Weems & Plath 2005 Hand Bearing Compass
- Brand:
- Weems & Plath
- Part no:
- 2005
Image: amnautical.com
Where to buy
Manuals
- Instructions (PDF)cdn.shopify.com
The Weems & Plath 2005 is a hockey-puck style hand bearing compass with a liquid-damped, two-colour card. For a bearing you hold it near your eye and sight along the line of sight. The card is graduated every 1° and the stated accuracy is within 1°. Its night lighting is photoluminescent, so it needs no batteries, and a lanyard lets you wear it on the neck or wrist. It is 3.2 in long and 1.3 in high.
Our take
The card glows from a quick charge under bright light, so there is no battery to go flat at night. Its stated accuracy is within 1°, and the rubber housing is there to protect the compass from knocks.
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.