Issue 24 : May/June 2002
The traditional way to check your course while belowdecks is with a telltale — an upside-down compass mounted in the skipper’s cabin (see photo of one such compass on Page 30.) It’s also useful while at anchor, so you can tell if the boat has swung about. One problem with a telltale is that you have to make a mental note of the proper course, so you have something to compare the current reading with in the middle of the night, which is not usually the best time to be doing mental arithmetic! Another concern is the price, with many compasses costing hundreds of dollars for authentic brass replicas.
A solution to both issues is an inexpensive map compass, the type with a clear rectangular housing commonly used by hikers. Just mount the compass at your nav station or by your bunk, with the Direction of Travel Arrow (the longitudinal axis) aligned with your boat. Once you are on course, or settled down at anchor, just rotate the azimuth housing until the orienting arrow (the red outlined arrow underneath the needle) lines up with the compass needle.
If the boat goes off course or swings at anchor, the compass needle will then be outside of the orienting arrow (see photos above). This allows you to tell with just a glance if your course or heading has changed, without having to remember what it was before. And the best part is the price: as little as $8.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
