How useful is a compass and how much is it really used?

[netdiver]

I consider a compass to be essential gear.

When I first started diving I carried it for "safety's sake" just because it seemed prudent but never really used it. I guess the main idea was that if we got separated from our group or the boat we would at least be able to swim towards the shore.

Then my girlfriend and I did our first shore dive which was the first time we were without a group or DM to follow around. After coasting around a beautiful reef for about 15 min I realized I had lost the direction to the shore and the reef was uneven such that the incline/decline of the bottom was not helpful to indicate the direction of the shore. We surfaced to reorient and we hadn't gone too far. I took a compass reading then and was able to make our return trip under to our exit point after that.

I now take a reading every time before we drop in for a dive.

I had a PDC that has an electronic compass but I found it too difficult to read in low viz, and I didn't like using the small buttons if I had gloves on. I now have a compass on a retractor. I chose that format over a wrist-mount because it provides a larger compass that easier to read and provides a larger range of operation with respect to tilt. You can get those in a wrist-mount as well but I find having an object that large protruding from my wrist to be awkward and inconvenient.

Compasses must be plumb to work correctly to avoid drag. I chose the Suunto SK7 because it has the largest range of tilt operation that I could find at +/- 30 degrees. It's available in wrist-mount and retractable styles.

 

[drdaddy]

A compass is a absolute necessity. Having one on your console will ensure that you won't forget to put that one back onto your bcd or wrist on that next dive.

I have a compass on my console as a backup. I also have a compass on my wrist for quick reference. When doing serious navigation, I have retractor mounted compass on my bcd that I use for serious navigation.

I dive in an area (Pacific Northwest - Bays and Ocean) where visibility is commonly 2 to 8 feet. (Don't worry, that's enough to grab 2 dungeness crabs yesterday, and for one to spear black rock fish.) We navigate all the time by compass, especially for the "Alsea Crab Dive" where we are twisting through the volcanic canyons and are generally trying to end up Northeast.

In other areas with 70 to 100+ feet visibility you still must dive with a compass. You would not believe how quickly you begin to slightly turn and then you are turned around and heading "out to sea" when you think you are heading towards shore.

Also, when you come up through the kelp and are exhausted, it is comforting to just roll over and follow your compass in.

There are many examples that others have given, and for all of these I would recommend that you get a compass on the console for a backup.

 

[Scubadam]

Well, during my PADI certification course, on my 2nd dive the compass was introduced and we had to use it underwater, and since then I have taken it on other dives after that. It helps me alot, especially when it is time to head back to the boat, or getting back to the platform if I am diving in a quarry or lake. Those are my primary purposes for using the compass, as long as my dive buddy or I have one we will be good to go on the dive. Infact during the check before we jump in the water the compass is one of the things we make sure we have.

 

[OnceLoyal]

Being new I try to keep an eye on it from time to time and act as though the vis is down. I could see it being very helpful in low vis, night, ect. I haven't needed it yet. I know the day I don't have it or it breaks will be the day I do !

 

[leapfrog]

I would not dive without one. I use it so often that I mount it on my wrist so that is is constantly and easily available

I would be interested to have your opinion on separate wrist "stand alone" compass and PDC vs wrist PDCs with integrated compasses (Suunto D6/D9/Oceanic OC1).

 

[Sas]

I can't remember the last dive I have done without a compass... there might have been a few early on before I got my own gear. I don't always look at it during a dive, especially boat dives where I usually don't have to worry about the direction I am headed in (live pickups where I dive so you can popup wherever you want). I consider it essential for me for a few reasons though. The viz can be terrible on occasion, making natural navigation hard. Also I do about a third of my dives at night and even at sites I know very well I can still get disorientated. And some boat dives are close to the shipping lane so I have to actually navigate on those boat dives. And of course at new sites I find it essential to get back to the exit point and also make sure I can map out the dive site later on to know where I went (for future reference).

I started with a console mounted compass and found it an incredibly poor way for me to use a compass so have switched to a wrist mounted one - I keep it on my left wrist and my computer on my right wrist.

 

[netdiver]

I would be interested to have your opinion on separate wrist "stand alone" compass and PDC vs wrist PDCs with integrated compasses (Suunto D6/D9/Oceanic OC1).

See my post above... I don't have a dedicated compass on my wrist but instead carry it on a retractor. Most of my dives are with a DM since I must travel to dive, but if I was doing more independent diving where navigation was needed with greater regularity I would probably go with a wrist mount since it's easier to get to and check than pulling on the retractor. Luckily, my compass also has a wrist mount version so I can convert it if/when that happens by purchasing the wrist strap.

I have a D9 and consider the electronic compass on it to be backup. IMO, it is not an adequate compass for diving navigation. It is not easy to read and you need to push buttons to get to the compass. More specifically, you must hold a button for 2 seconds for the compass to display. It returns to the "Dive Mode" screen after a period of time. I've actually had that happen while using it to navigate. Very frustrating! So you'll need to press buttons to return if doing a lot of navigation throughout the dive. When shore diving or other situations where I'm not with a group or DM, I like to check my compass every 10 min. or less.

The D9 does have a backlight but it only stays on between 5-60 seconds depending on your setting. So if you're in low viz or low light conditions, you'll need to press the button to turn the light on. Of course this is after holding a button for 2 seconds to get the compass on. You can manually turn the light on but this will consume a lot of battery juice so is not feasible to do. The large, phosphorescent dial of the rose in my compass allows visibility in low light conditions or even at night just from the indirect light of my dive torch.

There are only 2 advantages I can think of for an electronic compass. The first is the size is small. The second is that with the D9 and most other electronic compasses you can set the declination to get a true north reading vs. magnetic north. It's a technical benefit but I don't see a functional benefit to this. Quite the opposite, it would probably mean your compass reads slightly different than your dive buddy's, which could be problematic. Neither of these are compelling enough for me to choose an electronic compass over the analog compass as my primary navigation device.

I thought the electronic compass would be less affected by tilt during operation but with my D9 that is not the case. Only a slight tilt towards me (say 5*) and the heading changes 10*.

Do you have a PDC with a compass? Have you used it to navigate?

 

[Thalassamania]

I would be interested to have your opinion on separate wrist "stand alone" compass and PDC vs wrist PDCs with integrated compasses (Suunto D6/D9/Oceanic OC1).

I havn't really got an opinion, I use the old Suunto SK-6 on my wrist and I've not felt moved to do anything different except for a trial I did for a company some years ago that had a flux gate with auto output (constant tone when on course and decreasing beep rate when off course). That worked great and I really wish it had gone into production.

 

[leapfrog]

I have a D9 and consider the electronic compass on it to be backup. IMO, it is not an adequate compass for diving navigation. It is not easy to read and you need to push buttons to get to the compass. More specifically, you must hold a button for 2 seconds for the compass to display. It returns to the "Dive Mode" screen after a period of time. I've actually had that happen while using it to navigate. Very frustrating! So you'll need to press buttons to return if doing a lot of navigation throughout the dive. When shore diving or other situations where I'm not with a group or DM, I like to check my compass every 10 min. or less.

The D9 does have a backlight but it only stays on between 5-60 seconds depending on your setting. So if you're in low viz or low light conditions, you'll need to press the button to turn the light on. Of course this is after holding a button for 2 seconds to get the compass on. You can manually turn the light on but this will consume a lot of battery juice so is not feasible to do. The large, phosphorescent dial of the rose in my compass allows visibility in low light conditions or even at night just from the indirect light of my dive torch.

There are only 2 advantages I can think of for an electronic compass. The first is the size is small. The second is that with the D9 and most other electronic compasses you can set the declination to get a true north reading vs. magnetic north. It's a technical benefit but I don't see a functional benefit to this. Quite the opposite, it would probably mean your compass reads slightly different than your dive buddy's, which could be problematic. Neither of these are compelling enough for me to choose an electronic compass over the analog compass as my primary navigation device.

I thought the electronic compass would be less affected by tilt during operation but with my D9 that is not the case. Only a slight tilt towards me (say 5*) and the heading changes 10*.

Do you have a PDC with a compass? Have you used it to navigate?

Thank you, Netdiver. You have touched the important points. I SPECIFICALLY do not use a PDC with incorporated compass. When using my "work" rig (which is most ofthe time), I have a separate wrist mounted compass. Apart fom accuracy and ease of use, I do it so that students or beginner divers can see I have it on and use it. It's a case of "do as I do and not do as I say".

On my "other" rig I have it mounted, flip side, on the console.

 

[dpaustex]

Compasses aren't used just for your own personal use, or dive plan. Compasses are a crucial piece of gear when doing search and recovery work. Without a compass, in a low-viz situation, you can't do proper patterns for a search grid, because after your first series of turns, you'll be totally lost.

If you folks don't know search and recovery, it's one of many specialties you can take (as part of just general knowledge, or as part of an Advanced Open Water cert).

I must comment, however, that most of the "included" compasses in the "all-in-one" consoles really aren't very good. I have both a Suunto on a retractable leash, as well as an electronic compass in my computer. Truth be told, I prefer my leash-mounted Suunto over the electronic one. But it does all come down to personal preference. I also have an "all-in-one" and find it isn't dampened very well (how quickly the indicator quits moving), and has limited "sighting" capabilities. But it is better than nothing.

If you don't know how to use a compass as a tool, it really doesn't take that long to learn the basics, but in-water practice is needed, too.