does anyone have experience with the seattle sports nightquest led compass? rei has it on sale for 30 bucks, is this a good deal? i have the p+h boat that has a recessed spot for a compass…this one has a suction cup…would that work in my case? apparently it senses when it needs to light up.kinda cool or a gimick?
attachment
suction cups tend to break suction when your hull slides up against something - esp. during a capsize.
Then you are out a compass. Be sure the REI floats!
There are two much better ways to attach a compass:
1.Drill holes - use stainless steel or any nonmagnetic fasteners and mount the compass. Sturdiest w. the least clutter. You can roll, load, and roadtrip w. this and not worry about losing the compass.
2.Use a good kayak saddle with four strong 'biners attached to the perimeter lines (not the bungees!) of the foredeck. Brunton and Richie each make one for surface mounts (no holes, no drilling). Good if the compass will be used on more than one boat, or if you want to take the compass off for travel, an indoor class etc.
Suunto makes a saddle mounted compass also, the Orca with some ability for lowlight viewing. It comes in yellow or black, somehow I think you might like the yellow 
Not dissing REI’s offering but having knowledge of these three brands I can recommend any of them. Suunto Orca (the kayak-specific model) goes for ~$37-$47 and comes w. the saddle for flush mounts.
Ritchie and Brunton both make recessed (half circle) mounts for $70 - $130 depending on model. You supply the fasteners. The most specified Brunton recessed compass is the 70P. You may see the name Silva, it’s the same.
The Brunton compass for surface mounts I’ve seen for ~$52-$69. The saddle is extra, ~ $24-$30. Ritchie is similiar.
Shop carefully and you can hit the low end or lower on any of them. I shop online for info, then give the local shop a chance to meet the price if they are a dealer for the maker I prefer.
Finally get the excellent book “Kayak Navigation” by David Burch. It’s readily available in paperback and is in its third edition. Check half.com or amazon, even ebay and copies come up for a few bucks.
Hope this helps. You can always email me for details.
great suggestions
i will check w/ the shop that i bought my boat from…they would even install probably. great tip on the book.thanks, this is what happens when i spend my lunch hour on the internet!
you’re welcome
one other thing… you need not position the compass in the recess just “because” the manufacturer designed it so.
A friend of mine has a Tempest 165 Pro w. the half globe recess positioned way up front like your Scorpio (and many other seakayaks)
He is quite nearsighted (wears glasses) and the recess is so far front that he couldn’t get a reading. He tried a Brunton 70P and it was impossible, so he took it back. I found him a Brunton surface mount with a courseminder bezel and he installed it about 16" in front of the cockpit - close enough to see and close enough to reach the bezel yet not so close that it promotes seasickness.
We did some shakedown paddles so he could test that out for himself. He is now doing six days on Isle Royale w.that compass, and he knows exactly what to expect from it.
I am in the same “boat” as far as positioning. I use a Ritchie S-59 w. the courseminder bezel. I installed it direct mount about 8" in front of my cockpit. Very convenient but I do have to remember just to take quick confirmations on wavy water otherwise it can get to me.
When I want to switch it on my other kayak it twists off and twists onto the Ritchie saddle which I place about 15" in front of the cockpit of my other seakayak. This is an optimum distance for my eyes. I could also use the saddle set up on my Tampico 135S for that matter.
Do a mockup and see if you can read and adjust the compass (if it has the courseminder bezel). If not, there is no rule says your compass has got to go where the manufacturer placed the recess.
now I know what
that recess, in front of the hatch on most British style kayaks, is for .
I always wondered 
Friendlyfire is right with: “one other thing… you need not position the compass in the recess just “because” the manufacturer designed it so.”
I found a different use for that:http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com/2009/07/kayak-deck-snow-dome.html
that’s a…
bitchin’ great idea, g-dog
great ideas
i love the spare paddle holder on your blog…and the dog snow globe …aahhhh!!! why couldn’t you take the dog when you moved?
Compass position
I ordered my QCC without a compass well just for the reasons mentioned. My compass sits much closer than most wells. However, if you use both a compass and a chart that can create a conflict. I chose to position the compass forward of my chart case but that is almost too far. It is ok for now, but not ideal, but if I had to put the compass closer I don’t know how I would work that out.
Nice use of your kayak’s features!
Here’s a photo of another (mis)use, and an article on compass installation:
http://www.aquadynology.com/Technical/compass_install1.html
Good Luck!
http://www.AquaDynology.com/
Delphinus
Kayak Navigation is in its 4th edition
and seriously needs an editor–all four editions. Better bets IMHO: Ray Killen, Simple Kayak Navigation; Franco Ferrero, Sea Kayak Navigation (2nd edition not as good as the 1st); Lee Moyer, Sea Kayak Navigation Simplified; John Dowd’s Navigation DVD.
The Foof was ready to go
with all the vaccinations and papers needed to move to OZ. She would have to spend about 45 days minimum n quarantine despite that.
In the end the Foof stayed behind with the ex.
In hind side Foof has a better life in US and A than OZ.
There is no places to go hiking, riding or running around here. Every stitch of recreational land is designated National Park where foofs aren’t welcome.
In USA you have State Parks, National Forests, BLM… you name it, where dogs can go to have fun.
Not here.
Wrong country for an action dog…
I wouldn’t trust suction devices
They tend to fall off, especially when in a wet environment.
If you have a hiker compass that you know is fairly accurate, use that to compare the shop compasses with. You’d be surprised at how badly off some of them can be. Another one I returned to the mail-order company because it was off AND had a giant air bubble in it.
that was thoughtful
of you…you were thinking of her and not you. there should be more people like that. you look as though you have a lot of fun though. thanks for sharing w/ us all.