I am thinking about mounting a digital compass on my spinnaker pole (or maybe trampoline???) for use in distance races...what do ya'll use (brand,etc) and where do you mount it????
Trey
I-20 314

Tac-Tic, on the pole

Second that - tac-tic on the pole. However, a liquid deck compass can be mounted to the trampoline with a couple of screws and large washers from the bottom (that's what we've done in the past).

Happen to have any pics??
Trey

Compasses for sailing are insanely expensive (as most other things made for 'sailing'). I would like to have a Tacktick, but other things have priority..

We had a liquid Silva compass on the tramp, but removed it. It was to difficult to read headings from the trapeze. Now we have a cheap GPS for distance racing (christmas gift from the admiral), which is a much more versatile tool. In regattas where GPS's are forbidden, we rely on landmarks and a small wristwatch compass if we are in doubt. The very heavy and not very useful Silva is gathering dust in the basement..

sorry - no pics. But it was pretty easy. Just try to put the bolts through an area of the trampoline where there is reinforcement. We put them through the trailing edge of the halyard pocket where the pocket is sewn to the trampoline. It stayed there for 523 miles of 18knot sailing.

Hi Rolf

I agree with your point on the Sivla compass.

But... what do you do with the hole in the tramp?

I already patched the center sheeting hole...

Still lugging that thing around!

Mark

Hi Mark,

we never made a hole in the tramp to fit the Silva compass. A simple fiberglass plate with a small fitting for the compass was sewed (can you say that in english, sewed?), to the trampoline with double thread. When we removed it, we just cut the stitches. The whole fitting was made in three short evenings in my basement.

We did the same thing when we wanted to stretch the spi downhaul to the aft beam. Two small fiberglass plates was holed, sanded, and sewn to the tramp with some extra rubbered fabric between the plates to catch any strands wanting to slip. Then we cut the hole in the tramp.

How did your patch over the center sheeting hole come out? I guess the tramp had stretched a bit around it? If the holes can't be patched in a nice way, I would have bought a kit for a new trampoline from Sailrite and buildt a new one. Alternatively, used a very large patch, perhaps even from hull to hull.

As the Tacktick is expensive, we have tought about getting a cheap digital compass while waiting for a new budget year, and seal it well with silicone. Hopefully it would last for a season that way, but we have not found a useful model yet.

hell ya that thing's expensive!

damn.

But it's cheaper than the suunto/marstrom analog compass!

I have gone to a Suunto M9

Suunto M9

Have you found a reliable way to get accurate readings while trapeezing?

There are 2 M9's Try
http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/p...9852723697223384&bmUID=1109084645230

With regards to Tybee 500 requirements, the wording last year was that it had to be a "marine" grade compass. I'm not sure exactly what "marine" specifies but you may want to look into it.

Ahh, with GPS reciever, I see..

I have read the M9 has Lio-Ion battery problems.
Has the Battery life problems be resolved to your satisfaction?

From http://www.suuntosports.com and Guest Logon, search 'battery life'.




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BATTERY LIFE
by pcaimi 13.08.04

Hi,

I am happy of the Precision of X9 but I only have one problem: life battery!!!!!

during my trecking setting the GPS interval at 1 minute plus activating the log file after 4.5 Hrs the battery is gone and always I cannot track all my activity :-(((
With 1 minute interval the battery should last 12 hours not 4.5 !!

Also the battery charge indicator continuosly change and so it is difficult to understand which is the real status of the battery.
Would it be possible that the battery I got was not exactly new?

how long woudl it take to recharge the battery ( I left usually for 12 hrs.)

Please kindly inform if you are experiencing the same critical problem

thanks!
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Re: BATTERY LIFE
by Jossi 19.08.04

I have the same thing in my X9. After 4-6 hours use in 1 minute interval battery is so dead that X9 turn GPS automatically off. And also battery charge indicator did not show the truth.

One time when I was a few days hiking trip and I try to use GPS as little as possible it suddenly inform low battery and did not show my next waypoint. After 2 hous walking I turn GPS again on and battery indicator shows that battery is almost full. And after that I can use GPS about 3 hour more!

This is not fun when you are in middle of nowhere in the forest and want to know where are you. Yes I keep a map and compass with me, but it will be nice that expencive equipments will work that they should work.
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Re: BATTERY LIFE
by Amaury 21.09.04

After one week on holidays, I'm be back. I was able to test my X9 during this period.

First at all, the battery life was better in comparaison with my fisrt X9. During a trip, I was able to use it during about 5 hours with 1 sec fix GPS and activity mode.
Another day, I was able to use my X9 during more of 9 hours with 1 min fix GPS, and the battery was not completely empty.

But there is still a problem, that is the battery indicator is really not efficient !!!

The GPS is strange. Sometimes I have a very good satellite signal, and just after, it is very poor, in the same conditions. Another thing, I have generally 5/7 satellites in car, but to the summit of a mountain, I can't receive satellite !!!! and data is erroneous : last week I made a trek during 3 hours, and my Suunto said me that the maximal speed was 40 km/h !!!! ; the total distance is 17 km !!!!. Now I know that I very strong (LoL). I must check with the software if there is a wrong waypoint ...

I confirm you that the GPS is very long at the fisrt acquirement.

I note another very important thing : When I charge my X9 with the electric charger (7.5 volts), the battery indicator fall quickly, but if I charge it with a battery (9 volts), the indicator seems better.

Amaury

<<<

We use a TackTic on our J22 because it's extremely valuable to pick out headers and lifts. On the catamaran I find that you're not picking the lifts and headers that much because of the loss of speed through multiple tacks (no, Rick and Mary, despite all my practicing I'm not making those tacks in three seconds with no loss of speed)..

However, I sail on Lake Erie and I do a lot of long distance sailing on my Hobie 18 Magnum. Most of the time, the only way I can make it to a particular point is through my compass. I merely mounted a good, quality, liquid compass that accepts a 25 degree heel on a small boat paddle. I always make sure the paddle is with me by tying it to the center laces and it's easy to see while hiking on either wing.

For less than $100, it's one of the best safety features you can have.

Wyatt

Wyatt, Sounds great! Could you post a picture?