Need help, miniature Binacle Compass

T

Thudpucker

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http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g121/groaner/Boats%20and%20Marine/DSCF0745.jpg I got this little guy off Ebay. It works magnetically correct, nice and slow, good for my little Rowing Jon on a small lake.
But....The Green arrow on top the Ball, points to the South marker.
I'd think it should point to the North!
There must be a reason for this. Somebody enlighten me.
 
Is it a top-reading compass or a front-reading compass? I don't see a lubber line. Is the arrow fixed? Is that the lubber line that you line up with the bow?
 
I think your compass is meant to be viewed from the side or top. The arrow makes it clear which direction north is. Without the arrow if you were looking down at it how would you know which direction was north?
 
The compass is designed to be read from the side.

Picture the compass mounted in front of you, on top of the dash of your car, you view the side, observe "N" and see the arrow pointing away from you, toward North.

Viewed from the top is appears to be wrong...
 
I think it's viewd from the top. Not enough of it is visible from the side.
The Green arrow is painted onto the Ball.
The direction I'm headed is on the 'other' side of the Compass.
The Ball labels the direction of travel, but the label is on the other side from the viewer.

I had a nice 4" binnacle on my 24' boat. It was not confusing at all.
 
So the arrow is lined up with the bow and the direction you are traveling is read from the tail of the arrow. Put a line on the ring at the tail of the arrow and you have a side reading compass.
 
Thud..... You want to add to the confusion? You're in a row boat. You'll be facing backwards when you are underway. Now you are facing south rowing north whilst looking at an "S" on the compass with the arrow pointed at you!!!!!!

Does the seller have a return policy? I wouldn't want you to have a freeking aneurysm over an 8 dollar compass!
 
The "N" is actually on the 180* south side of the compass dome-card , where you can see it when facing North ( where the arrow points to.)
So you can view them from the side, all the markings on that type of compass are on the side 180* away from the actual heading as you face the compass.

Personally, I have always much preferred the flat card type compass that makes it easy to see both mag heading and reciprocal course, though you can do that on yours when viewing from the top. As suggested above, just add centerline lubber lines on the plastic or metal lip and align accordingly on the yot.

As get-home backup, keep dropping breadcrumbs overboard or paying out the string.

But David's explanation is the most fun one so far .
 
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g121/groaner/Boats%20and%20Marine/DSCF0745.jpg I think I paid $0.99 for this thing. I might put it in somebody else's boat and see if he get's lost in the Fog.
 
I have some "Lost in the Fog" stories already.
I learned to stay on the Beach from those experiences.
I think I'll put that little Deceiver in the Boat because it's so cute.
People will think I'm a Deep Thinker because I have such a thing.

I think I got it so cheap is because the Card (Bubble) is misprinted and some Chinaman bought unsaleable stuff in large lots.
If I ignore the Arrow, it's works.
 
Maybe it's for Australia? You know, everything is upside down and toilets flush opposite too! (I'm kidding of course for those with no sense of humor)
 
Good looking compass adru. When we were going through the wilds of Ontario, we used a compass quite often.
That one would have been handy. The Flat compass needles stick too often.
 
This reminds me of an incident where I live a few years ago where a new boater and his family travelled to an island about 12 mile offshore to the west On returning he thought the mainland was also to the west and continued into the Indian Ocean until he ran out of fuel. Two even more amazing facts are that no alcohol or drugs were involved and that the weather was fine and you can see the mainland from the water around the island. Was luckily spotted by a passing ship about 70 miles further out and out of radio range.
 
I went out in the Fog, heading west, counting the time.
I was looking for a Bell Buoy.

Compass heading was good, boat ran good until I stopped to listen for the Bell.
Nope! I heard Surf!
I killed the motor, rowed toward the 'surf' sound, and discovered I was on the beach about two miles north of where I'd started out.

It was the Flat needle compass. The needle stuck because of the Boat movment.
I was following a 'nail' laying on the seat next to me.

So I'll trust this little Chinese morfadite because the round Card will keep moving.
 
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