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

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Not so Blue

Guest
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Location
Saudi Arabia
# of dives
0 - 24
Hi all

I was looking into buying an air/pressure console and was wondering if there is any point in getting one with an integrated compass? How much do people use a compass and is it useful in everyday diving? Any advise would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Paul
 
If you dive an area with low vis they can be useful. Where we dive vis is 10 ft on a good day. The bottom is fairly flat. Its nice to be able to take a quick read on the compass before the dive just to know which way the shore is. I don't "run a compass course" a lot. But I check it all the time just to make sure I know which direction I am heading. Easy to get turned around in the flats....
 
I can only speak for myself, but for the waters where I dive a compass is used often enough to be considered "essential gear". In dark, murky, and silt-laden environments it's a good bet that many divers will be swimming in circles without owning and knowing how to use a good compass. Even in relatively clear ocean environments, being able to take, read and follow a bearing many times spells the difference in finding the downline (and the boat) at the end of a dive and having to do a free ascent that might be a loooong way from where you want to come up. In my book, it's a good investment in money and time in becoming proficient with its use.
 
Paul, I started off with an integrated console (SPG, compass, computer) and have since moved the components to wrist mounts and put the SPG in a single boot. Do you need a compass? A big part of that depends on where you are diving and the visibility. Here in Texas we have a nice green tint to the water and the visibility can be decent to horrible all on the same day. If you want to find anything in conditions similar to this, then yes, you most definitely need a compass. If you are only diving in pristine environments and already know the area from various underwater landmarks and have excellent visibility, you may not need a compass. You also need to decide if you are comfortable using the console configuration. For me it did not work, for others I know, they are very happy with everything in one place.
 
A compass is something you should always take with you in low vis. You will probably never really need it - until you really, really need it.

I did a dive once in Folsom lake, CA a couple of days before Christmas. It was flat on bottom and as barren as the moon. When it came time to turn the dive, I was very grateful to know which way was back. It would have been a very long surface swim in nasty weather if we went the wrong way.
 
Okay, this is wild...four Texans in a row answering a question posed from Saudi Arabia!
 
I use my compass on most dives. I carry it on all dives except a couple local rivers (where upstream and downstream ar the most important directions).
 
It all comes down to where YOU dive.
In the RedSea on Curacao or Bali,on MOST dives there was no need for one.Just keep reef or coast on one shoulder, turn and keep the same on the other shoulder.Easy as that.
That said,going in to a large coral garden,you DO need one,if you want to return to the same spot you started.:D
On our local dives....I would not want to be without one.
 
Okay, this is wild...four Texans in a row answering a question posed from Saudi Arabia!

Make that 5.

:rofl3::rofl3:

Must be a dogpile.:rofl3:
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom