Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Re: GPS vs Compass
By:Bruce Moulton
Date: 11/15/1998, 9:08 pm
In Response To: Re: GPS vs Compass (Don Beale)

> In my experience with GPS, especially the lower cost versions, they will
> only give a course / speed when moving. They cannot be used to take a
> bearing on an object, for example. They are also quite sensitive to wave
> action; it will read speeds and courses based on the 6-7' difference in
> elevation especially in a small boat. Not to mention the dependance on at
> least three functional satellites... Not that they are bad, just that they
> are intended for a different application. My experience has been on small
> sailboats, running up and down the coast. It works great for that; if you
> are going to use it for coastal nav perhaps it would work well on a kayak
> - but I would want a compass, too. Pretty hard to plot yourself onto a
> chart in the cockpit of a kayak.

Anyone that is going to be in a situation where they will have to plot a course or head in a compass direction needs a compass first. You need to learn how to plot a corse and follow it with confidence with your compass first. A GPS is nice and under the right conditions can give you a lot of information but they fail to often to be relied on. Batteries, Satellite locations, wave action can all have an effect on a GPS.

Messages In This Thread

Mounting a compass
Robert Woodard -- 11/19/1998, 3:29 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Andy Gere -- 11/30/1998, 3:35 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Robert Woodard -- 11/30/1998, 5:20 pm
Re: Mounting a compass(pix, no kidding this time)
Andy Gere -- 12/2/1998, 1:48 am
Re: Mounting a compass(pix, no kidding this time)
Robert Woodard -- 12/2/1998, 5:35 pm
Re: Mounting a compass (pix)
Andy Gere -- 12/2/1998, 1:41 am
Lighting a compass
Brian C. -- 11/23/1998, 2:51 pm
Re: Lighting a compass
Nolan Penney -- 11/24/1998, 8:46 am
Re: Lighting a compass
Paul Jacobson -- 11/23/1998, 6:18 pm
Re: Lighting a compass
Brian C. -- 11/23/1998, 6:52 pm
Lighting your way
Paul Jacobson -- 11/24/1998, 4:11 am
Re: Lighting a compass
Scotty -- 11/24/1998, 12:40 am
Re: Lighting a compass
Alex Sheridan -- 11/23/1998, 2:50 pm
never mind here it is thanks :)
Brian C. -- 11/24/1998, 5:09 pm
West Marine contact?
Brian C. -- 11/24/1998, 5:03 pm
battery pac
Brian C. -- 11/23/1998, 6:54 pm
Re: battery pac
Alex Sheridan -- 11/23/1998, 8:03 pm
Re: battery pac
Robert Woodard -- 11/23/1998, 7:37 pm
battery ballast
Brian C. -- 11/24/1998, 12:28 pm
Re: battery ballast
Robert Woodard -- 11/24/1998, 1:05 pm
Re: battery ballast
Brian C. -- 11/24/1998, 2:05 pm
Re: battery ballast
Robert Woodard -- 11/24/1998, 4:09 pm
is it a _sealed_ battery?
Brian C. -- 11/24/1998, 4:39 pm
Re: is it a _sealed_ battery?
Robert Woodard -- 11/24/1998, 4:47 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Pete Ford -- 11/15/1998, 10:45 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Wayne Bergman -- 11/16/1998, 6:39 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Jerry Weinraub -- 11/17/1998, 7:47 am
Re: Mounting a compass
Scotty -- 11/19/1998, 1:33 am
Hamilton contact info
Pete Ford -- 11/16/1998, 7:57 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Jon Young -- 11/16/1998, 4:29 pm
Re: Posting a picture
Don Varnau -- 11/16/1998, 11:21 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Robert Woodard -- 11/16/1998, 1:30 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
John Lange -- 11/16/1998, 2:16 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Pete Ford -- 11/16/1998, 1:41 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Nick Schade -- 11/16/1998, 1:04 pm
Re: Mounting a compass
Paul Jacobson -- 11/15/1998, 2:57 am
Re: Mounting a compass
Nick Schade -- 11/18/1998, 9:05 am
Re: Mounting a compass
Nolan Penney -- 11/19/1998, 6:24 am
Re: Mounting a compass
Nick Schade -- 11/19/1998, 9:46 am
Compass vs GPS
Jon K. -- 11/18/1998, 11:11 am
Re: Compass vs GPS
Nick Schade -- 11/19/1998, 10:22 am
Re: Mounting a compass
Robert Woodard -- 11/15/1998, 3:49 pm
Re: GPS vs Compass
Don Beale -- 11/16/1998, 12:20 am
Re: GPS vs Compass
Nolan Penney -- 11/16/1998, 11:06 am
Re: GPS vs Compass
Bruce Moulton -- 11/15/1998, 9:08 pm