If you have one of these:
and it is adjusted to read true north, he must have used the compensators to do this. However, I'm not sure if the compensators could alter the
compass readings 15˚ accurately over the entire 360˚ range of readings. I would bet that the
compass isn't accurate for true bearings all the way around. What you need to do is swing the
compass and have it re-adjusted to read properly.
The reason I think it is very important that you do this, is that if you get used to this
compass the way it is, and get on another boat... the chance of you making a huge navigation error is rather high... Likewise, if you have someone else at the helm of your boat, and they're not used to a magnetic
compass reading true... you're much more likely to have a problem. Navigation errors can result in very, very, expensive repairs.
__________________
Sailingdog
Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
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