Has anyone had to install or considered installation of one of these compasses on a NDK or Valley Boat? If so, I would like any thoughts on the quality, durability, and readability of the unit as well as installation and post installation problems. Thanks!

I installed a Brunton on my
Nigel Foster Silhouette, no problems other than making sure you thread the screws with marine grade silicone. Oh and also line up the center line really carefully when you screw it in place. This way you don’t have to do it over again.



Overall not that big of a deal.

Explorer Hv
I mounted a Brunton (I think, maybe a Nexus, can’t remember)anywho, it is no big deal. I enjoy having the compass there all the time. I did not use the screws that came with it, rather I user a ss machine screw and bolt. The original scres went clear through and left the pointy ends, seems like it would be hell on dry bags and such.

ss screws and
neoprene washers are the weay we do it.



I use a string straight line between toggles to align.



steve

It’s as good as it gets
If you are navigating by compass only, your life may depend on your compass. I own three of these things so I think they are the best compass for a kayak, unless you can put in a nexus 100 (larger easier to read) which most mounting wells would not accomodate.



Go for it. chalkline over ends of boat will do you proud. My capsules (clear globes) can be turned in their bases with one of those vinyl jar top grippers… If you miss the alignment you will end up with (minor) parallax error but you can just turn is so it is correct from your seat.

if you
just loosen the screws a bit you can adjust to perfection with your finger tips!







steve

Grateful as always.
Thanks Steve

Silva/Nexus/Brunton
The company has been sold several times. Brunton is the current owner. A 70P of any of these brands is the same basic compass.

I’ve had them in five different boats
Overall, I’m very pleased with their performance and with Brunton’s service.



I use these compasses whenever the boat will accept one and have found them to be rugged and utterly reliable.



I had two older 70P compasses, one in which the lettering turned a faded pink color and another which had rust in it and was so old that the sealing ring had corroded through in spots. Brunton replaced both under warranty, no questions asked. That’s great service.



The 70P isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for.

Just curious
Why do you need a compass for in the first place on a canoe/kayak. In other words, what kind of paddling are you doing?

How about…for navigation?
Ever hear of fog? Ever get confused as to what landmarks or islands you’re looking at? Unless all you do is paddle on small ponds or rivers, a compass and a chart are basics for navigation.

Flat landers
like down here along the gulf coast it is needed. No land marks, it is flat, seriously flat. It is difficult to tell where a bay opening or channel is just by piloting. Of course there is fog down here in the winter months.

My point
A deck mounted compass on a canoe/kayak is just about useless. Not talking theory here, just the realty of a small boat pitching, rolling, and yawing with the inherent flaws of a compass. One clipped to your vest would serve just as well. You couldn’t steer within 2 points using a compass anyway.



Now if you are just a red-blooded toy collector, that would be justified. Get a GPS first though and cover that flattened deckspace with a smiley faced decal. lol

Anyone Ever Broken a 70P?
Thought about putting one of these on my Impex. But, the raised globe of the compass seemed very vulnerable to breakage during loading/unloading, etc.



What does it take to break a 70P? How durable are they?

I’ve whached
one pretty hard and just sustained a scuff on the globe.



I think they’re pretty tough.



worthless for navigation? huh?



come paddle with us sometime and I’ll show you why a handheld vest compass bites the BIG Juan.



short of a vulnerable electronic GPS, that may or may NOT work, a deck mounted compass is a necessity in fog, dark, un-known waters. combined with a nautical chart it’s as good as it gets.



steve

Useless?
Where and what do you paddle? Gotta be inland - or you’re just trolling! If you’re serious:



These deck compasses are specifically designed for this sort of use. Pitching and rolling do not really do anything to them. They are readable at a pretty good tilt and are very smooth turning, not jittery like some sort of Cracker Jack box needle compass.



I eye mine a lot, though I rarely use it for true navigation as I usually know where I am and where i’m going. It’s still very useful for holding a straight line course which really tunes up your tracking and forward stroke. Keeps you from over correcting for every wave/wake. Holding a straighter line is not only good paddling practice, it’s very important for anyone that races.



This is not just using a compass for an occasional fix as a hiker might to get their bearings. It’s also using it as a constant course reference, same as any other sea or air vessel. A one instrument kayak dashboard. Two when I have my GPS - which I mainly use as a speedometer and odometer, and yes, I do use both at the same time and no the GPS cannot replace the compass.



But you’re right that if you paddle slow in flat quiets waters where you can stop paddling and pull out a pocket compass - where there’s no long open stretches - or you paddle narrow rivers - or just like weaving around - you don’t have need for a deck compass.



IMO - No sea kayak should be without one.

You are a self described beginner
and paddler in flat water, laughing out loud at some experienced folks, a kayak designer, guys who do rescues in condditions which I cannot paddle in all that well, and I can do some small surfing and have a roll.



You might want to think about that!



Me you can laugh at, as everybody knows that I am an inveterate liar!

Obviously, you’ve never used one
Either that, or you only paddle flat water. As Greyak stated, deck mounted compasses are designed to work on rough water and do so very well. They are in your peripheral vision, so they are easy to monitor and they won’t cause sea sickness, as reading a compass close to your body can.



As for a GPS, have you ever tried to use one or rough water? Try pressing the buttons and navigating through menus in a pitching boat sometime. For that matter, have fun trying to read the tiny screen when it’s constantly getting splashed with water. When the conditions get tough and you need it the most, it’s the least useful. Then, there’s the issue of what to do if/when the batteries die.



I have a very nice GPS, but it rarely gets taken out of the gear bag. The compass gets used in some capacity on nearly every trip.

Most of mine…

...have taken their share of whack and have plenty of scars. None have broken. The globe material is quite thick.

One of my boats came with a half shroud over the compass that sticks up ~1/2" above it for protection, but I haven't been able to find out who makes it or where to get more. It's not made by Brunton. While it does protect the compass, it also makes it harder to read under some low-light conditions.

Perhaps a strip of automotive trim might work. The adhesives are tenacious and waterproof.

Even with…
…the nice simple and unobtrusive Garmon deck mount I have that keeps my GPS just out of paddle interference and still just in reach with a light stretch, the abilty to easily adjust view angle, the GPS’s big screen and its easy to use large one tap buttons, and even with its ability to customize the screens so I rarely have need to change anything when underway - I still have to agree with bnystrom’s comments on the limits of the GPS.



However, I do use my GPS a lot. It’s either on deck in the mount or I don’t use it at all - and battery life is not a problem as I day paddle - and am not relying on it for nav - just trip data like speed and distance.



I have to laugh on days I have full comm and nav capabilites (GPS, Compass, VHF, and cell phone) as it seems like serious overkill for most day paddles. I do have use for all that stuff, but somedays I have go out with nothing (but the compass since it’s buit into teh hatch cover, and the cell tucked away somewhere - NEVER turned on) to give proper attention to the water.