How to Adjust a Ritchie Compass

Ritchie Navigations produces a variety of compasses, including large models for yachts and powerboats and smaller deck mount models for kayaks. Regardless of your style or size of Ritchie compass, it needs to be adjusted and set to account for magnetic deviation. Failure to properly adjust and set up the compass can yield faulty directions or navigation.

Instructions

    • 1

      Install the compass on a flat deck, steering mount or surface. Standard magnetic deviation for most of the Northern Hemisphere is 13 to 14 degrees (east or west depends on your latitude). Ritchie compasses adjust the deviation up to 20 degrees in any of the four cardinal directions -- north, south, east and west.

    • 2

      Push the two brass rods at the bottom of the compass to the neutral position. Stand back from your mounting point at least 10 or more feet. Hold the compass at a fixed point toward one of the cardinal directions. Check the reading.

    • 3

      Move the compass to the mounting area, holding it toward the same cardinal direction. Place the compass into the mount and check the reading. If the reading is different than your first reading, you have deviation faults.

    • 4

      Move the compass to find the point where a 20-degree difference is noted on each cardinal point. Move the brass compensation rods (now in the neutral position) until the compass, when mounted, has equal levels of deviation on the four cardinal points.

    • 5

      Reposition the mount so the compass points in the same direction as the boat bow. The compass is now ready for navigation use.