Island Marine Instrument Co, Inc.

Final day of the Big Seattle Boat Show Indoors + Afloat. We are at Century Link Exhibition Center. See us in Booth 2220 on the Concourse.

Exhibiting at the Big Seattle Boat Show Indoors + Afloat. Today is doggy day. Come to see us at the show and bring your best friend. Four legs welcomed. A compass for every boat!

Exhibiting at The Seattle Boat Show Indoors + Afloat. Come see us in Booth 2220 on the Concourse!

Raining too hard? Too wet at your marina? It is dry inside at Century Link Events Center. Come see us at Booth 2220 on the Concourse. A compass for every boat.

DO YOU HAVE THE PROPER COMPASS FOR YOUR BOAT? Is it the correct size and damping for the boat and turning ability? Is it mounted for best visibility from the helm? Find out all this and more in our Booth 2220 at the Seattle Boat Show Indoors + Afloat.

Compass Seminar at the Seattle Boat Show Indoors + Afloat. Wednesday afternoon at North Stage #2. Do you have the right compass? What condition is your compass in? Is it accurate? Do you know Variation and Deviation? Answers to these questions and more. Join us!

Rebuilt in our shop

See us at the Seattle Boat Show Indoors + Afloat. Jan 24 - Feb 1, 2020.

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival opens on Friday. See us there near the Sail Loft. A compass for every boat.

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival in two weeks. See us there!

💙💙💙💙💙

This Tiny School Builds Boats the Old Way Out on the Olympic Peninsula, the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding brings new life to seagoing tradition.

We will be exhibiting at The Anacortes Boat and Yacht Show May 16-19. Come into the tent and see us! A compass for every boat.

Is your compass easy to read, or is it too "Busy." Compass dials are available with markings at 1, 2 and 5-degree intervals. Most yacht compasses will have the 5-degree markings. Commercial vessels often have the 2-degree marks. Compasses for deep-sea vessels are regulated under international Law(SOLAS) and must have the 1-degree graduations. Some of the 2-degree variety will also have the traditional compass rose with points, half and quarter-points.

Are you a traditionalist? If not, do not worry. The 5-degree markings will do just fine. Experience has shown that the recreational boater can only steer accurately for about 15 minutes at a stretch. After that 5-degrees is the best concentration will allow. It matters not how a compass looks. Only be concerned with your abillty to use it, then use it regularly!

Compass Dials

MY COMPASS DIAL DOESN’T LOOK LIKE THAT . . WHY?

There are two types of compass dial. They are used differently and you should NEVER have both types on the same boat.

The most common dial is the traditional, flat dial used by mariners for centuries. It is round with numerals and sometimes points of the compass around the edge. Used with a bow lubber’s line, the vessel is steered to move the line in the desired direction of travel. “Turn the wheel TOWARD the number,” is the way we have taught seamen to steer since Moby Dick was a minnow. It is simple and intuitive to use. Remember, the vessel turns underneath the compass. The dial stays oriented in space. Because of the intuitive nature we believe the flat card is safer to use.

The other dial in use today is called a direct read dial. The dial is either a cylinder or a cone and is read from a lubber’s line at the rear or wheel side of the compass. Some have flat card markings on top of a cylinder. These are called combination dials. There are two lubber’s lines on these compasses. Direct read compasses are an adaptation from the aircraft industry. They were designed to mount in the vertical instrument panel of an aircraft. The aft lubber’s line requires turning the wheel AWAY from the numbers. Remember, you are steering with your stern and the numbers are printed in reverse order. The proper application for this dial is a location high in the field of view. When the compass is high on top of the console, there is no other option.

Pick the compass type that meets your situation and stick with it for all steering stations. You do not need to be shifting modes of steering when shifting stations in an emergency.
Be safe out there.

At the Seattle Boat Show all week thru Saturday . . Come see us . .
Upper Concourse . . Booth 2220

Compass Seminar at The Seattle Boat Show Indoors + Afloat. Friday Jan 25th at 6:15 PM In the Club level, Stage 5. Free seminar for Show attendees. Topics; Selection; Maintenance and Adjusting. See you there!

⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵

Detour to Seattle Boat Show, Jan 25 - Feb 2 Free heated boat rides on South Lake Union!

💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

Detour to Seattle Boat Show, Jan 25 - Feb 2 Over 250 free boating & fishing seminars!

💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

Detour to Seattle Boat Show, Jan 25 - Feb 2 Kids (17 and under) get in FREE!

Detour to Seattle Boat Show, Jan 25 - Feb 2 Free heated boat rides on South Lake Union!

DOES THIS OLD COMPASS STILL WORK ?

A compass, like any other piece of equipment, may require maintenance or repair. A few tests before each season is worthwhile. The older the instrument, the more important the tests.

The fluid should be clear and free of bubbles. A bubble is indication of a leak. The fluid can discolor due to contamination and sunlight. The dial markings should be crisp and easy to read. The compass dome or top glass should be free of crazing cracks.

The dial pivot should be in good condition. Test by first noting the heading at the berth. Use a magnetic object to deflect the dial through a SMALL angle (5-10 deg,). Remove the object and the dial should return to the original heading, overshoot slightly then settle out exactly as original. Repeat in the opposite direction. If the dial hangs up short or on the overshoot, it is sticking and needs service. If no overshoot, it is OK but wear has begun.

If it performs perfectly, you are ready for another season.

If any of the above problems exist, bring the compass in to us for an estimate . . . In most cases it’s more cost effective to repair than to buy new as the compass will have to be adjusted for your boat, and an older compass may be brass instead of todays plastic.

Why Doesn’t this *&^$% #@&! Point North?
Adjusting Your Compass

Every steel or iron part on your boat has a magnetic field which interferes with the accuracy of your compass. In current times, this includes your CELL PHONE. Do not stow your cell phone by your compass. In addition, every DC circuit has a field around each conductor. Most production compasses today have built-in correctors which can be used to reduce this interference. New instruments have instructions on the process of correction which will help you reduce gross errors, If you want “real accuracy”, a professional compass adjuster should be used. The adjuster can reduce the errors to one or two degrees on any heading on a wood, fiberglass or aluminum boat. Steel boats may not come in that close but will be improved. The adjuster will correct any alignment errors and then the errors on East and West, followed by North and South. For wood, fiberglass and aluminum boats, the inter-cardinal points will merely be recorded. For steel, the spheres will be adjusted as well. When finished, a table of deviations will be prepared. The table will tell you when and where it was prepared and how much deviation remains on each of at least eight headings. A course correction should be provided for each heading listed. Once adjusted, the settings should be valid for many years or until major changes are made. These can include engine replacement or a replacement of major electronics. Absent these changes, a properly adjusted compass will serve you well for many years.

HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE 💙💙💙💙💙

Happy Winter Solstice!

Do You Have the RIGHT Compass for Your Boat?

Most boats come with a compass already installed. But is it the right one? How can you tell? Boatbuilders normally select a compass on price point and whether it will fit in the available space. Only a very few will select on the needs of the vessel and navigator. The key is making a match between the damping of the compass dial and the turning ability of the boat. The larger the area of the dial, the more damping. Little boats turn quick, big boats turn slow. Larger boat, larger compass.

The following are the right size dome compasses for your boat. For a 16-22 Ft. boat, a 2-1/2 inch compass. For 20 to 28 Ft. Boat, a 3 inch compass. For a 24 to 32 Ft. boat, a 3 3/4 inch compass. For a 30 to 38 Ft boat, a 4-1/2 inch compass. For a 35 to 48 ft boat, a 5 inch compass. And for a 45 Ft boat and up a 6 inch compass. For flat top compasses the sizes are slightly different.

Come see us at the 2019 Seattle Boat Show Indoors + Afloat, on the Concourse Level, booth 2220 . . January 25th thru February 2nd.

Island Marine Instrument will be in Booth 2220 on the Concourse at The Seattle Boat Show Indoors + Afloat. Compasses from Ritchie, Plastimo and C.Plath. Coastal Explorer from Rose Point and sea chanty music too!

Come see us at the 2019 Seattle Boat Show !

Accepted for The Seattle Boat Show, Indoors + Afloat Jan 25-Feb 2. See us upstairs on the Concourse at Booth 2220! A compass for every boat and Coastal Explorer too!

Preparing to leave for Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 7-9 September. See us there next to the sail loft.

Is your compass working properly? Is it discolored, does it have a bubble? It should be clear and readable with no bubble. A bubble is a sign of a leak. Service the compass now and it will guide you home when you need it. All makes and models.