Hose mount vs retractable compass

[SubAquatix]

I'm (almost) agree with TBone. I like the larger slate size. If I actually need a compass, I need the notes with it. The only difference is I would use a liquid filled sailing compass due to its greater operational angle. Military figured that out on nav boards years ago.

The forgotten question, as on so many of the posts here, is what do you want to use it for? You a wrecker? Many wrecks are metal. Shore diver at the ocean? Might be better off using the wave features on the bottom. Need it for a nav class? Borrow a buddies and give it back, because you will likely never need it again.

Quote overheard by a Russian astronaut- "Silly americans. Designing zero gravity ball points when a pencil will do!"

 

[tbone1004]

SA, I agree with you on the liquid filled sailing compass, but the nice thing with these boards is how cheap they are to make. If I have a compass I usually have bearings written down, a simple map drawn on the board, etc etc, you can make the board as big or small as you need. These slates can be incredibly accurate for navigation, which can't be said for the standard diving compasses.

I use mine for surveying, working with classes for when they get lost during navigation circuits, and it's generally just nice to have if I need something bigger than my wrist slate or diving with people I need to write messages to, never hurts to have it and with how cheap it is to make compared to the dedicated compasses, it's a whole lot easier to justify carrying one.

 

[dmoore19]

I use a SK 7 on a rectractor. I find it to be as accurate as needed and moves out of the way when I don't need it.

 

[CNYMAD]

Thank you for the all the good advice. I generally following along blindly, but use a compass when shore diving. I've used it a few times to make sure I knew where the boat was located in case I got a little lost. Good point - maybe I don't need to carry a compass?

 

[Laurie S.]

I use mine on a retractor.

 

[drbill]

Personally I find compasses mounted on consoles or on hose clamps to be more difficult to level and obtain a proper heading. When I use a compass, I prefer it on a retractor or "free" in my hand

 

[CT-Rich]

I keep mine on the wrist. I position it so that I can have it in the same orientation each time. Shore diving, I like to shoot a bearing and then surface snorkel out and back. Underwater I can find out where I am on a coastal feature by comparing my current heading relative to outcrop/ formation I am swimming near. I just like to avoid having to do a pop-up to see where I am. Nothing like navigating around without ever relying on anything other than your own skills. The more you use it, the more you'll like using it.

 

[gcarter]

I'm (almost) agree with TBone. I like the larger slate size. If I actually need a compass, I need the notes with it. The only difference is I would use a liquid filled sailing compass due to its greater operational angle. Military figured that out on nav boards years ago.

The forgotten question, as on so many of the posts here, is what do you want to use it for? You a wrecker? Many wrecks are metal. Shore diver at the ocean? Might be better off using the wave features on the bottom. Need it for a nav class? Borrow a buddies and give it back, because you will likely never need it again.

Quote overheard by a Russian astronaut- "Silly americans. Designing zero gravity ball points when a pencil will do!"

Until you do.

IMHO it is a piece of safety equipment. I always wear my compass when diving in the St. Lawrence. If you get turned around, it is easy to remember Canada = north and the US = south. When ocean diving, bottom wave features are not always practical, but it is dead easy to take a bearing from time to time as you go. It can save a whole heap of swimming.

---------- Post added February 8th, 2015 at 09:16 PM ----------

Thank you for the all the good advice. I generally following along blindly, but use a compass when shore diving. I've used it a few times to make sure I knew where the boat was located in case I got a little lost. Good point - maybe I don't need to carry a compass?

I wholeheartedly disagree.

 

[SubAquatix]

Thank you for the all the good advice. I generally following along blindly, but use a compass when shore diving. I've used it a few times to make sure I knew where the boat was located in case I got a little lost. Good point - maybe I don't need to carry a compass?

Not so much that you don't but when do you ? I dive 30-50 wrecks a year. Don't use them there (all metal wrecks). Caves- nah, don't need them there. Classes in Navigation, sure. Ocean Shoreline, sometimes if there isn't a lot of recognizable structure, but normally not. Meg teeth hunts? Nah, most use a reel there. Searching for something you lost? No compass there- use a reel

Anytime I function within 200ish feet of a point (under lower vis), it's with a reel. Much more accurate than a compass.

Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with a compass. I have several on the trailer, one in my carry kit, and a couple of navigation charts. 95% of the time, that's where they will be the next dive, too!

 

[Zog]

Have mine on wrist with DSS bungee mount.

On one shore dive at "Deadman's Reef," in Southern California, we surfaced into a super thick fog. Totally unexpected since it was clear and sunny when we started the dive. At Deadman's you're something like 200 yards (or more?) out, so no way we could see which way the was shore ( we could barely see 20 ft). There was no measurable swell to tell us which direction was shore, plus a steady Eastward longshore current had us exiting at another cove. Without a compass, it would have been easy to swim in the wrong direction and end up with a much longer swim, or into boat traffic.