<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Anna,<div><br></div><div>Yes, knowing where you are in the fog on SF Bay is important and the compass can help with that, but it's important for racing, too. Lifts and headers change the compass reading. Electronic compasses have software built in to tell you that as you tack up the course. Mechanical compasses can do the same if someone's paying attention to them. </div><div><br></div><div>It's important to prepare the compass and yourself. Make sure any stray electrical impulses and ferris metals are kept away - usually about 3'. Be aware of declination/variation (here's SF).</div><div><img height="509" width="423" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:C6EEF316-EF3F-4DB0-B462-C05E688C933D"></div><div><br></div><div>Swing the compass to calculate deviation card and know how to use it. Here's an example.</div><div><br></div><div><img height="97" width="150" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:7FC8C764-198C-4E04-B184-19D7587747EC"></div><div><br></div><div>Pat</div><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On Aug 23, 2013, at 9:02 PM, <a href="mailto:acalderkamp@gmail.com">acalderkamp@gmail.com</a> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div>Hi Rande,<br>I would certainly have a compass if you're sailing on the SF Bay. We've been surprised by fog a few times and then a compass is a must. I have a digital compass, a Tacktic Micro compass, that is clicked in a holder onto my mast under the boom. Not the cheapest option ~ $350 , but very nice especially for racing. FYI i also tried a much cheaper digital compass, but that didn't have any precision and was useless,<br><br>Cheers,<br><br>Anna<br><br>On Aug 23, 2013, at 2:54 PM, Mark Langer <<a href="mailto:scautobody@aol.com">scautobody@aol.com</a>> wrote:<br><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#006312"><br></font></div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>