WHAT IS A MAGNETIC COMPASS?

A compass containing a magnetic

needle pivoted in a horizontal plane,
it indicates the direction
of magnetic north at points on the
earth's surface.
FUNCTION OF A COMPASS
The magnetic compass is used for the purpose of
showing the direction toward
the Earth's magnetic poles from where the
compass is located.
 A Magnetic compass is a critical piece of marine
navigational equipment.
 Simply put, a magnetised needle, suspended
freely, points North because of the forces caused
by the Earth’s magnetic field. Once North is
known, the other directions are easily found.

DIFFERENT MAGNETIC
COMPASSES USED
DIFFERENT PARTS OF A MARINE
MAGNETIC COMPASS

Constructed of nonmagnetic materials.

Indexed card to read
direction.
Lubber line pins to
align compass with
boat.
Gimbal system to
keep card level when
boat heels and
pitches.
A gimbal is a pivoted support that
allows the rotation of an object about a
single axis independent of the rotation
of its support
Fluid filled damping
system to impede
rapid card movement.
Compensation system
to reduce deviation
error.
HOW A COMPASS WORKS
There is a huge magnetic field around the earth.
It is huge, but it is not very strong. The
magnetized needle in a compass is aligned with
this magnetic field.
 As the image below shows, the composition of the
earth acts as a huge bar magnet sitting upside
down in the middle of the planet.

Since its South end is at the north pole and its
North end is at the south pole, the North end of a
compass needle is pulled north.
 Your compass has to have a very light needle
sitting on a pivot that has almost no friction. This
is because the earth's magnetic field is weak and
would not be able to turn the needle

MAGNETIC COMPASS IN SHIPS
The marine magnetic compass at sea is mainly
used for steering a course. The compass reading
must be accurate, especially on long sea
passages, because a error of one or two degrees in
a long course can make a difference of thousands
of nautical miles in reaching your destination
after many days.
 The compass is also used to take bearings of
terrestrial and celestial objects for navigation,
and errors must be minimised for this purpose.
The compass reading at sea must be therefore
corrected as accurately as possible.

ADVANTAGES OF MAGNETIC
COMPASSES
Little maintenance required
 No power source required
 Durability

DISADVANTAGES OF MAGNETIC
COMPASSES
Does not seek True North
 Affected by surrounding materials.
 Cannot be used near the poles

DIFFERENT ERRORS IN
SHIPS(CONTENTS)
Variation

Deviation
Variation: the angle between a magnetic line of force
and a geographic (true) meridian at any location on the
earth.
 Causes:


Variation exists because the earth’s magnetic and

geographic poles are not co-located.
 Magnetic anomalies in the earth’s crust also contribute to
variation.


 Variation

changes from year to year as the

earth’s magnetic poles tend to wander.
True North Pole

Magnetic North Pole

Notice that the

two poles
aren’t
together. The
magnetic
compass points
to the
magnetic pole,
and this gives
us
VARIATION.
DEVIATION:
BOAT-SPECIFIC ERROR
 Deviation is caused by the interaction of the ship’s metallic

structure and electrical systems with the earth’s magnetic field.

 Due to on-board magnetic influences:
 Magnetic items
 Items to which magnets are attracted.
 Wires carrying DC electrical current.


Reduce effects as much as possible:

Keep compass away from influences
 Twist nearby DC wire pairs.


Usually can’t eliminate them all.

19