James F. Aguiar wrote:

Thanks for all the replies....I am new to kayaking but I have owned a
couple of boats, one being a 23 foot sail boat. I learned that a
compass is a valuable asset when out on the water. I am surprized to
hear that so many people are taking on the open waters in kayaks. I
live on the south coast of Ma. and it seems as though paddleing a
kayay out to CuttyHunk Island and then out through the one of the
passages between the Elizebeth Islands into Vineyard Sound is a
typical day of kayaking. That is dangerous waters in a 23 foot sail
boat never mind a kayak.

In the hands of a skilled paddler, kayaks can handle incredibly rough
water. I wouldn't suggest that you try it until you build your skills
and find some skilled paddling partners. Check out the North Shore
Paddler's Network at www.nspn.org. It's the largest club in the greater
Boston area and it organizes a lot of skill building sessions, both on
the ocean and in pools during the winter. There are quite a few members
on the South Shore and the Cape, so you shouldn't have any problem
finding people to hook up with for trips.

I recently purchased a WildernessSystems CapeHorn 170. It has a large
4 1/4" circular place on the forward deck for a compass. I chose the
Richie Voyager that fills that spot nicely, however it looks a bit
like an over kill to see such a large compass on a kayak,but at 64
years of age I can see the dial easily without glasses.

That's a standard compass for kayaking. You need to be able to see it
with a quick glance in rough conditions, so the bigger the better,
within reason.

.....Anyway, as
of now I don't have any intentions of going out into Buzzards Bay.

Trust me, that will change. Besides, you'd be giving up a lot of good
paddling if you don't venture into the Bay.

I think the GPS is perhaps one of the best devices available,
especially one with a bluechart such as the Garmin.

I have a GPS, but I almost never use it, as I find that it's too "fussy"
when I really need to get info quickly. It can also be difficult to
read, especially when it's wet. A chart and compass is much faster and
more foolproof, IMO.

Anyway, with a little luck I may be able to survive next summer
kayaking.

It's not about luck. As with most endeavors, it's about preparation and
ability.