Compass Users Out There?

Submitted by mad max on Sun, 11/18/2007 - 19:14
Do many FS racers use a compass on their boat for tactics during a race? If you use a compass, are you using the conventional or tic-tac digital?
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Comments

YES! A compass is a very good asset on a racing sailboat, espec

Submitted by mmittman on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 16:37.
YES! A compass is a very good asset on a racing sailboat, especially if you are racing on unfamiliar waters or in conditions where the wind shifts are subtle. A compass will show you trends in slow persistent shifts and also point the way to sailing marks. Any compass of reasonible quality is good to have on board. The basic inexpensive compass models and mounts available on FlyingScot.com website is great, on up to the TacTic digital compass with built in timer and two mode compass (regular and tactical). I myself race with the TacTic digital purchased from FlyingScot.com (includes a Scot specific mount). I really like my TacTic a lot, partially because of its functionality and easy use, partly because the really big numbers are easy to read. -Michael FS 5804
quote:
[i]Originally posted by mad max[/i] [br]Do many FS racers use a compass on their boat for tactics during a race? If you use a compass, are you using the conventional or tic-tac digital?
Michael Mittman FS# 5804, Fleet 23 Corinthian Sailing Club White Rock Lake Dallas, TX

Michael Mittman

FS 5804, Fleet 23

Corinthian Sailing Club

White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX, USA

While I would agree that any compass would be good at finding th

Submitted by Transom on Tue, 11/20/2007 - 08:32.
While I would agree that any compass would be good at finding the next mark, especially on an unfamiliar course, but to be most effective during a race, the compass that will show trends and shifts the easiest is one that has lubber lines on it. Personally, I wouldn't buy a compass that didn't have lubber lines on it.

I use the tack tic, its the only way to go.

Submitted by tweisleder on Wed, 11/21/2007 - 21:06.
I use the tack tic, its the only way to go. They have gone up in price; $499, but are worth it when you are sailing on a big course (NAC or MW). But if you are sailing local or "smaller events" with short beats (less than .6 miles), then I would have to recommend that you NOT use one. On a short beat its all about hitting the quick shifts and pulling your head out of the boat. You dont have a ton of time to straight line and wait. You need to pull the trigger in making moves very quickly because you are at lay line before you know it. For us at Fishing Bay on the weekend series where they can make a college course look like a long course, we dont even bring the compass on the water. Travis Weisleder 5341

Due to a large family, I only sail one or wo events each year.

Submitted by Mudshark on Tue, 04/01/2008 - 15:00.
Due to a large family, I only sail one or wo events each year. I find the TacTic unbelievable. It takes all of the guess work out of it. I am a big user of the compass upwind and feel that I have a huge advantage with it

I enjoy using the TackTick compass that is legal in the FS class

Submitted by mmittman on Mon, 04/28/2008 - 02:51.
I enjoy using the TackTick compass that is legal in the FS class. Large numbers and a great countdown timer. Michael Mittman FS# 5804, Fleet 23 Corinthian Sailing Club White Rock Lake Dallas, TX

Michael Mittman

FS 5804, Fleet 23

Corinthian Sailing Club

White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX, USA

I think it is a shame the FS allows the full use of the tic-tac.

Submitted by johnrmcl on Fri, 05/09/2008 - 21:01.
I think it is a shame the FS allows the full use of the tic-tac. No class who wishes to appeal to the "masses" should allow the tic-tac. I have sailed Lightnings (even at the Nationals level) and they do allow all sorts of go fast stuff. On the other hand, I have sailed my dear favorite, the Thistle, and that class does not allow the tic-tac with the argument that skippers and crews should work out the solutions that the tic-tac supposedly will solve. The entire Thistle philosophy is to make it's class as affordable and as simple as possible. This should also be the Flying Scot philosophy. It is really not that hard to keep track of starting time with a relatively cheap watch and a good forward crew should be quite capable of keeping track of how headed or lifted you are since the last tack. I do have one major disagreement with many old time Thistle sailors in that I think radios should be allow on the boats for communication between the race committee and the boats. I do have one area of confusion: I see that many of the Flying Scots seem to have the the compass rigged so that it is only readable with accuracy by a foreward crew (foreward and flat). I am going to set up a new compass soon on my boat and plan to have it rigged forward so that the central line is readable from the skipper position. The lubber lines, of course, will only be accurately read from crew position, but as long as I know my beginning number after a tack, I will know if I am up or down and a good crew will know the same using his/her own number which will probably be determined from a lubber line. Please enlighten me!!! John McLaughlin Ngulule Customflex #1554

Why a compass? 1 To sail upwind on each tack prior to race to l

Submitted by usail on Mon, 05/12/2008 - 16:23.
Why a compass? 1 To sail upwind on each tack prior to race to learn average and extreme closehauled sailing angles. 2 To test the start line in shifty winds, then by heading into the wind or simply being close hauled, you can tell which end is favored, WITHOUT even having to get back on a congested start line. 3 To determine whether a shift occurred wile you were in the middle of a tack. 4 To determine whether that 10 degree header you just experienced was just a 20 degree lift that came back 10 degrees, meaning it is STILL A 10 DEGREE LIFT. 5 To quantify whether you're on a lift or header as soon as you round the leeward mark. To me it makes absolutely no difference whether you use a digital or regular compass as long as the reading can be made to 2 degrees. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

With all the gadgets finding there way on board the big boats, (

Submitted by jboatjack on Sun, 08/17/2008 - 14:59.
With all the gadgets finding there way on board the big boats, ( I was pretty amazed with some displays at this years screwpile) it is only a matter of time (inch by inch) before we all have our heads in a Garmin glass cockpit.