"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm writing a short item this morning about hand held bearing
compasses.

I carry one on my boat, and could find it in an instant. I suspect,
however, that in this age of electro-nav gimmicks I'm now in the
minority.

Three questions:

1. Do you carry a bearing compass?

Nope. I did, however, install a fixed compass after I purchased the boat as
it had none.


2. Whether you carry one or not, do you know why anybody would want
to?

Certainly.


3. Do you have any charts aboard, or are you running depending
strictly on an uninterrupted supply of DC power and counting on 100%
reliability from your electronics for navigation information?


No charts. I do have a GPS and trips on this boat are normally limited to
daytime trips to sites within an hour or so away at tops. I can get to all
of them with my eyes closed.