Ritchie Navigator FN-201 Flush Mount Compass, Black
- Brand:
- Ritchie
- Part no:
- FN-201
Image: Fisheries Supply
Where to buy
Specifications
- Mount
- Flush
- Card
- Flat
- Built-in compensators
- Yes
The Ritchie Navigator FN-201 is a flush mount compass with a black 4-1/2 inch flat card dial, listed for boats 28 to 45 feet. The flat card has large numerals, and a PowerDamp baffle is fitted to reduce spinning and dial jumping. It has built-in compensators for adjusting deviation and built-in 12V green lighting. Ritchie backs it with a 5-year warranty.
Our take
The PowerDamp baffle on the flat card is aimed at spinning and dial jumping, which is the trouble a compass has in a chop. The flat card reads best when you look down on it, so it belongs where you view it from above. Built-in compensators let you adjust deviation.
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.