3-THE MAGNETIC COMPASS]

Chapter 3

THE MAGNETIC

COMPASS

The magnetic compass is fitted on the upper bridge

(also called the monkey island), exactly on the centre
line of the ship. It is referred to as the standard
compass because it is considered as the primary
means of direction indication, in spite of fitting a gyro
compass on the ship.
There are two basic types: dry card and wet card. In
the olden days, there used to be a dry card compass
on the upper bridge for use in navigation and, since it
was too sensitive for steering, a wet card compass
was provided in front of the helmsman for his use.
Nowadays, the standard compass is of the wet card
type and is fitted on the upper bridge for navigation.
For steering, an optical projector system is fitted
which enables the helmsman in the wheelhouse to
use the compass on the upper bridge for steering
This projector system is described lateer in this

chapter.
Description of the dry card compass is not given here
as it is now part of history - it is not found on any
merchant ship.

The wet card compass

The card: The wet card is made of mica and is o
are
about 15 cm in diameter. The graduations
to
photographically printed on it. The card is attaci

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 3-THE MAGNETIC cOMPASS]
a nickel silver float chamber that has a sapphire cap.
The cap rests on an iridium-tipped pivot. The sapphire
has a polishing effect on the iridium tip. The
smoothness of rotation of the compass card thus
improves over the years! Though the weight of the
wet card is considerable, the buoyancy of the float
chamber suitably reduces the load on the pivot. This
arrangement is practically frictionless.
The directive element: This is fitted below the card,
enclosed in nickel-silver to avoid corrosion. In older
types it consisted of two cylindrical bar magnets, one
on each side of the float. In modern wet card
compasses the directive element is a ring magnet
fitted around the base of the float. The ring magnet
offers less resistance to movement and causes less
turbulence. (See diagram 1).
Most efficient: The ring magnet wet card compass is
the most efficient type of marine magnetic compass.
The liquid: The bowl is filled with a mixture of distilled
water and pure ethyl alcohol so that the mixture has
the following properties
(a) Low freezing point about -

30°C.
(b) Smal coefficient of expansion.
(c) Does not discolour the card
(d) Low relative density about 0.93
-

By immersing the card in a liquid, oscillations caused

by vibration, rolling & pitching are damped, without
loss of accuracy. The card therefore has a 'dead beat'
movement which is convenient.

The bowl (See diagram 2): Though the wet card is

only about 15 cm in diameter, the diameter of the
DoWl is about 23 cm in order to reduce disturbances

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 3-THEMAGNETIC COMPA.
turbulence
in the liquid during rotation
ion of
caused by the bow Is of
of transparent glass.
transpare
top of
the card. The
is of frosted glass
diffuse th
to diftuse the light
bottom
The bulb below.
from the
coming

1- Bottom view of wet card

Diagram
Nickel-silver strut

Nickel-silver
case
Sapphire
cap
Ring
magnet

Mica card

Top glasS

Float Lubber
line

Ring magnet

Bottom glass
Ballast ring oflead

compass bow
Diagram 2 - The wet

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 3-THE MAGNETIC COMPASS]
The lubber line: On the forward, inside part of the
bowl, there is a small projection with a line marked on
it. This line is called the 'lubber line' and it represents
the direction of the ship's head. The compass is fixed
on the centre line of the ship with the lubber line
aligned towards forward. The reading of the compass
card, which coincides with the lubber line, is the
compass course of the ship at that time. In some
compasses, there are three more lubber lines
indicating starboard beam, port beam and right
astern.
Allowance for expansion: Different methods are
adopted for coping with the expansion and
contraction, of the liquid in the bowl, resulting from
increase and decrease of atmospheric temperature.
One method is to have a small accordion-like
expansion chamber attached to the bowl, similar to
that of an aneroid barometer. The chamber increases
or decreases in volume, as necessary, as the liquid in
the bowl expands or contracts due to changes in
atmospheric temperature.
Suspension of bowl: On the outside of the compass
bowl, there are two athwartship projections, called
gimbals, at the same level as the compass card. The
gimbals are triangular in cross-section, apex
downwards. These gimbals rest on V shaped
depressions in a horizontal ring called the 'gimbal
ring' which encircles the compass bowl (see diagram
2). The gimbal ring itself is pivoted at its forward and
after sides. If the ship rolls or pitches, the bowl would
remain horizontal because its centre of gravity is well
below the gimbals. A ballast weight consisting of a
ring of lead, enclosed in brass, is attached along the

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 [3- THE
MAGNETIC COMPASS]
circumference
centre of
of the
underside of the
gravity below the gimbals (seebowi to bring its
diagram 2).
Diagram 2- Plan view of
gimbal arrangement

Port
BEIL+ Stbd

Gimbal ring
Binnacle
The binnacle
The binnacle is(see diagram 3):
a
cylindrical container made of non-
ferrous metal. In olden
magnetic materials aredays,
teak wood was used. No
used in its construction.
compass bowl is slung inside the The
binnacle. The middle top portion of the
and contains correctorportion
is accessible by a door
magnets in the centre and the
compass projector at the forward part.
Corrector magnets (see
the lower half of the diagram 3): In the centre of
binnacle, there
horizontal holes, both fore & aft and are a number of
'hard iron' or athwartships, for
'permanent' corrector magnets which
are meant to offset
effects
undesirable, disturbing, magnetic
caused by the ship's steel hull. The number of
correctoor magnets, and their distances from the
CompasS card, are decided by a qualified 'compasss
adjuster during the 'compass adjustment' of the ship.

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 [3 THE MAGNETIC COMPASS]
Diagram 3-The binnacle

- Glass window

Helmet

z : Compass bow
Soft
iron
sphere

Gimbal ring

Flinders Bar

Chain

Door

F&ASlot
H-E Bucket

P-SSlot

Central tube

Base

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 3- THE MAGNETIC COMPAss

In the lower two-thirds of the binnacle there is a

vertical brass tube, at the centre, in which slides a
bucket'. This bucket has some magnets in it called
heeling error correctors. The bucket is held in
position by a brass chain. The number and location of
each magnet in this bucket, and the distance of the
bucket from the compass card, must not be altered
except during compass adjustment by a qualified
compass adjuster. The door giving access to the
corrector magnets should always remain locked and
opened only during compass adjustment.
Quadrantal correctors (see diagram 3): These are
two 'soft iron' spheres which are fitted in brackets,
one on ether side of the binnacle. The brackets are
slotted so that the distance between the spheres can
be altered as desired during compaaS adjustment.
Flinders bar (see diagram 3): This is a soft iron
corrector, (diameter about 7.5 to 10 cm) inserted in a
60 cm long brass case, fitted vertically on the forward
or on the after part of the binnacle. If the ship has
more superstructure abaft the compass, the Flinders
bar is fitted on the forward part of the binnacle and
vice versa. The length of the Flinders bar may be
altered during compass adjustment. Since the upper
end of the Flinders bar must be in line with the
compass card, cylindrical wooden chocks are
inserted, as necessary, at the bottom of the brass
case
The helmet: The top of the binnacle is provided with
a large non-ferrous metal helmet. This protects the
compass bowl from direct sunlight, rain, spray, dew,
frost, etc during non-use.

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 [3- THE MAGNETIC COMPASS]
Care and maintenance
1 The doors giving access to the corrector
should always be kept locked and the magnets
safe custody.
keys kept in
2 If the binnacle is of wood, it should be
varnished,
not painted, as paint may cause the doors to
3 The soft iron spheres
jam.
(quadrantal correctors) and
their brackets should be painted. This
rust.
prevents
4 The brass parts of the binnacle should be
polished regularly.
5 All magnetic materials such as aerials, stays,
electrical machinery, electric wires, etc, should be
kept well away from the compass.
6 The helmet of the binnacle should be in
position
always except during the short periods when
bearing are actually being taken.
7 The wet compass card, if found defective
owing to
stickiness of movement, has to be renewed by the
manufacturer or his authorized agent. Hence no
spare wet card is carried. Instead, an entire bow
is carried as a spare.
8 In rare cases, a bubble may
develop in the wet
compass bowl. This has to be removed at the
earliest opportunity.

Removal of bubbles: A bubble may form in the bowl

Owing to the fact that some of the liquid has somehow
escaped from the bowl. This is a rare occurrence and
must be remedied by following the manufacturer's
instructions. In most compasses:
1) Tilt the bowl until the "filler hole' comes upper
most. This hole is provided on the side of the
bowl.

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 3-THE MAGNETIC COMPASS]

2) Unscrew the stud/screw provided

Top up with ethyl alcohol. If this is not available,
3)
distilled water would do.
4) Screw the stud/screw back into place.
5) Gently let the bowl return to upright.
In some modern compasses, small bubbles may be
removed as follows:
a) Invert the bowl gently. This would cause the
bubble to enter a 'bubble trap' provided for this
purpose.
b) Gently return the bowl to upright. The bubble
should have disappeared. If the bubble is large,it
would have to be removed as described in (1) to
(5) above.

Compass projector:
A compass projector (see diagram 4) allows the
relevant part of the standard compass card and the
lubber line on the flying bridge to be seen by the
helmsman in the wheel house, one deck below, clear
enough to steer the ship.
Description: On the forward part of the inside of the
binnacle, a brass tube of about 15 cm diameter is
fitted. This tube extends into the deck head (roof) of
the wheel house and houses the optical system.
An electric bulb, above the compass card, provides
the necessary illumination. In case of power failure,
electric supply to this bulb would be available from the
ship's emergency lighting arrangements.
The bow has a transparent glass bottom. The
compass card is of the ring magnet mica type and has
the degree markings photographically imprinted on it
on a black background.
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 3-THE MAGNETIC cOMPASS]
Diagram4- The compass projector

Helmet

Bulb

Condenser lens

Part of compass
card

Binnacle

Obiective lens

Field lens

Erecting lens

Deck-head
Grey glass Screen

Plane mirror

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 [3- THE MAGNETIC COMPASSI

The optical system: LIght from the electric bulb

passes through an optical condenser. The bulh i is

situated at the fOcal point of the upper lens of thee
condenser. This sends down the light as a parallel
through the lower lens of the condenser, The
beam
concentrated beam then passes through the
card and down tube. the An
transparent compass
lens magnify the image of
objective lens and a field
the relevant part of the compass card and the lubber
afterfield lens is inverted
line. The image available
beam is passed through an
lubber line aft! Hence the
screen. The
erector lens and on to a grey glass
as seen from BELOW
picture would now be correct
line would be forward but
the compass card - lubber
be lateraly inverted.
the numbers on the card would
a mirror.
To correct this, the image is viewed through
would extend about
The picture seen on the mirror
25 on either side of the lubber from line, be suitably
ABOVE the
magnified and appear as if seen
compass card.

Adjustments: the
1) The of the mirror may be adjusted along
angle
horizontal axis in accordance with the height
of the
helmsman.
in
2) The bottom portion of the tube may be rotated
to be
azimuth so as to enable the compass course
read from a position other than that of
the
helmsman. a
by
3) The intensity of illumination is adjustable
rheostat control fitted near the steering positon
he
4)The distances between the various parts O
optical system are critical and hence all sucnat
are rigidly fixed in position after proper focusinga
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 3- THE MAGNETIC cOMPASS

the time of installation. No separate focus control is

normally provided.
Maintenance: The compass projector requires no
special maintenance except that the lenses and the
mirror should be kept free of dust, salt particles, etc.
The top of the objective lens, where dust could settle,
is accessible for cleaning through a door in the
binnacle. The other lenses, and glass screen, in the
tube are sealed airtight and hence would not get dust
on them. The lenses of the condenser should be
wiped clean with a soft non-linty cloth & the helmet
always kept in position to prevent dust, water, spray,
dew etc from settling or falling on the condenser
lenses.

The advantages of the compass projector:

1) The steering-Cum-standard compass, being
situated outside the steel boundaries of the
wheelhouse, would have better directional
propertiees than the separate steering compass
which would have been fitted in the wheelhouse.

2) Saving of space in the wheelhouse.

3) The steering wheel, auto-pilot, gyro repeater, etc
centre line of the
may be fitted exactly on the
wheelhouse.
4) Siting of the electro-magnetic units of various
equipment in the wheelhouse is simplified. Each
such unit has a 'Safe compass distance' marked on
there is
it, usually about three metres or so. Since
and
no magnetic compass in the wheelhouse,
since the nearest magnetic compass is already
more than three metres away (on the monkey

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 3- THE MAGNETIC
COMPAsSI
island), any unit may be placed anywhere in the
wheelhouse.
5) The cost of the compass projector is offset by the
saving in cost of the steering compass and
binnacle.
-o00

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