- A sapphire equips every compass : its hardness is a warranty for the long life and precision of your compass.
- All Plastimo compasses feature an anti-vibration system, which ensures a minimal contact between the pivot and the sapphire cup ; the latest-born "Vibration absorber" device damps spinning caused by high-speed pounding and vibration
- A compass is a meticulously engineered instrument : all the "precious" components are produced by Swiss clock-makers, worldwide famous for their legendary precision.
- The soft Viton® diaphragm or the semi-soft ultra-sound welded diaphragm is fully waterproof and has an extreme expansion and retraction capacity : it compensates the fluctuations in fluid volume caused by the differences in temperature and atmospheric pressure.
- All plastic components -and more specifically the material used for the dome- are carefully selected to withstand shocks, UV-rays and harsh marine environment.
- The crystal transparency of the dome and the exceptional magnifying index of the fluid contribute to the perfect legibility of the card.
Our compasses are engineered to withstand severe weather and rough conditions.
Polar Lys expedition to Greenland
INNOVATION STEMS FROM STATE-OF-THE-ART RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
For over 40 years, the Plastimo Research and Development department has created and engineered extremely dependable compasses, combining top performance with stylish design. Building on the same development philosophy, our engineers now use the most sophisticated computer assisted design programs.
Plastimo compasses : the champions' choice
TO BE ALLOWED ON YOUR BOAT, A PLASTIMO COMPASS MUST PASS CHALLENGING QUALITY CONTROL TESTS
Needless to say, all Plastimo compasses comply with the regulation… but Plastimo's stringent requirements are even more demanding : at every stage of production, each compass is tracked, checked and thoroughly inspected, so that quality is never a coincidence.
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Accelerated ageing tests, carried out in our laboratories, guarantee that the dome and all other components are totally impervious to UV rays.
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Vibration tests used to simulate the vibrations generated by rough sea and high-speed : the card must remain absolutely stable, whatever the vibration frequency. While the regulation requires tests from 7 to 40 Hz, Plastimo challenges its compasses to tests between 5 and 100 Hz.
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Temperature tests : our compasses are tested in heated and refrigerated cabinets from +60° to –20°C (+180° to –70°F). Even in these extreme temperatures, the compass must not leak or develop bubbles.
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Stability tests : when the card is deflected (40° or 90°), it must return to its original position and settle within a predetermined time (called the "half-period")
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Precision and accuracy are tested on each cardinal point. After a 95° deflection, the card must return to its original position, within a 1° maximum allowance.
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Packaging protection : in order to guarantee optimum protection during transport, we regularly drop test our packaged compasses from a 1 metre height to a hard surface.
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Final quality tests : assembled, packaged and ready for shipment, Plastimo compasses are once again inspected with a statistical sampling.
These stringent tests and quality assurance procedures allow Plastimo to offer a 5 year warranty on all its compasses, and to certify an outstanding quality that meets all European and ISO specifications.
EXCELLENCE IN COMPASS-CRAFT
A Plastimo compass is a meticulously engineered instrument. The complexity of components and the extreme accuracy required at every stage forbids production automation ; every compass is assembled manually. Even when brand new, it already has an interesting history...
Produced from state-of-the-art injection moulding machines, domes are individually inspected, thus eliminating the slightest risk of imperfection -optical or mechanical.
Compass production is fully controlled in our Lorient (France) factory, including of course plastic injection engineering, on which Plastimo has built its worldwide reputation.
Every compass card is balanced manually to ensure its perfect horizontality. This is an extremely delicate operation, requiring patient and scrupulous craftmanship which only years of experience can bring.
Printing and legibility of the card must pass microscopic examination.
Quality and durability of the printing are fundamental. Once the compass is assembled, the magnification of the card is such that the slightest flaw would be intolerable.
Plastimo owes its position as market leader to this uncompromisingly stringent selection of cards.
The oven test is used to detect possible leaks. Each compass is placed for 2 hours in a cabinet heated to +60°C. As this produces an expansion of the fluid, the diaphragm compensates for volume fluctuations.
A JEWEL ON YOUR DASHBOARD
While holding the course is ovbiously the primary function of a compass, we at Plastimo, believe that elegance and style add to your sailing pleasure. We have designed your compass to enhance your boat. You will be proud of it.
HOW TO SELECT YOUR COMPASS ?
For almost 40 years, we have owed our position as market leader not only to our extensive range of over 400 models, but also to our continuous effort to offer you such a top quality product that you never have chance to mention it, except than recommend it to a friend getting ready to equip his boat.
Selecting the best compass for your boat is extremely important, as the compass will be the helmsman's or pilot's navigation mate for many years. To help you choose, we suggest that you ask yourself the following simple but essential questions :
- What type of boat do you own ? Dinghy, cruising boat, racing boat, powerboat, kayak or yawl… You should know that the main differences between a sailboat and a powerboat (in terms of compass construction) are the heeling angle and the resistance to vibration and shocks. These technical elements are of course integrated in the engineering of our compasses.
- What is your navigation programme ? Day sailing, cruising, passage making, racing… you will select a compass with or without lighting, with or without compensation, with the right card balanced for the geographical card where you are going to sail, with a plain or tactical card.
- Which size of compass ? If the compass is designed to be read from a distance, you will need a larger compass. Generally speaking and as a benchmark indication, you should select a card apparent diameter between 70 and 90 mm, for a 5 to 9 m boat (17-30 ft).
- Which type of mounting ? Flushmounted on a horizontal, vertical or inclined bulkhead, on a binnacle or mini-binnacle, on a bracket, in a take-away or mast-mounted version… you must choose a compass which remains easily readable (shape of card) at all times. The Plastimo range of compasses covers all mounting options and all our models are designed for minimum drilling and screwing. Last but not least, be stylish : often located at the heart of your boat, your compass should ideally match and enhance the character of your boat ; you will therefore pay particular attention to its design and colour.
What are the different types of cards ?
- Flat card : A flat card is read on the back edge, where the lubberline is located. The fluid magnifies the numerals which become easier to read. In addition, the flat card provides a global view of the card and its North point in relation to the boat's direction.
- Conical or cylindrical card : reading from the front and the top of the card. In addition to front reading, this type of card usually features numerals and cardinal points on the top part of the card, thus providing two reading possibilities. This card is particularly suitable when steering or piloting is done sitting or standing.
Compass installation on board
- Bracket : Very popular on powerboats, a bracket allows for swift and easy mounting whatever the location. It is particularly suitable on surfaces with awkward angles. A bracket-mount compass can generally be taken away for safe storage, which is a real plus on a powerboat with no cabin.
- Flushmount on horizontal surface : This extra-slim version provides an excellent viewing angle and also reduces vibrations by absorbing them. On a powerboat, a flushmount compass is ideal for the fly bridge, the upper deck or the central steering pod ; on a sailboat, a flushmount compass will be ideally located on either side of the deck or mounted on a binnacle.
- Flushmount on vertical or inclined surface, often known as bulkhead compass or dashboard compass : A bulkhead compass is generally mounted on the cockpit side of the cabin bulkhead, allowing easy viewing from the cockpit (and also from the cabin, with the famous Contest 101). On a powerboat, this is ideally suitable for a vertical dashboard or a central steering pod.
- Binnacle for steering wheel : for sailboats with a steering wheel.
- Mini-binnacle : Ultra-flat and compact version ; does not require any cut-out hole. The compass can be taken away for safe storage.
- On fixing bracket : often a multi-function compass (combines course + handbearing functions), this type of compass is usually removable for storage.
- Removable : mounted on a fixing plate or a specific bracket, a removable compass can be taken away when not in use, safe from UV-rays and possible theft.
- Mast-mounting : if you have only little space available, mast installation can be the answer. It is very easy to carry out thanks to a specific mast mounting kit.
Does my compass need to be compensated ?
If you use your compass as a real navigation instrument, it is indeed preferable to have it compensated. All Plastimo compasses either have an integrated factory compensation or can be further compensated.
Magnetic fields generating interference on the compass performance exist on all boats. They can originate from many different sources : loudspeakers, engine, electronic instruments… Do remember that the distance from the interference source is more critical than the intensity of the interference.