Underwater Navigation Part 1

[@averyeinhorn]

Bryan, once again a straightforward, easy to follow, instruction on a fundamental of diving skills. There was nothing here I did not already learn, but I now understand it all much more clearly. Keep on educating the diving world.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thanks Avery Einhorn for the kind words. We should have Part 2 and Part 3 our in the next couple of days.

[@wmdoucette]

Great bit of learning. Remember we can all practice these skills in our backyard or living room! It really gets to be second nature pretty quickly. I got disoriented at night over a big wreck this spring and I was sure happy I knew which way she was laying and that I had a compass with me! I had myself sorted in no time.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

We believe that navigation is a very important skill to learn and to maintain.

[@dime275]

Thanks so much for your time!! Love that someone’s focusing on the compass. So important when you need it. Many people don’t even know how to use it so you’re helping out a lot of divers! Pay attention divers!!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

You're welcome dime275, glad you liked the video. We hope all divers can learn from our videos.

[@Binford400]

Great subject. So many divers lack navigation skills or just get stuck in follow the DM mode. Part of good situational awareness is knowing your in control of all aspects of your dive. Following along! I like the new intro too. 👍

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thanks Binford400, glad you like the new intro. We are firm supporters in practicing Underwater Navigation.

[@jesspeoples3292]

Great video Bryan. We did an out and back in my open water. For my advance open water, we did a box pattern. I like my compass mounted on my dive computer.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Jess, when I first started diving, I preferred my compass on a console system as well. Only in the last 10 years have I switched over to a wrist mount.

[@DavidFrancis24824]

THANK YOU! This was very helpful. I am currently in a scientific diver class for underwater archaeology and I needed to get some extra help, so I watched your video and it was very helpful!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Grant Schweitzer, glad you liked the video.

[@Nerfball6]

Thanks so much!! You really helped to make 90 and 120 degree turns easy and clear!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

You're welcome Nerfball6, glad you liked the videos and found them helpful.

[@univac9800]

Thanks, the 90 and 120 degree tips really helped.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Glad to here that it helps univac9800

[@ivoryjohnson4662]

Thanks for this post still getting used to new intro thanks again for taking time

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

You're welcome Ivory, and glad you liked the new intro.

[@kotro88]

One good feature with the digital compasses in some computers is that you can go into the software and set your home screen to show the compass all the time if you want. I have the Suunto Eon Core and it is set up to show the compass as the large feature, then the tank PSI (via transmitter), dive time, etc.....pretty sweet and all in one piece of equipment.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

A lot of our divers here in our area love the digital compass. As you stated, its an all in one system.

[@FALCON-nb8nq]

Good video. I am still thinking about the "perpendicular" that you mention in the video. Is it perpendicular to the arm when you have the arm in the "navigation" position or is it parallel to a line that goes through your body. Keep the excellent videos coming. By the way, I like the new intro.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

It can fall either way FALCON 2000. The main key is to hold it level, and point the lubber line towards your destination.

[@jonnybkuehl878]

Great series Brian, What model is the wrist compass there?

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Jonny B Kuehl, great name by the way. So in this video I displayed a standard wrist compass from XS Scuba, my personal Mares XR Compass (the one on the bungee), and the Suunto Clipper is the little one on my watch strap.

[@ExON00]

Personally if I'm going to do navigation I use a regular land compass glued to a slate. I find the UW-compasses to be slow and sticky. Good quality land compasses are also oil-filled and work under water no problem.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Exon Norway, glad to hear your land compass is working for you.

[@imsw1550]

Great info, thanks for sharing

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thanks RICK CHAPMAN. Part 2 should come out tomorrow, and Part 3 hopefully will be out the following day.

[@gmussiluz]

Bryan, recently I disassembled my compass for cleaning and repair and found out that there is a copper ring between the compass and the case. What is it that for? One of my web search bring me an information about magnetic correction in boat compasses, but not sure about scuba ones.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

That is a great question, and one I don’t have an answer for. Which manufacture of compass do you have? That would be a great question for the manufacturer.

[@gmussiluz]

​@@LakeHickoryScuba ​ That's an Oceanic's compass. I made the same with my friend's compass (an old US Divers's one) and it also has the copper ring.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

To be honest, I have never torn a compass apart. I will see what I can find out for you though.

[@Nerfball6]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but with my compass having North at the 180 mark on the dial card ... If I want to turn 120 degree to the right, I will turn my bezel left until North is on 60 ... and to go left 120 degrees, I would turn the Bezel to the right, to 300.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

The simplest thing to remember with navigation while making turns is to always turn the bezel in the opposite direction you are wanting to go. So if you line up the index markers with the North needle, this means North and 0 on the bezel should be lined up, then turn the bezel to the left until you line up 180 with North. Then simply turn your body to the right until the index markers and North re-a-line, and there is your 180 degree turn.

[@stephens2r338]

Good navigation relies on many factors. Light, current, depths topography and much more. Experience being the largest. Notice that l didn't mention compass. I never dive without one and it's possibly the most important item l dive with. Maybe more than my dive computer and its definitely my best friend under water. I like to think my compass is more like a back up. Think of it as a get out of jail card. A way to show you the way home when your not sure of the way home. Dont focus too much on it. Enjoy the dive and relax in the knowledge that your compass will point you back to land if your not sure

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Stephen S2R. We agree, the compass is just another additional tool a diver can use for navigation.

[@jjjjr2757]

Does the matrix have a compass and good navigation?

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

It sure does. It also has a built in feature for 120 and 90 degree turns as well.

[@vp4991]

Can you name the compass on the bungee wrist mount please? I don't think you did. I know there are are several, I like the visibility of that one.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Its the Mares Hand Compass, product number 414604

[@timgosling6189]

Good explanation of setting bearings, although I think you mean parallel not perpendicular :-)

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Tim Gosling. If you think of your body as a flat plain, then anything that protrudes off if it would be perpendicular. Kind of like the letter T. The top of the T being my body and the lower half would be the direction of travel, or in this case the direction of the lubber line on the compass.

[@timgosling6189]

@@LakeHickoryScuba I know what you mean and you demonstrate it perfectly in the video. But at 9:20 you say "...you're gonna line that lubber line up perpendicular to you and your destination". The axis of your body and the lubber line should be pointing at your destination, ie parallel. The lubber line should not be perdendicular to your destination or the axis of your body, although it may be perpendicular to your forearm if you've got it locked in front of you with the compass on your wrist in the way you demonstrate. I think that's where the confusion arose for me.

[@dime275]

Tim Gosling confused me too for a split second but I understand what he means. I think it’s more accurate to say perpendicular too cause we’re connecting two imaginary right angles

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

You would be correct. Its all in a matter of perspective. No worries.

[@pearls4avant]

I'm with you, Tim. Parallel is correct. If you're making a line between yourself & destination, you want the lubber in the same direction as that line, which is parallel. It's not perspective - it's geometry ;)

[@thewhizzkidscully]

Very good

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Glad you liked the video @thewhizzkidscully.

[@reyneva]

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Glad you liked the video @Rey_Nevan.

[@bornaluckyman1]

Damn good video ...

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thank you David Taylor.

[@dh5645]

Although must account for current

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

This is very true.

[@dh5645]

LakeHickoryScuba I’m going to go and account for some current right now and hopefully load up on some South Florida lobsters 🦞

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Good luck, I just returned from Florida last night. I took several students down to dive the Springs on the northern end.

[@docmccoy1928]

you know what? There are tons of videos on compass use. Guess what there is not? A video on how to use a digital compass. I have a scuba pro G2 and can't make heads or tails of the compass. I know how to use a compass, I have had tons of land nav and underwater compass work.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello @docmccoy1928, you are correct. There is not a lot of information out there on how to use a digital compass. We cover all this in our full Underwater Navigation Course. I will see if I can make you a video series on how to use a digital compass.

[@jonnieinbangkok]

I throughly confused...you could say I'm lost!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Jonnie Bangkok. Navigation takes practice. Start slow with reciprical headings and slowly work up to 90 degree and 120 degree turns. The biggest thing I tell most divers is. Keep things simple, and try not to over think them.

[@jonnieinbangkok]

@@LakeHickoryScuba Yes I will work through your 3 nav. videos and other YT tutorials.

[@philipnicholson3216]

parallel

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

?

[@philipnicholson3216]

@@LakeHickoryScuba I think early on in the video you said perpendicular and I think you meant parallel - I'll have to check again

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Gotcha. I look at my destination as a horizontal plane, and my lubber line pointing to the center of it would make it perpendicular. Think of a T, and the top is the destination.

[@philipnicholson3216]

@@LakeHickoryScuba about 9:15 you talk about lining up the lubber line "perpendicular" - I think you meant parallel - you line up the lubber line parallel with your destination not perpendicular

[@philipnicholson3216]

@@LakeHickoryScuba OK I see what you meant - I guess in my mind I am thinking I am traveling parallel to the direction of the lubber line but I see your view point - thanks

[@tomasurban9626]

Why do you recommend digital, it's shit. Most recreational divers will think: wohooo, this is an computer and compass in one, and then, they go, ant they click the compass and they see shit about their depth, time, nodeco time, etc.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Tomas Urban, thankfully that is not the case with the computers we use and sell.