Mondays 11/23/2009 Question and boating safety Tip ANSWERED.
- CaptainScott
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Mondays 11/23/2009 Question and boating safety Tip ANSWERED.
I'm thinking compass.
Saftey Tip:
How many of you have a compass aboard your wonderful boat? Better yet, How many of you have ever USED your compass for real?? I mean other than just to play with? I bet not many! I hope I'm wrong! Why know your compass? Heck, I sail the same waters almost every time I sail! A couple of reasons. The first most notible is FOG! Have you ever sailed in fog? It is next to impossible to know which way to go in the fog without a compass or other assistance! On morning my bride and I were snuggly tucked into a quiet slip in Langly Wa. We woke early so we could get back early only to be socked in heavy fog. The fog literaly blurred the fordeck from the stern. It was THAT thick! Well, grabbing my handy dandy chart of the local area I was very quickly able to calculate a compass heading that would not only get me headed home but kept our keel compleatly clear of Sandy Point! Practicing with my compass during clear calm days when there was no wind gave me the confidence to successfully use my compass when I really needed it.
Learn your compass NOW! Play with it when you don't need it! It us much less stressful!! LOL! Trust me!!
Question for today All our nautical charts have a compass rose on it! Have you ever looked at it and wonder what the heck?
Which of the following are shown on the compass rose on your chart?
1) True North
2) Compass North
3) Compass Deviation
4) Magnetic Variation
Saftey Tip:
How many of you have a compass aboard your wonderful boat? Better yet, How many of you have ever USED your compass for real?? I mean other than just to play with? I bet not many! I hope I'm wrong! Why know your compass? Heck, I sail the same waters almost every time I sail! A couple of reasons. The first most notible is FOG! Have you ever sailed in fog? It is next to impossible to know which way to go in the fog without a compass or other assistance! On morning my bride and I were snuggly tucked into a quiet slip in Langly Wa. We woke early so we could get back early only to be socked in heavy fog. The fog literaly blurred the fordeck from the stern. It was THAT thick! Well, grabbing my handy dandy chart of the local area I was very quickly able to calculate a compass heading that would not only get me headed home but kept our keel compleatly clear of Sandy Point! Practicing with my compass during clear calm days when there was no wind gave me the confidence to successfully use my compass when I really needed it.
Learn your compass NOW! Play with it when you don't need it! It us much less stressful!! LOL! Trust me!!
Question for today All our nautical charts have a compass rose on it! Have you ever looked at it and wonder what the heck?
Which of the following are shown on the compass rose on your chart?
1) True North
2) Compass North
3) Compass Deviation
4) Magnetic Variation
Last edited by CaptainScott on Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Capt. Bondo
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I'm going to go with, 1) True North 2) Compass North are shown on the compass rose on your chart?
I believe Compass Deviation, are caused by magnetic influences aboard the boat and Magnetic Variation, take place over very large area.
I believe Compass Deviation, are caused by magnetic influences aboard the boat and Magnetic Variation, take place over very large area.
H:)ppy Place
78 Chrysler 22
You can go to a Zen Master or you can go Sailing, either way you end up in about the same place..... a Happy Place
78 Chrysler 22
You can go to a Zen Master or you can go Sailing, either way you end up in about the same place..... a Happy Place
It's a good life on the
Honu, 1976 C-22
My Chrysler Sailing Photos: http://s1297.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... ry/Sailing
Honu, 1976 C-22
My Chrysler Sailing Photos: http://s1297.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... ry/Sailing
- EmergencyExit
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Got to practice my compass skillset in minor fashion on that night cruise.
To get to the restaurant we followed the curving west bank north to town, but on the way back I wanted to steer directly to the club docks. Didn't have a course to set, but knew from the reverse C shape of the lake I'd leave town going southwest, clip the east bank no wake zone, then continue to the club.
So I aimed to the starboard of some house nights on the point, noted the heading, and stuck to it. 45 minutes later we got to the west side no wake zone we were only a couple buoys from our dock.
Was a neat feeling !
To get to the restaurant we followed the curving west bank north to town, but on the way back I wanted to steer directly to the club docks. Didn't have a course to set, but knew from the reverse C shape of the lake I'd leave town going southwest, clip the east bank no wake zone, then continue to the club.
So I aimed to the starboard of some house nights on the point, noted the heading, and stuck to it. 45 minutes later we got to the west side no wake zone we were only a couple buoys from our dock.
Was a neat feeling !
Last edited by EmergencyExit on Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
I'm thinking all the above also...
But I gotta admit I use my GPS and have way points set with approaches when I'm IFR and don't have a regular magnetic needle compass. If I ever lost power and my GPS,,, guess I'd have Pam on the bow pulpit hollering at me, so maybe a compass back up should be on my wish list
But I gotta admit I use my GPS and have way points set with approaches when I'm IFR and don't have a regular magnetic needle compass. If I ever lost power and my GPS,,, guess I'd have Pam on the bow pulpit hollering at me, so maybe a compass back up should be on my wish list
- CaptainScott
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ANSWER:
1 & 4
The Compass Rose on a nautical chart shows true North and Magnetic variation. Since the Magnetic variation changes from year to year, the compass rose also shows a specific year and an annual change. If you have an older chart you must consider the annual change for any calculations you make! Take a look at your chart today! it is good to be familiar with it!
FYI: to get from compass north to True North you must caculate any compass error, compass deviation, and magnetic variation.
1 & 4
The Compass Rose on a nautical chart shows true North and Magnetic variation. Since the Magnetic variation changes from year to year, the compass rose also shows a specific year and an annual change. If you have an older chart you must consider the annual change for any calculations you make! Take a look at your chart today! it is good to be familiar with it!
FYI: to get from compass north to True North you must caculate any compass error, compass deviation, and magnetic variation.
Arg,
More proof I should stay on show due to fog.
Thanks
Alan
More proof I should stay on show due to fog.
Thanks
Alan
It's a good life on the
Honu, 1976 C-22
My Chrysler Sailing Photos: http://s1297.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... ry/Sailing
Honu, 1976 C-22
My Chrysler Sailing Photos: http://s1297.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... ry/Sailing
Greetings from Casablanca! You need to leave those things open until Thursday, mate, although you might have had plans for this particular thursday, I suppose.
When she goes to the coast, three compasses on board Windward (one's a hand bearing compass), plus paper charts, plus laptop with e-charts, plus Garmin 492 chartplotter, plus Garmin eTrex Legend and/or Garmin Colorado 400c. Belt, suspenders, drawstring and elastic waistband, eh?
To remember the sequence, I always use
Can => Compass
Dead => Deviation
Men => Magnetic
Vote => Variation
Twice => True
and DAW --> Down Add West.
So, if mag variation is 6 deg w, I add 6 deg to my compass heading to get true. I've only informally calibrated my compasses, and thus have not prepared a deviation table. On NS and WE deviation is less than a couple of degrees, and I cannot steer that precisely for long.
I also ensure that my GPS is set to mag north. That way, my nav's consistent between GPS and compass.
When she goes to the coast, three compasses on board Windward (one's a hand bearing compass), plus paper charts, plus laptop with e-charts, plus Garmin 492 chartplotter, plus Garmin eTrex Legend and/or Garmin Colorado 400c. Belt, suspenders, drawstring and elastic waistband, eh?
To remember the sequence, I always use
Can => Compass
Dead => Deviation
Men => Magnetic
Vote => Variation
Twice => True
and DAW --> Down Add West.
So, if mag variation is 6 deg w, I add 6 deg to my compass heading to get true. I've only informally calibrated my compasses, and thus have not prepared a deviation table. On NS and WE deviation is less than a couple of degrees, and I cannot steer that precisely for long.
I also ensure that my GPS is set to mag north. That way, my nav's consistent between GPS and compass.
Jeff
s/v Windward
1978 C-26 #481
http://www.lizards.net
http://www.sv-windward.com
http://www.chryslersailing.com
s/v Windward
1978 C-26 #481
http://www.lizards.net
http://www.sv-windward.com
http://www.chryslersailing.com
Mondays 11/23/2009 Question and boating safety Tip ANSWERED.
Jeff,
Thanks for providing that mnemonic the help folks remember. To get to the compass heading from true, I use the mnemonic:
True = True
Virgins = Variation
Make = Magnetic
Dull = Deviation
Companions = Compass
That gives me the course to steer, fog or not.
Dan
Thanks for providing that mnemonic the help folks remember. To get to the compass heading from true, I use the mnemonic:
True = True
Virgins = Variation
Make = Magnetic
Dull = Deviation
Companions = Compass
That gives me the course to steer, fog or not.
Dan
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