The Almighty Compass

[EastMark]

Want to put one on the pontoon for those foggy days to help out. I guess I need it lighted vs not lighted.

Do I want in dash or on the swivel mount?

What do you folks use ?? What does a 200 dollar compass do that a 30 dollar compass doesnt ?

Thanks for your help !

Mark in Maine

[rjminn]

Instead of a compass why not use a GPS?

That's all I use. Not much help to your question but just an idea.

RJ

[HandymanHerb]

I say the same as cheap as you can get a GPS and it does a lot more for you, speed, bread crumbs to find your way back if you get in an area you don't know, plus you can use it in the car too.

[EastMark]

What are you guys using for GPS ? Great idea. Been threatening to get one for the snowmobile anyway.
Mark

[HandymanHerb]

I was using a Garman 276C till it quit on me, but there a lot cheaper now, but then mine is made for toon or car and is waterproof, they want 200 to fix it and I'm still debating weather to buy a new one or what, but there handy as hell and after the hurricanes I was doing service calls and all the street signs where blown away, so without the GPS I would have been lost many times, that and the fact when your hungry in a strange place your can hit food closest to you and it will tell you what , where and give the number so you can call ahead to have it waiting for you.

[rjminn]

I have two of them. One is a handheld with small screen but works great in the boat or car. The other
one I leave in my truck and has the bigger screen
The hand held one is a Lowrance. It was only $100 bucks but works great and have not had any problems
with it. The bigger one for the truck is a Navigon 2100. One of the cheaper models but works great.

Good luck on your decision. RJ

[neuwirth]

I have a Garmin eTrex Legend that I got on eBay about 4 years ago for around $100. Then I got the Fishing Hot Spots lake maps CD for around $80 and loaded that into the unit. Now I have complete lake maps that show not only the shoreline but underwater structure, channels, etc. This thing has saved my butt a few times getting back to the marina after dark or in fog. It's amazing how all the normal landmarks you're used to disappear at night. But anyway, I agree with those above, a GPS beats a compass any day of the week.

Unless you're a Boy Scout, and going for your Orienteering merit badge. Then get the compass.

[bug73]

Mine is a garmin GPS 72 I think...The nest one up is the 76 with maps and the next one after that is the 76 color...I like these models because they are waterproof, float and have a much larger screen then most hand helds. got mine a few years ago and its been a tough little bugger. I second the motion to get a GPS instead of a compass for the reasons stated above...I also can tie mine into my hummin bird Matrix fish finder and have my speed, directions, bread crumbs and all the info plus more displayed on the fish finder.

Strange lakes at at night retracing bread crumbs is A LOT more comforting then trying to remember where that log or rock was and just following the compass. I dont need any lights to see by when the GPS is used in this way. A little less stress at night.

[bug73]

Hey handyman, what is your broken GPS doing or not doing? I have repaired a few of them before.

[HandymanHerb]

It's just lights the screen with with gps logo and goes no farther on the boot up and it does that real dim