Captain John offers five easy steps to check your magnetic compass and keep your boat on course...
Guest blog by Captain John
Captain John Jamieson, a regular contributor to the Daily Boater, is author of Seamanship Secrets and publisher of the popular boating education website SkipperTips.com
Did you know that a small screwdriver can create havoc with your magnetic compass? Are you sure you’ve mounted your compass in a place free of errors from a magnetic field?
Make every effort to keep magnetic material, such as knives, watches and tools clear of your magnetic compass. Every compass card has a small magnet attached to the back. And these things love to swing over toward anything metal or electric.
This plants an error called “magnetic deviation” in your compass. Forget the dopey movies where the compass swings like a roulette wheel. Uh-uh. You won’t even notice the subtle shift of the compass card toward the object of attraction. And, before you know it, you’re lost.
Follow these steps to make sure you are steering the right course to get to your destination. Note:
These steps are temporary and if you will be cruising, you will want to hire a marine compass adjuster, or learn to do this yourself. In any event, know the steps below for safety’s sake!