A compass is an essential accessory for kayaking. There are however very few compasses that are designed for affixing to a kayak, and fewer still that are suitable for attaching to Folding Kayaks.
There are a few options that could be considered..
- Using a handheld orienteering compass - Cheap / lots of models to choose from. However they can't be readily used while paddling in less than perfect conditions, and generally need to be held flat. I could have looked at mounting the compass permanently onto the deck skin in a suitable position, however I am not comfortable in performing such a procedure on my boat at this stage.
- Buying / Making a compass that attaches via bungys. This I think is the best option for me as it can be used without using hands while paddling and does not cause damage to the boat. However the boat will need to be oriented in the correct direction to take reading.
The only question now was which compass would fit the bill. In the end I opted for the Suunto Orca. This front read compass was designed from the outset as a kayaking compass and comes with a set of bungys to be attached by nylon clips to the deck lines on my Kahuna. It seems to have been built robustly and will still apparently read accurately at a 30 degree tilt in the dark when the temperature has dropped to -25C. Not that I would be hoping to tax it to these extremes!
Another option you may wish to consider is the Brunton 58-Kayak. However I could not find a dealer for this in Australia.
After a bit of hunting around on the web I found a dealer in Sydney who were able to order the Orca for me. Sturrocks of Sydney placed the order and a couple of days and AU$160 later I had the compass in my hands. The price was very high, and I should have shopped around as I saw the price at a about AU$60 on the internet, but theses had been 'tuned' to North American latitudes and not to Australian and New Zealand waters.
For more information about Compass Zones please see the following paper, 'PDF'
I will give more details about my experiences with the compass once I give it a go!
