GPS Heading and Compass heading

[GregAndrew]

As Damian (Flydigital) said, with current, chop and wind you are not necissarily moving straight in the direction that your kayak is pointing even when you may be paddling hard. So, the reading on your compass is going to show you the direction you are pointing, while the GPS shows you the direction you are actually traveling.

[flydigital]

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

As Damian (Flydigital) said, with current, chop and wind you are not necissarily moving straight in the direction that your kayak is pointing even when you may be paddling hard. So, the reading on your compass is going to show you the direction you are pointing, while the GPS shows you the direction you are actually traveling.

Yep, to be technical, HEADING as defined as what direction you are pointing, regardless of where you are actually moving. TRACK is the direction/bearing over the ground. Compass shows heading, GPS shows track.

Think of it like this... if you are HEADING north, 0deg magnetic, going slowly at 1mph, and there is a combined wind/current pushing you at 2mph toward the south, your HEADING is 0 but your TRACK is 180 (and at a speed of 1mph). You're going backwards. Fishing for halibut this happens all the time at very slow "troll" speeds. The track becomes meaningless, and the magnetic heading becomes important. It can all get very complicated and frustrating when trying to return to a waypoint, especially when the wind and current are doing 2 different things. This is when you have to forget about the GPS for navigating TO the waypoint, use your compass or your eyes, and use the GPS simply for reference.

Some GPS units have a setting where you can change the speed threshold of track updates. I.e. if you set it to 3mph you will only see your track "direction" update after you go over 3mph. Worth playing with for your preference if you have that option.

[wiredantz]

I have that trouble, for example at la Jolla.


I saw a spot with alot of bit arches but with the swell and wind i was having a tough time finding that same spot again the GPS kept giving me the run around because i couldn't tell which was the gps was point to ( it kept saying it was to my left so ill paddle to my left then suddenly i would say it was behind me or to the right. Often i had to go backwards and paddle forward again to gain some speed so my GPS can tell me where that spot was again. Sometimes i had to pay attention to the current to try to see what direction it was pushing me too. Then i paddle against the current to find that spot and drop my line. I found it a bit trickier at la jolla because i couldn't really throw my line without getting caught on the kelp...I have to find an easier way to stay at my spot....

[Whizz Bang]

Originally Posted by wiredantz

I have that trouble, for example at la Jolla.


I saw a spot with alot of bit arches but with the swell and wind i was having a tough time finding that same spot again the GPS kept giving me the run around because i couldn't tell which was the gps was point to ( it kept saying it was to my left so ill paddle to my left then suddenly i would say it was behind me or to the right. Often i had to go backwards and paddle forward again to gain some speed so my GPS can tell me where that spot was again. Sometimes i had to pay attention to the current to try to see what direction it was pushing me too. Then i paddle against the current to find that spot and drop my line. I found it a bit trickier at la jolla because i couldn't really throw my line without getting caught on the kelp...I have to find an easier way to stay at my spot....

This is exactly why I perfected the "Crazy Ivan". If it was good enough for Sean Connery and the Soviets, it is good enough for me. Also, if you do it right, you can find out if there are any submarines following you. Feel free to make whale farting noises while you do this, it is both fun and liberating.

[StinkyMatt]

Frank, I already told you, it is installed upside down.