bulkhead or through-hole mounted reciprocal compass for when I'm rowing my Faering Cruiser. Their response was to point me to the XP 99 180 OFF model that they make. They call it a "custom made" compass and say it's their only compass that reads backwards.

Turns out that it's the very compass Duckworks sells, so I guess that Duckworks is the custom customer.

I decided to go with an electronic solution, it's much cheaper.

Laszlo

 

RE: Rowing Compass?

   Thanks PS and Laszlo! I will look up Duckworks here in a second. Laszlo: what is your cheaper electronic solution? You do have me curious!

RE: Rowing Compass?

The Duckworks' compass, http://www.duckworksbbs.com/product-p/rs-rrc.htm, seems identical to http://www.rowingsport.com/compass.html. I corresponded with Bill at Rowingsport and he told me that compass won't lean greater than +/- 20º. It does not appear that it will work in the footrest though it could be mounted otherwise.

RE: Rowing Compass?

I need to remember that this tool does support links if I do a little extra work. The links above are:

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/product-p/rs-rrc.htm

and 

http://www.rowingsport.com/compass.html.

I hope that is helpful.

RE: Rowing Compass?

>>Laszlo: what is your cheaper electronic solution? You do have me curious!

It may not be cheaper for everyone - it's to build my own. When I'm not building boats for fun I build electronic circuits for fun, so I have a well-stocked parts bin, It contains, among other things, several magnetometer boards, microprocessors, GPS boards, 9 DOF IMUs, displays, etc. which I can assemble and program into a compass and velocity display.

The thing is, that would be the easy part. Then I'd have to figure out a saltwater-proof, shock-, vibration-, humidity- and temperature-proof (including both summer and winter outdoors on the trailer) container that would let me see the display in sunlight and supply power to the device (and look good on the boat).

Then I'd have to install a reliable power system on the boat.

It's amazing what you get with a simple mechanical compass.

Laszlo

 

RE: Rowing Compass?

I'd ask what you are selling them for, Laszlo, but I don't think I would want to know! Awesome! <3 You should share when it becomes a reality.

I am pretty much convinced that I need to order a 70P. it doesn't seem local folks carry it. Thanks to eveyone for their input and thoughts.

RE: Rowing Compass?

I eventually went with the Ritchie V-527 and it will be mounted in the footbrace of my Chester Yawl. It lacks the reverse card but will work fine. The Brunton 70P would certainly also have worked.

« Previous Post     List of Posts     Next Post »


Please login or register to post a reply.