On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:42:12 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

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?

I have a compass mounted in the boat. I do not have a hand held.

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

If their boat is sinking and they have to man a life raft, it could come in
handy. Or, if someone angrily smashed their laptop on the mounted compass,
a hand held could come in handy.

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?

Yes, charts are aboard for any area in which I may roam.
--
John H