Reading a Compass

Most of today’s compasses are easy to read. Many can be read from the front or from above. The compass may have one set of lubber lines (the lines on the compass that line up with the lines on the card that turns) that are used when you look down on the compass and another set when you look at the compass from the side. When there are two lubber lines sets, you need to look at them closely. See the photo below. The way the top scale and the side scale have to be made they, at first glance, are different. It can be confusing if you are used to using a compass with only one set of lubber lines.

By tradition, most compass cards were subdivided in to 32 points to complete a circle. North, East, South, and West are the Cardinal points of the compass. The Inter-cardinal points are Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and Northwest.  Many of today's compasses have the Cardinal points marked on them. Some new compasses just have a degree number listed. North is 0 degrees on a compass.

The point system was in common use before World War II, now the degree system is mostly used. It is still useful to know the degree numbers of the Cardinal Points of the compass.

On most new compasses the Lubber line thickness equals one degree. This is a handy thing to know when you are trying to follow a specific course that is between increment lines on the compass card.

The lighting on a compass should be red in color, bright enough to see the compass but not bright enough that it will cause loss of night vision.

The new digital compasses display the degree number and it may or may not give a Cardinal Point. These are easy to read and accurate.

When picking a compass, the most important thing is that it is easy to read. Large is better than small. If it is a magnetic compass, a good compass is one that is repairable and has a good warranty.

     A digital compass may have Cardinal Points shown on them as well as  the degrees.

 This compass can be read from the front or looking down at the compass card. With a card like this the front lubber line is to the right of the 0 degree and the rear lubber line is to the left of the 0. This can cause confusion if the reader is not aware of this.