One of the most terrifying situations that could happen to any boater at sea is to get lost. It’s different to getting lost on land since calling for help and looking for landmarks is not as feasible to do at sea. You could get stranded for a long time before help comes to rescue you. Aside from having a handy GPS in your boat, it’s also important to have a good old maritime compass too. A compass is a trusty device to give you directions on going from point A to point B without your Camero Vision boat going astray. Plus it doesn’t need batteries or electricity to keep giving you directions so this small item is still useful even with the widespread use of GPS trackers by boaters. 

What is a Marine Compass?

A marine compass is normally composed of a small card at the centre with line marks on the sides that point to a specific direction the moment you move or steer your boat. It’s drawn to Earth’s magnetic pull which makes it always point to the northern direction for reference no matter which direction your boat is situated.

Why is a Marine Compass Important? 

A marine compass is a handy device that boaters and sea travellers use to help them determine where they need to go regardless of the changes in weather conditions. It leads you to the right path when there is zero visibility and when landmarks are nowhere to be found due to foggy conditions or if it’s too dark to see the surroundings, especially when at nighttime when the moon and stars are not visible.  

What Are the Two Types of Marine Compass?

There are two popular types of marine compasses that boaters and mariners usually use:

• Marine compass: As mentioned above, this compass uses the boat’s movement to turn the needle on a rotating card to the direction it’s heading.
• Gyro compass: A gyrocompass is a type of non-magnetic compass that is based on a fast-spinning disc and the rotation of the Earth to find geographical direction automatically.

Compass vs. GPS

GPS and a compass are quite similar when it comes to giving directions, however, there is an advantage a marine compass has over a GPS. A GPS needs to rely on satellite signals to obtain the information needed and they need the power to operate. Without power, it is basically useless. While a marine compass may not provide you with exact directions to a particular location, it doesn’t need any power for it to function so you can use it anywhere at any time. You can purchase both items in your local marine centres. 

How to Use a Marine Compass?

When using a marine compass, you need the compass itself and a maritime chart to plot your destination. A boat compass has three main parts: the compass card, bezel, and lubber line. The compass card is found in the middle with directional marks and rotates with the bezel, which has degree measurements. The lubber line is a pin that points to where you’re headed.

Choose a destination on your maritime chart. If you want to get to your destination, you need to consult this chart to avoid getting lost. The maritime chart will help you locate your destination. For example, you want to head to a marina and trace a line from where you are to where you’ll be going. Take note of the marine compass reading; the line drawn from your point of reference to your destination creates an angle (measured in degrees). If you happen to be confused about getting back, just remember the direction opposite your destination (if you’re currently located in the south direction, you need to turn 180 degrees to get back to the east direction).