Collection: Compasses

Choosing the right compass depends on what your boat already has and what you need it to feed. Ritchie helmsman compasses are traditional magnetic units in bracket-mount configurations, with cover accessories and a steel-boat variant for vessels where the hull can deflect magnetic readings. Heading sensors from Garmin and Furuno connect into onboard networks to supply chartplotters and autopilots, and the protocol matters before you buy: NMEA 2000 sensors join a backbone, while NMEA 0183 units use serial connections that older electronics expect.

Satellite compasses from Furuno, SI-TEX, and Garmin use GNSS signals to deliver heading data free from magnetic deviation or hull interference, making them well suited to steel vessels and larger offshore boats. SI-TEX offers both NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 versions, and cable length is worth checking since pole-mount installations can run far from the helm. Before narrowing your choice, confirm your plotter or autopilot's required input protocol, the mounting location and hardware needed, and whether a standalone magnetic compass or a networked sensor fits your setup.