Magnetic Compasses Are More Than a Failsafe

October 5, 2022

Far from being a failsafe to onboard electronic navigation equipment, Ritchie Navigation SuperSport magnetic compasses still function if the power fails. Plus, they do something a GPS can’t: display a heading when stopped or moving at very slow speeds. Tested and proven in grueling offshore racing conditions, the Navigator 2000 and Helmsman 1002 are ideal for use on commercial and recreational boats.

Made in the USA, SuperSport compasses feature Ritchie’s PowerDamp technology to prevent oscillation and card spinning in heavy seas. Dials are set upon hardened steel gimbals with sapphire jewel bearings. DirectiveForce™ magnets provide a quick lock-on and a steady heading display.

SuperSport dials are high-visibility blue with bright white numbers and five-degree marks. The Navigator has a 4-1/2″ face; the Helmsman, 3-3/4″. Yellow 90° and white 45° lubber lines make staying on course easy. A built-in movable sun shield offers shade while integrated 12V green LED lighting provides readability in dim and dark conditions.

For over 160 years, Ritchie Navigation has guided generations of professional and military mariners and recreational boaters across virtually every navigable waterway across the globe. The company manufactures a wide range of dash-, bulkhead-, bracket-, binnacle- and surface-mounted magnetic compasses, and related navigation accessories.

Related Articles

Video Gallery

Bennington 22 MSB

By Andy Adams

If you’ve already had firsthand experience with a pontoon, you will easily understand the appeal of the Bennington 22 MSB. But if you haven’t, let’s start by reviewing a few of the reasons why pontoon boats have become top sellers in markets across North America.

Pontoon boats began in the early 1950s as basically four steel drums lashed to a frame. They were not unlike the log rafts of ancient cultures and not much more sophisticated at first.

Read More

Destinations

The Best of Two Worlds

By Mathew Channer

Interior British Columbia might not be as famous for recreational boating as Canada’s Great Lakes, yet it is no less a world-class boat­ing destination. The mountains offer their own flavour of marine adventure with their series of long, deep ribbon lakes, and there is perhaps no area that embodies this more uniquely than the iconic Okanagan basin in southern B.C. One could be forgiven for assuming this valley was purpose-built for nautical fun, with a few delightful perks thrown in to make the area entirely irresistible (wine-tasting, anyone?).

Read More

Lifestyle