Ritchie SportAbout Compass, Yellow
- Brand:
- Ritchie
- Part no:
- X-11Y
Image: Fisheries Supply
Where to buy
Specifications
- Card
- Direct read
The Ritchie SportAbout is a compact direct-reading compass with a 2 inch dial in an international safety yellow case. The movement uses a sapphire jewel and a hardened steel pivot, and built-in expansion chambers widen the temperature range it works in. The silicone, impact resistant case comes with a matching neck lanyard. A V-notch and lubber line help you line up a heading, and non-electric chem sticks give 18 hours of night lighting.
Our take
The chem sticks give 18 hours of night lighting without any battery or wiring, so you can read the 2 inch dial after dark with nothing electrical to fail. The neck lanyard keeps the compass on you.
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.