Does anyone have a solution for temporarily mounting a compass on the bow of a rented tandem canoe?

i have a Brunton Kayak Strap Compass, easily on an off for our kayaks. may give an idea, never tried to use it with a canoe.

you could attach a compass to a bow bag


tyh

Without first seeing the setup you propose (compass and canoe), I would suggest that clear packing tape would provide a temporary attachment of compass to canoe. You may need to remove residual stickiness with alcohol at the end of the trip.

If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings.

Seems a bit of self adhesive Velcro would do the trick. Problem I can see is how to mount it level more or less when cruising. Maybe a bit of Styrofoam that could be shaved to level. So Velcro, Styrofoam, Velcro. This would be a case of definitely worth what you paid for it advice. Good Luck

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

This is such an elegant solution.

OCDave: "

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

This is such an elegant solution. "

Thanks.

And it takes care of worrying about whether it is level.

I've previously attached a compass to a hose clamp, which is then pretty easy to fasten to a thwart or carry handle, if one is conveniently positioned. Standard baseplate compasses easily get knocked out of level when they're attached to a thwart, however, which can bind the needle.

Another Solution is a Wrist Compass . It is a little confusing to switch back and forth between a standard compass and a wrist compass. With the wrist compass it is easy to get accurate sightings across the compass.

OCDave: "

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

This is such an elegant solution. "

doesn't the magnet mess with your readings?
I purchased a canoe that had Velcro wrapped around a thwart... The former owner had a piece of Velcro on the compass.
I'm lazy... I have a strap on my compass that I wrap around a thwart and just lay on a pack ( I'm in the stern here though...)
I used to have a compass without a strap and it encountered that " slow sinking feeling' described in another thread.

dr bob

Mine is on a small lanyard and clipped onto a loop on the front of my life jacket.

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

LOL thanks, but not interested in circumnavigating the globe.

DrBobDg: "doesn't the magnet mess with your readings?

...

dr bob"

Every solution will have some trade offs.

BobDobbs: "

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

LOL thanks, but not interested in circumnavigating the globe."

Excellent response!

Maybe I’ll have to see if BeaV will bite.

OCDave: "

DrBobDg: "doesn't the magnet mess with your readings?


...


dr bob"

Every solution will have some trade offs."

Just the ferrous metal plate I suggested gluing to the compass will screw with the readings. Geologists traditionally use brass belt buckles to avoid this problem. The magnet just makes it obvious the readings are nonsense.

With either a strap or the hose clamp, you can easily level the compass fore and aft, but side to side will rely on shifting the boat (unless you can slide it on a curved thwart). There are marine deck mount compasses that are designed to compensate for tilt of the boat. You might be able to rig one up with straps or (preferably plastic) wire ties.

shock cord

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of makin
g your compass give very consistent readings."

Doesn't a magnet affect the needle/ dial of a compass?? Always thought they did?

IMHO the important navigational tool in the BWCA is the map to navigate complicated islands and bays. A compass is most useful to orient the map to the landscape. That makes a simple base-plate pocket compass most useful. A deck mounted compass is useful for big water crossings where you need to maintain a bearing to reach a destination you cannot see clearly. Maybe on Rainy Lake that might be useful, but I can't think of any place in the BWCA or Quetico that it would be useful. Maybe for navigation at night?

On the ten day solo this July I never took the compass out of the day pack.

DrBobDg: "

OCDave: "

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

This is such an elegant solution. "

doesn't the magnet mess with your readings?
I purchased a canoe that had Velcro wrapped around a thwart... The former owner had a piece of Velcro on the compass.
I'm lazy... I have a strap on my compass that I wrap around a thwart and just lay on a pack ( I'm in the stern here though...)
I used to have a compass without a strap and it encountered that " slow sinking feeling' described in another thread.


dr bob"

Not only will a magnet affect your compass's direction, one that close will most likely freeze the needle so it will not move at all.

I just tried it and it froze up my Sunto Compass, here are the pics.
My cell phone also affected my compass's direction as well as anything steel that I put near it.
Link

LindenTree3: "

DrBobDg: "

OCDave: "

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

This is such an elegant solution. "

doesn't the magnet mess with your readings?
I purchased a canoe that had Velcro wrapped around a thwart... The former owner had a piece of Velcro on the compass.
I'm lazy... I have a strap on my compass that I wrap around a thwart and just lay on a pack ( I'm in the stern here though...)
I used to have a compass without a strap and it encountered that " slow sinking feeling' described in another thread.



dr bob"

Not only will a magnet affect your compass's direction, one that close will most likely freeze the needle so it will not move at all.


I just tried it and it froze up my Sunto Compass, here are the pics.
My cell phone also affected my compass's direction as well as anything steel that I put near it.
Link

"

-

The clumsiness of internet forums often shroud the subtleties of a witty quip.

Translation => andym made a joke

OCDave: "

LindenTree3: "

DrBobDg: "

OCDave: "

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

This is such an elegant solution. "

doesn't the magnet mess with your readings?
I purchased a canoe that had Velcro wrapped around a thwart... The former owner had a piece of Velcro on the compass.
I'm lazy... I have a strap on my compass that I wrap around a thwart and just lay on a pack ( I'm in the stern here though...)
I used to have a compass without a strap and it encountered that " slow sinking feeling' described in another thread.



dr bob"

Not only will a magnet affect your compass's direction, one that close will most likely freeze the needle so it will not move at all.



I just tried it and it froze up my Sunto Compass, here are the pics.
My cell phone also affected my compass's direction as well as anything steel that I put near it.
Link


"

-

The clumsiness of internet forums often shroud the subtleties of a witty quip.

Translation => andym made a joke "

Funny as I re-read andym's post I see now that it was a joke, I figured he knew better.
Guess I'm a little sleep deprived from my last fire and didn't catch it.

andym: "...very consistent readings."

True.

Yes, it was a joke. This forum doesn't have a tradition of using smiley faces and so it is hard to make that clear.

Yes, both the metal plate and the magnet will screw up the compass. I was counting on the magnet so completely screwing up the readings by locking the needle that no one would get lost due to my suggestion.

FYI, my wife's master's thesis was on magnetism recorded in the rocks of the Sierra. So we know something about magnetism around this place. Also FYI, she thinks it was a really dumb joke.

OCDave: "

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

This is such an elegant solution. "

Am I understanding correctly that you're suggesting putting two ferrous pieces of metal in contact with or close to your compass? Isn't this going to mess with the magnetic accuracy of the compass needle?

-Confused in Illinois

Yes, it will mess with the accuracy of the compass and probably lock it completely in place. Don't do this in the wilderness. It was a joke about how to avoid using sticky tape on the canoe.

Kendis: "

OCDave: "

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

This is such an elegant solution. "

Am I understanding correctly that you're suggesting putting two ferrous pieces of metal in contact with or close to your compass? Isn't this going to mess with the magnetic accuracy of the compass needle?


-Confused in Illinois"

And my reply was sarcasm. It was intended to reflect that I got the joke in an ironic way rather than a "HAHAHA" way. Because I took it as more "sarcastic" or "ironic" humor than comic, belly laugh humor. However to some, it turns out, it was not humor at all.

Shame on you andym! Be funnier in the future.

andym: "If you have to attach it to a deck plate instead of a thwart, you could glue a piece of ferrous metal the bottom of the compass and then use a strong magnet under the deck plate. That way there is no residue to get off when you return. This also has the benefit of making your compass give very consistent readings."

Good plan if you don't like the other 3 directions. Kinda like the broken clock being right twice a day.

andym: "Yes, it was a joke. This forum doesn't have a tradition of using smiley faces and so it is hard to make that clear.


Yes, both the metal plate and the magnet will screw up the compass. I was counting on the magnet so completely screwing up the readings by locking the needle that no one would get lost due to my suggestion.


FYI, my wife's master's thesis was on magnetism recorded in the rocks of the Sierra. So we know something about magnetism around this place. Also FYI, she thinks it was a really dumb joke."

sorry Andy, I couldn't see your tongue in your cheek. And I am the guy who warned my kids over and over about all the reasons texting is bad!! Classic example.

To give a serious, but maybe not very good suggestion, for mounting to a deck plate you could try putting suction cup feet on a self leveling boat compass. But it would probably fall off at half the portages.

Another idea would be to use the 3m command strips. Those hold well, come off easily, and aren’t supposed to leave a residue.

BobDobbs: "Does anyone have a solution for temporarily mounting a compass on the bow of a rented tandem canoe? "

I had this same problem to address during a trip over the summer. I ended up using two rubber bands to attach an entry-level orienteering compass to the thwart in front of the stern seat. I imagine you could do the same thing to the bow carry handle. It quickly came on and off for portaging and I could stick the compass in my pocket during the portage or into the pocket of my thwart bag.

Note that this method is good for general direction finding, I would say within 5 +/- degrees given how far your head is from the compass when sitting in the canoe and how exactly level you can mount the compass. Any more accuracy than that should be either unnecessary with good location awareness or remedied with map and compass skills.