Plastimo's stationary lubber lines vs balanced lubber lines?

[cadmus]

This is what Platimo uses for lubber lines in their bulkhead compasses

this instead of having lubber lines on a balanced of gimbled platform (below the card) that stays level even if the boat is heeled. Does the curve plastimo assigns to these lines made it such that the azimuth read on the card is correct when heeled? I just can not see how that is reliable. But i otherwise like their product(s) and I need to replace my compass.

[Jammer]

You'll be able to get within 10°, maybe 5°. The lubber lines will cross the card at an angle and you'll have to be intentional about reading at the top of the graduations on the card.

[Wotname]

Are you sure the internal lubber line(s) aren't gimballed? I seem to remember the Plastimo Contest 130 Bulkhead compass I had some years ago did have the internal lubber lines gimballed. The bottom part of the lubber line was used as the inclinometer pointer. If the lubber line wasn't gimballed, the inclinometer wouldn't work.

More accurately, the card and lubber lines were fixed (by gravity) and the outer housing was gimballed and moved with the boat.

Or so I remember!

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by cadmus

Does the curve plastimo assigns to these lines made it such that the azimuth read on the card is correct when heeled? I just can not see how that is reliable. But i otherwise like their product(s) and I need to replace my compass.

What level of accuracy do you require? Does is really make a difference?

[cadmus]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Are you sure the internal lubber line(s) aren't gimballed? I seem to remember the Plastimo Contest 130 Bulkhead compass I had some years ago did have the internal lubber lines gimballed. The bottom part of the lubber line was used as the inclinometer pointer. If the lubber line wasn't gimballed, the inclinometer wouldn't work.

More accurately, the card and lubber lines were fixed (by gravity) and the outer housing was gimballed and moved with the boat.

Or so I remember!

NO i am not sure. all i have is Plastimo's text saying "lubber lines mounted in the lower part of the bowl" and that photo. If what you say is correct that is ideal.

[cadmus]

Here is a photo of a guy polishing out the haze of a platimo contest with some turtle wax headlight polish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3ZkNjaC09k&t=28s

sure looks like they are fixed to the globe not balanced or gimbled.

[Kelkara]

Originally Posted by cadmus

Here is a photo of a guy polishing out the haze of a platimo contest with some turtle wax headlight polish.

sure looks like they are fixed to the globe not balanced or gimbled.

To start with his compass is in poor shape ... he's missing the central lubber line completely. At about 4:55 in the vid you can see the lubber lines attached to the same gimbal as the card. Then at about 9:30 when he tilts the compass you can see the lubber lines move in response, but his is a bit sticky.

I have a Contest 101, and can assure you that the central lubber line is used for the inclinometer ... I'm at the dock at the moment so can't photo it heeled over for you.

[Benz]

I'd get a compass that reads from the far end of a flat card instead of the direct read of that Plastimo. It's quicker to tell at-a-glance which way to turn to get back on course, since the card and lubber line are analogous to what's really going on: if the boat turns to port, the lubber line goes to port of the course on the card.
The other way, if the boat turns to port, the lubber line goes to starboard on the card.
Ridiculous.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Benz

I'd get a compass that reads from the far end of a flat card instead of the direct read of that Plastimo. It's quicker to tell at-a-glance which way to turn to get back on course, since the card and lubber line are analogous to what's really going on: if the boat turns to port, the lubber line goes to port of the course on the card.
The other way, if the boat turns to port, the lubber line goes to starboard on the card.
Ridiculous.

Agree ++ for the "far end" reading.
PS. you mentioned a "flat card", might that per chance be a "Dirigo" compass?
I used to have one, externally gimballed, used for the old Wood-Freeman auto pilots.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by cadmus

NO i am not sure. all i have is Plastimo's text saying "lubber lines mounted in the lower part of the bowl" and that photo. If what you say is correct that is ideal.

I checked the Plastimo range of bulkhead compasses at the local chandlery today.

The lubber lines of the 101 and 130 models are gimballed; all three lines were gimballed to at least 40 degrees either way athwartships. I didn't check the extent of the fore and aft action except to say there was at least 10 degrees of movement F&A.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by Bowdrie

Agree ++ for the "far end" reading.
PS. you mentioned a "flat card", might that per chance be a "Dirigo" compass?
I used to have one, externally gimballed, used for the old Wood-Freeman auto pilots.

Well, nearly every binnacle compass has the flat card you read at the far end. My favorite is Ritchie. I had a bulkhead-mount one once that was dual-read, and never read from the front: it's not really intuitive when you're swaying the tiller back and forth to counter the yaw in a following sea to do the front read.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Benz

I'd get a compass that reads from the far end of a flat card instead of the direct read of that Plastimo. It's quicker to tell at-a-glance which way to turn to get back on course, since the card and lubber line are analogous to what's really going on: if the boat turns to port, the lubber line goes to port of the course on the card.
The other way, if the boat turns to port, the lubber line goes to starboard on the card.
Ridiculous.

It's poor technique to follow the lubber's line. If you need the numbers to go up, steer to stbd, and vice versa.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

It's poor technique to follow the lubber's line. If you need the numbers to go up, steer to stbd, and vice versa.

Different strokes, I guess. Dunno who made you the arbiter of technique.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Benz

Different strokes, I guess. Dunno who made you the arbiter of technique.

Probably the same person that made you the arbiter of compass/lubber line orientation.

Personally, I think if the helmsperson is in a position to see the horizon, they should be steering by natural leadmark, and then checking that against the compass - rather than driving the compass. Then one tends to use an "if high, steer low; if low, steer high" calculus.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Benz

Well, nearly every binnacle compass has the flat card you read at the far end. My favorite is Ritchie.

In my mention of "Dirigo" I should have said "flat top" instead of "flat card".
My favorite is Ritchie also.
There are small lubber lines at the close end, but the main ones are far end.
Sorry for the poor pic,,,.