Ritchie Helmsman HF-742W Flush Mount Compass, White
- Brand:
- Ritchie
- Part no:
- HF-742W
Image: Fisheries Supply
Where to buy
Specifications
- Mount
- Flush
- Card
- Flat
- Built-in compensators
- Yes
This is Ritchie's Helmsman flush mount compass in white, with a flat card dial about 3 3/4 inches across. A PowerDamp baffle on the card is there to stop spinning and dial jumping at high speed and in rough conditions, and the compass sits on internal gimbals to keep it steady in pitch and roll. It has a green 12V NiteVu light for night use and built-in compensators for adjusting deviation. The movement uses a hardened steel pivot with a sapphire jewel, and the compass is made in the USA.
Our take
Built-in compensators let you trim deviation right at the compass once it is mounted. Together with the internal gimbals and the PowerDamp baffle, the flat card is built to stay steady through pitch, roll and fast, rough running.
From our buying guide
Ritchie says a magnetic compass needs no electrical power to work, and that a GPS gives course over ground, not heading. Magnets, ferrous metals and current-carrying devices near it can cause deviation, so the spot matters too.
Check before you buy:
- It's balanced for where you boat. Ritchie advises buying the zone central to where you boat.
- The dial suits your helm. A flat card is read from above, and a direct-read dial from directly in front.
- You can compensate it, since not every compass has built-in compensators.