I am trying to find a deck compass for my new Impex OI - but am challenged to find one I can actually read without my glasses as I can’t keep my glasses clear while paddling so leave them on the beach.
The Brunton 85R seems to be pretty big with large numbers - tried looking at the Ritchie 59W but the numbers were so small I couldn’t read it without glasses - any suggestions on compass choices? Guess I need some kind of popup magnifier or something…
Glasses
I use a pair of prescription bifocal polarized sun glasses when paddling. The frames are smaller than my regular glasses to allow good air flow. I have never had a problem with them fogging up. There are also anti fog coatings available. Check ski shops. Keep a cleaning cloth in a dry pocket if they get splashed. Note: Never use any form of paper to clean polycarbonate or plastic lenses.
Cat Grap
Depending on how LARGE you need the numbers, it is possible some compass is seeable, for now at least till your eyes are worse. Try Cat Grap, It is an anti-fog coating that cleans and does not, at least for me smear the lens, works well. Glasses are great, for GPD also, charts, etc. Also, if you get the idea to put the compass closer to you to see it, in rough water looking down and up gives rubberneck and can make you seasick, and dizzy.
Compass
I don’t know its brand and it may already have been mentioned, but I’ve seen one that didn’t have the last zero so the numbers were bigger. You have to remember that 21 is 201 an so on, but it provides for much bigger numbers.
Celia
I wear monovision contact instead of
wearing reading glasses. You wear ONE contact for reading, and the eyes balance each other and focus together. Quite effective, and you don’t notice the differences between the eyes. I can cook in camp, read the map, compass, whatever else I need to do, and am not bothered by trying to find my reading glasses, or not being able to function. My distance vision is still great and I can do everything else I need to do comfortably. I use this system all of the time, and love it. I don’t usually wear them at night when driving, as that is the only time I’m not comfortable with them. I wear the one day disposables, so cleaning or storing them is not an issue.
i have heard similar complaints
from other paddlers with vision issues. This is when I would skip a deck mount and go with a hand held model from your pfd. or you can not use the compass mount and just mount it to the deck in front of you where you can see it! The compass recess isn’t much good if you can’t see it.
age -
i’m 65, and have lost clarity at all ranges - i wear progressive tri-focals which are great, as long as they don’t get splashed - - i’ve been reluctant to have laser correction, but recently heard of some sort of new ultrasound method that flexed and softened the eye muscles -
anyone else heard of this, or something similar ?
Rain-X
Rain-X is a product sold in most auto departments which when rubbed across the windshield of a car has the tendency to shed water/rain from the windshield. Finding this product works as advertised on my car (glass) windshield I tried it on an old pair of plastic lenses glasses as a trial to see if there was any chemical etching. Fortunately there was no problem and I now use it on my current plastic lenses prescription glasses. Combined with bifocals I can see distance as well as close up. I found this product especially useful during rolling and sculling practice.
I don’t like the idea of kayaking with limited vision for generally enjoying the scenery, or for safety issues.
Nearsighted, farsighted or both?
It would help to understand the nature of the problem. For example, I can see the compasses mounted out past the forward hatches on my boats just fine, but I can’t read a chart right in front of my face.
That’s the question…
I had, where on the bow do you place the compass optimally? Right in front of the cockpit, or way out on the bow? Never knew for sure.
Compass Location
(and above of course I meant 21 is 210…)
Boat makers have tended to move the compass mount further away from the paddler in more recent years to avoid the seasickness issue mentioned above. The closer it is, the more you will be looking down and up again, which for many is a sure prescription to be seasick. Our compasses are mounted in front of the forward hatch on our expedition boats (NDK Explorer LV and Valley Aquanaut) and both of us like that location. I use no distance corection (yet) and my husband is OK without it for paddling.
That said, if you have a cast iron stomach and are very unlikely to ever get seasick in the first place, you may want to move it closer. Our clip-on compasses were between the cockpit and the forward hatch on our prior plastic touring boats, and I can’t say I ever had any issue with queasiness. I have had more noticeable issues due to pressure points from dry top necks than I ever had from looking at the compass.
Celia
location
i’ve paddled with a local instructor who placed his compass in the center of his forward hatch cover - i’m probably going to do the same -
the other reason compasses
are mounted that far out, is to get a better reading. The further out it is along the bow, the more accurate it is. And you really should have a hand compass for taking bearings anyway.
Evans-
What’s the scoop on the squirrel on your kayak???
I happen to love
my polarized bifocal sunglasses and wear them while paddling so I CAN read stuff when I need to.
ALL CAPS PLEASE
PLEASE TYPE IN ALL CAPS NEXT TIME PLEASE SO I AM ABLE TO READ YOUR THREAD.
Brian
Ask your eye Dr. about CRT
My wife is very pleased with this and it’s non-invasive and reversable:
http://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/orthok.htm
I don’t think it works for everyone, but she doesn’t need glasses or contacts during the day now. She constantly raved about how well she was seeing after just 2 weeks of wearing the lenses at night. Additionally, when she wakes up at night she can see without hunting for her glasses, the contacts are in. She’s done this for about a year now and has 0 problems.
She can also open her eyes underwater for the first time and not lose a lense.
THANKS
THANKS TO ALL FOR THE IDEAS…
I AM GOING WITH THE COMPASS MOUNTED ON MY FRONT HATCH COVER. I WILL BE ORDERING SOME +1.25 WITH WRAPAROUND EARPIECES, and TRY THE RAIN-X ON THEM
I AM ALSO GOING WITH THE BRUNTON 85R - WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE THE LARGEST DISPLAY ALSO.
(I PUT THIS IN ALL CAPS FOR THE ONE BELOW WHO NEEDED IT TO READ THESE COMMENTS)
I can’t remember…
…where I am or where I put my car keys let
alone where I’m headed or why. I rely on the
random walk process when I find myself whereever
it is when I find myself there and there I am.
Wrist Compass
When all else fails, buy a wrist compass.
I wear glasses too but rely on the “big” compass on my GPS. However, I do carry a handheld compass JIC.
SYOW
Cal